List of counties in Alabama

The U.S. state of Alabama has 67 counties.[1] Each county serves as the local level of government within its borders. The land enclosed by the present state borders was joined to the United States of America gradually. Following the American Revolutionary War, West Florida was ceded to Spain by treaty while the remainder was organized primarily as the Mississippi Territory, and later the Alabama Territory.[2] The territorial assembly established some of the earliest county divisions that have survived to the present, including the earliest county formation, that of Washington County, created on June 4, 1800.[3] In 1814, the Treaty of Fort Jackson opened the territory to American settlers, which in turn led to a more rapid rate of county creation. Alabama was admitted to the Union as the 22nd state in 1819.[4] The Alabama state legislature formed additional counties from former native lands as the Indian Removal Act took effect and settlers populated different areas of Alabama.[5] In 1820, Alabama had 29 counties. By 1830 there were 36 and Native Americans still occupied large areas of land in northeast and far western Alabama. By 1840, 49 counties had been created; 52 by 1850; 65 by 1870; and the present 67 counties by 1903.[6] Houston County was the last county created in the state, on February 9, 1903.[3]

Counties of Alabama
Alabama counties (clickable map)
LocationState of Alabama
Number67
PopulationsGreatest: 667,820 (Jefferson)
Least: 7,629 (Greene)
Average: 75,222 (2021)
AreasLargest: 1,590 sq mi (4,100 km2) (Baldwin)
Smallest: 535 sq mi (1,390 km2) (Etowah)
Average: 782 sq mi (2,030 km2)
Government
Subdivisions

According to 2021 U. S. Census data, the average population of Alabama's 67 counties is 75,222, with Jefferson County as the most populous (667,820), and Greene County (7,629) the least.[7] The average land area is 756 sq mi (1,958 km2). The largest county is Baldwin (1,590 sq mi, 4,118 km2) and the smallest is Etowah (535 sq mi, 1,386 km2).[8] The Constitution of Alabama requires that any new county in Alabama cover at least 600 square miles (1,600 km2) in area, effectively limiting the creation of new counties in the state.[9]

The Alabama Department of Revenue's Motor Vehicle Division issues standard automobile license plates that bear a one- or two-digit number identifying the county in which the vehicle is registered. This number is given in the fourth column in the table below. The first three prefixes are reserved for the state's historically most populous counties, and thereafter proceed alphabetically. Individual license plate numbers are assigned sequentially in each licensing office. The numbers are in the format XAA1111 or XXAA111, depending on whether the prefix is one or two digits. Overflow registrations are accommodated by substituting a letter for one of the registration numbers, such that XXZ999Z is followed by XXA0A0A.[10]

The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) code, used by the United States government to uniquely identify counties, is provided with each entry. The FIPS code links in the table point to U. S. Census "quick facts" pages for each county. Alabama's FIPS state code is 01.

Counties
County
 FIPS code[11] County seat[3] License #
[12] 		Est.[3] Formed from[13] Etymology[6][14]Density
 Population (2021)[15] Land Area[16] Map
Autauga County 001 Prattville41818Montgomery CountyThe Autauga or Atagi people, Native Americans who were a sub-group of the Alibamu99.4 59,095 594.44 sq mi
(1,540 km2)
Baldwin County 003 Bay Minette51809Washington County and West FloridaAbraham Baldwin (1754–1807), U.S. legislator from Georgia150.5 239,294 1,589.78 sq mi
(4,118 km2)
Barbour County 005 Clayton61832Pike CountyJames Barbour (1775–1842), Governor of Virginia and U.S. Senator28.2 24,964 884.88 sq mi
(2,292 km2)
Bibb County 007 Centreville71818Montgomery County (as Cahawba County)William Wyatt Bibb (1781–1820), 1st Governor of Alabama36.1 22,477 622.58 sq mi
(1,612 km2)
Blount County 009 Oneonta81818Montgomery County and Creek territoriesWillie Blount (1768–1835), Governor of Tennessee91.6 59,041 644.78 sq mi
(1,670 km2)
Bullock County 011 Union Springs91866Barbour, Macon, Montgomery, and Pike countiesEdward Bullock (1822–1861), colonel in the Confederate States Army16.6 10,320 622.80 sq mi
(1,613 km2)
Butler County 013 Greenville101819Conecuh and Monroe countiesWilliam Butler (1759–1818), captain in Creek War24.3 18,884 776.83 sq mi
(2,012 km2)
Calhoun County 015 Anniston111832St. Clair County (as Benton County)John C. Calhoun (1782–1850), 7th U.S. Vice President191.4 115,972 605.87 sq mi
(1,569 km2)
Chambers County 017 LaFayette121832Montgomery CountyHenry H. Chambers (1790–1826), U.S. Senator57.9 34,541 596.53 sq mi
(1,545 km2)
Cherokee County 019 Centre131836Cherokee territoryCherokee people, whose lands included Northeast Alabama45.1 24,996 553.70 sq mi
(1,434 km2)
Chilton County 021 Clanton141868Autauga, Bibb, Perry, and Shelby counties (as Baker County)William Parish Chilton (1810–1871), Alabama Supreme Court Justice and Confederate congressman65.3 45,274 692.85 sq mi
(1,794 km2)
Choctaw County 023 Butler151847Sumter and Washington countiesChoctaw people, whose lands included Alabama13.7 12,533 913.50 sq mi
(2,366 km2)
Clarke County 025 Grove Hill161812Washington CountyJohn Clarke (1766–1832), general from Georgia18.4 22,760 1,238.46 sq mi
(3,208 km2)
Clay County 027 Ashland171866Randolph and Talladega countiesHenry Clay (1777–1852), U.S. legislator from Kentucky23.5 14,190 603.96 sq mi
(1,564 km2)
Cleburne County 029 Heflin181866Calhoun, Randolph, and Talladega countiesPatrick Cleburne (1828–1864), Major General in Confederate States Army27.0 15,103 560.10 sq mi
(1,451 km2)
Coffee County 031 Elba and Enterprise[17]191841Dale CountyJohn Coffee (1772–1833), military leader in War of 1812 and Creek War79.8 54,174 678.97 sq mi
(1,759 km2)
Colbert County 033 Tuscumbia201867Franklin CountyGeorge Colbert (1764–1839) and Levi Colbert (1759–1834), Chickasaw chiefs97.0 57,474 592.62 sq mi
(1,535 km2)
Conecuh County 035 Evergreen211818Monroe CountyThe Conecuh River, which flows through the county13.3 11,328 850.16 sq mi
(2,202 km2)
Coosa County 037 Rockford221832Montgomery CountyThe Coosa River, which flows through the county, and is itself named after a Native American village16.1 10,450 650.93 sq mi
(1,686 km2)
Covington County 039 Andalusia231821Henry CountyLeonard Covington (1768–1813), Brigadier General in War of 1812 and U.S. Congressman36.4 37,524 1,030.46 sq mi
(2,669 km2)
Crenshaw County 041 Luverne241866Butler, Coffee, Covington, Lowndes, and Pike CountiesAnderson Crenshaw (1783–1847), Alabama Supreme Court justice and early settler21.5 13,083 608.84 sq mi
(1,577 km2)
Cullman County 043 Cullman251877Blount, Morgan, and Winston countiesColonel John G. Cullmann (1823–1895), founder of county seat121.8 89,496 734.84 sq mi
(1,903 km2)
Dale County 045 Ozark261824Covington and Henry countiesSamuel Dale (1772–1841), Brigadier General and state legislator87.9 49,342 561.15 sq mi
(1,453 km2)
Dallas County 047 Selma271818Monroe and Montgomery countiesAlexander James Dallas (1759–1817), U.S. Secretary of Treasury38.4 37,619 978.69 sq mi
(2,535 km2)
DeKalb County 049 Fort Payne281836Cherokee territoryJohann de Kalb (1721–1780), major general in American Revolutionary War92.4 71,813 777.09 sq mi
(2,013 km2)
Elmore County 051 Wetumpka291866Autauga, Coosa, Montgomery, and Tallapoosa countiesJohn Archer Elmore (1762–1834), Revolutionary War veteran144.4 89,304 618.48 sq mi
(1,602 km2)
Escambia County 053 Brewton301868Baldwin and Conecuh countiesEscambia Creek, a tributary of the Conecuh River38.8 36,699 945.08 sq mi
(2,448 km2)
Etowah County 055 Gadsden311866Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, DeKalb, Marshall, and St. Clair counties (as Baine County)Etowah Indian Mounds192.8 103,162 534.99 sq mi
(1,386 km2)
Fayette County 057 Fayette321824Marion, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, and Walker countiesGilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette (1757–1834), Revolutionary War commander25.7 16,148 627.66 sq mi
(1,626 km2)
Franklin County 059 Russellville331818Cherokee territoryBenjamin Franklin (1706–1790), politician, diplomat, inventor, and publisher50.5 32,013 633.82 sq mi
(1,642 km2)
Geneva County 061 Geneva341868Coffee, Dale, and Henry countiesNamed after Geneva, New York, the origin of several early settlers46.5 26,701 574.41 sq mi
(1,488 km2)
Greene County 063 Eutaw351819Marengo and Tuscaloosa countiesNathanael Greene (1742–1786), Revolutionary War general11.8 7,629 647.11 sq mi
(1,676 km2)
Hale County 065 Greensboro361867Greene, Marengo, Perry, and Tuscaloosa countiesStephen F. Hale (1816–1862), lieutenant colonel in Confederate States Army22.9 14,754 643.94 sq mi
(1,668 km2)
Henry County 067 Abbeville371819Conecuh CountyPatrick Henry (1736–1799), Revolutionary War patriot and Governor of Virginia31.1 17,459 561.75 sq mi
(1,455 km2)
Houston County 069 Dothan381903Dale, Geneva, and Henry countiesGeorge S. Houston (1811–1879), 24th Governor of Alabama and U.S. Congressman185.3 107,458 579.82 sq mi
(1,502 km2)
Jackson County 071 Scottsboro391819Cherokee territoryAndrew Jackson (1767–1845), 7th U.S. President49.0 52,773 1,077.87 sq mi
(2,792 km2)
Jefferson County 073 Birmingham11819Blount CountyThomas Jefferson (1743–1826), 3rd U.S. President600.9 667,820 1,111.28 sq mi
(2,878 km2)
Lamar County 075 Vernon401867Fayette and Marion counties (as Jones County)Lucius Q. C. Lamar (1825–1893), U.S. Supreme Court justice22.6 13,689 604.85 sq mi
(1,567 km2)
Lauderdale County 077 Florence411818Cherokee and Chickasaw territoriesJames Lauderdale (1780–1814), Colonel in War of 1812140.8 94,043 667.70 sq mi
(1,729 km2)
Lawrence County 079 Moulton421818Cherokee territoryJames Lawrence (1781–1813), naval officer in War of 181247.9 33,090 690.68 sq mi
(1,789 km2)
Lee County 081 Opelika431866Chambers, Macon, Russell, and Tallapoosa countiesRobert E. Lee (1807–1870), Commander of the Confederate States Army291.7 177,218 607.54 sq mi
(1,574 km2)
Limestone County 083 Athens441818Elk and Madison countiesLimestone Creek, named for local geological deposits192.0 107,517 559.94 sq mi
(1,450 km2)
Lowndes County 085 Hayneville451830Butler, Dallas, and Montgomery countiesWilliam Lowndes (1782–1822), U.S. Congressman from South Carolina13.9 9,965 715.91 sq mi
(1,854 km2)
Macon County 087 Tuskegee461832Montgomery CountyNathaniel Macon (1758–1837), U.S. legislator from North Carolina31.0 18,895 608.89 sq mi
(1,577 km2)
Madison County 089 Huntsville471808Cherokee and Chickasaw territoriesJames Madison (1751–1836), 4th U.S. President493.0 395,211 801.59 sq mi
(2,076 km2)
Marengo County 091 Linden481818Choctaw territoryBattle of Marengo19.4 18,996 976.88 sq mi
(2,530 km2)
Marion County 093 Hamilton491818Tuscaloosa CountyFrancis Marion (1732–1795), military leader in American Revolutionary War39.4 29,246 742.29 sq mi
(1,923 km2)
Marshall County 095 Guntersville501836Blount and Jackson counties and Cherokee territoryJohn Marshall (1755–1835), Chief Justice of the United States 1801–1835173.6 98,228 565.84 sq mi
(1,466 km2)
Mobile County 097 Mobile21812Mobile District of West Florida after annexation into Mississippi TerritoryMobile Bay, on which county is located, and which is itself named after the Maubila tribe of Native Americans336.0 413,073 1,229.44 sq mi
(3,184 km2)
Monroe County 099 Monroeville511815Creek territoryJames Monroe (1758–1831), 5th U.S. President19.2 19,648 1,025.67 sq mi
(2,656 km2)
Montgomery County 101 Montgomery31816Monroe CountyLemuel P. Montgomery (1786–1814), Major in Creek War290.0 227,434 784.25 sq mi
(2,031 km2)
Morgan County 103 Decatur521818Cherokee territory (as Cotaco County)Daniel Morgan (1736–1802), U.S. Congressman213.5 123,668 579.34 sq mi
(1,500 km2)
Perry County 105 Marion531819Cahawba, Dallas, Marengo, and Tuscaloosa countiesOliver Hazard Perry (1795–1819), naval officer in War of 181211.6 8,355 719.66 sq mi
(1,864 km2)
Pickens County 107 Carrollton541820Tuscaloosa CountyAndrew Pickens (1739–1817), General in the Revolutionary War21.3 18,801 881.41 sq mi
(2,283 km2)
Pike County 109 Troy551821Henry and Montgomery countiesZebulon Pike (1779–1813), explorer and officer in War of 181249.1 32,991 672.09 sq mi
(1,741 km2)
Randolph County 111 Wedowee561832St. Clair and Shelby countiesJohn Randolph (1773–1833), U.S. Senator from Virginia37.9 21,989 580.55 sq mi
(1,504 km2)
Russell County 113 Phenix City571832Barbour, Bullock, Lee and Macon countiesGilbert C. Russell (1782–1861), officer in Creek War91.6 58,722 641.14 sq mi
(1,661 km2)
St. Clair County 115 Ashville and Pell City591818Shelby CountyArthur St. Clair (1736–1818), President of Continental Congress146.8 92,748 631.90 sq mi
(1,637 km2)
Shelby County 117 Columbiana581818Montgomery CountyIsaac Shelby (1750–1826), Governor of Kentucky289.1 226,902 784.93 sq mi
(2,033 km2)
Sumter County 119 Livingston601832Choctaw territoryThomas Sumter (1734–1832), U.S. Congressman from South Carolina13.5 12,164 903.89 sq mi
(2,341 km2)
Talladega County 121 Talladega611832St. Clair and Shelby countiesTalatigi, Creek Indian name for the county seat, meaning "border town"110.6 81,524 736.78 sq mi
(1,908 km2)
Tallapoosa County 123 Dadeville621832Montgomery and Shelby countiesTallapoosa River57.3 41,023 716.52 sq mi
(1,856 km2)
Tuscaloosa County 125 Tuscaloosa631818Montgomery County and Choctaw territoryIroquoian name for the Black Warrior River171.7 227,007 1,321.75 sq mi
(3,423 km2)
Walker County 127 Jasper641823Blount, Jefferson, and Tuscaloosa countiesJohn Williams Walker (1783–1823), U.S. Senator from Alabama81.9 64,818 791.19 sq mi
(2,049 km2)
Washington County 129 Chatom651800Adams and Pickering counties of Mississippi TerritoryGeorge Washington (1732–1799), 1st U.S. President14.0 15,147 1,080.21 sq mi
(2,798 km2)
Wilcox County 131 Camden661819Dallas and Monroe countiesJoseph M. Wilcox (1790–1814), lieutenant in Creek War11.8 10,446 888.50 sq mi
(2,301 km2)
Winston County 133 Double Springs671850Walker County (as Hancock County)John A. Winston (1812–1871), 15th Governor of Alabama38.6 23,652 612.98 sq mi
(1,588 km2)

Former county names
County[6] Named for[6] Changed to[3]
Baine County David W. Baine, Colonel in the Civil War Etowah County in 1868
Baker County Alfred Baker, a local landowner Chilton County in 1874
Benton County Thomas Hart Benton, U. S. Senator from Missouri Calhoun County in 1858, honoring Benton's rival John C. Calhoun of South Carolina after Benton's renunciation of slavery
Cahawba County former state capital of Cahawba Bibb County in 1820
Cotaco County Cotaco Creek, a tributary of the Tennessee River Morgan County in 1821
Hancock County John Hancock, signer of the Declaration of Independence Winston County in 1858
Jones County Josiah Jones, a local political leader Covington County (its former name) in 1868 after Jones refused the honor
Jones County E.P. Jones, a local landowner Sanford County, which subsequently became Lamar County in 1877
Sanford County H.C. Sanford, a local landowner Lamar County in 1877

Former counties
County Established Dissolved Named for Notes
Decatur County December 7, 1821 December 28, 1825 Commodore Stephen Decatur of the United States Navy. Created in 1822 with Woodville as its county seat. Abolished several years later, divided between Madison County and Jackson County.
Elk County[18] May 9, 1817 January 26, 1818 Elk River Established by Mississippi Territory prior to Mississippi–Alabama split; abolished prior to Alabama statehood

See also
  • List of census county divisions in Alabama

References
Specific
  1. "List of Alabama Counties". Bama Politics. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  2. "Alabama History Timeline, 1701–1800". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Retrieved May 18, 2009.
  3. National Association of Counties. "NACo – Find a county". Archived from the original on March 9, 2008. Retrieved April 30, 2008.
  4. "Alabama History Timeline, 1801–1860". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Retrieved May 18, 2009.
  5. "Alabama Counties: Cherokee". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Retrieved December 29, 2008.
  6. Foscue, Virginia O. (1989) Place Names in Alabama. Tuscaloosa, Alabama: University of Alabama Press. ISBN 0-8173-0410-X
  7. "U.S. Census website". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
  8. "2010 Census U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
  9. Wikisource:Alabama State Constitution of 1901/Initial Constitution#Section 39
  10. Nicholson, David. "Alabama License Plates, 1969–present". License Plates of North America, 1969–present. Retrieved August 8, 2007.
  11. "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". EPA.gov. Archived from the original on October 8, 2012. Retrieved February 23, 2008.
  12. Nicholson, David. "Alabama County Codes". License Plates of North America, 1969–present. Retrieved May 25, 2009.
  13. Owen, Thomas McAdory; Owen, Marie Bankhead (1921). History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing Company.
  14. "Alabama Counties". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Retrieved June 1, 2009.
  15. U.S. Census Bureau. "QuickFacts: Alabama". Retrieved March 31, 2022.
  16. "Community Facts". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  17. Coffee County, Alabama. "History of Coffee County". Archived from the original on October 27, 2011. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  18. McDonald, William Lindsey (2003) [1997]. A Walk Through the Past: People and Places of Florence and Lauderdale County, Alabama. Killen, Alabama: Bluewater Publications. pp. 223–224. ISBN 9780971994560. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
General
  • Map series showing evolution of county boundaries. Cartographic Research Laboratory. University of Alabama Department of Geography.
  • Alabama Counties Alabama Counties Features. Digital Alabama

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