The land in Coffee County was originally part of Dale County, which was incorporated in 1824. Coffee County was formed from the western part of Dale County on December 29, 1841. It was named after John R. Coffee, a soldier in the Creek War of 1813—14. The first county seat was in Wellborn. After the courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1851, the county seat was moved to Elba.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water. The county is located in the Wiregrass region of southeast Alabama.
As of the census of 2010, there were 49,948 people, 19,849 households, and 13,837 families residing in the county. The population density was 74 people per square mile. There were 22,330 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 74.7% White, 16.7% Black or African American, 1.3% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 3.2% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. 6.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The largest self-reported ancestry groups in Coffee County were English, German, Irish, "American",, Scottish and Portuguese. There were 19,849 households, out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were married couplesliving together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.98. In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.2% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.3 males. The median income for a household in the county was $42,253, and the median income for a family was $54,929. Males had a median income of $41,635 versus $29,082 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,797. About 14.1% of families and 17.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.4% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Year
GOP
Dem
Others
2016
76.4%15,875
20.3% 4,221
3.2% 671
2012
74.0%14,666
24.9% 4,925
1.2% 230
2008
74.1%14,919
25.2% 5,079
0.7% 130
2004
73.9%13,019
25.4% 4,480
0.7% 117
2000
64.4%9,938
33.8% 5,220
1.8% 276
1996
55.1%7,805
36.5% 5,168
8.4% 1,186
1992
48.9%7,591
37.2% 5,776
13.9% 2,166
1988
66.6%8,890
32.3% 4,319
1.1% 146
1984
69.8%10,558
28.9% 4,370
1.3% 190
1980
50.5%6,760
45.8% 6,140
3.7% 499
1976
37.0% 4,683
62.0%7,844
1.0% 124
1972
80.1%9,076
19.1% 2,160
0.9% 100
1968
6.3% 682
10.0% 1,071
83.7%9,013
1964
80.2%4,910
19.8% 1,213
1960
23.5% 1,381
76.2%4,470
0.3% 16
1956
18.5% 973
79.0%4,163
2.5% 132
1952
15.1% 699
84.8%3,919
0.0% 2
1948
5.3% 113
94.8%2,039
1944
3.9% 115
96.0%2,846
0.1% 3
1940
6.1% 145
93.9%2,226
0.0% 0
1936
3.3% 110
96.2%3,178
0.5% 17
1932
3.2% 95
96.7%2,868
0.1% 2
1928
39.2% 1,036
60.8%1,609
0.0% 0
1924
16.6% 323
82.1%1,597
1.3% 25
1920
28.0% 673
71.5%1,721
0.6% 14
1916
17.2% 426
82.0%2,029
0.9% 21
1912
3.8% 68
70.7%1,277
25.6% 462
1908
18.1% 341
69.2%1,305
12.7% 240
1904
13.2% 226
64.3%1,106
22.5% 387
Communities
Cities
Elba
Enterprise
Towns
Kinston
New Brockton
Unincorporated communities
Alberton
Basin
Battens Crossroads
Brooklyn
Central City
Clintonville
Curtis
Damascus
Danleys Crossroads
Frisco
Goodman
Ino
Jack
Java
Keyton
Pine Level
Richburg
Roeton
Tabernacle
Victoria
Notable people
Jim Folsom, governor of Alabama from 1947 to 1951 and 1955 to 1959, was born in Coffee County.
Coffee County is home to "The Dancing Ghost" of Grancer Harrison, featured in the book 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey.
