Wilcox County
County
Wilcox County Courthouse in Camden, Alabama
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
Alabama's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°59′06″N 87°18′39″W / 31.985°N 87.310833333333°W / 31.985; -87.310833333333
Country	United States
State	Alabama
Founded	December 13, 1819
Named for	Joseph M. Wilcox
Seat	Camden
Largest city	Camden
Area
• Total	907 sq mi (2,350 km2)
• Land	888 sq mi (2,300 km2)
• Water	19 sq mi (50 km2)  2.1%
Population  (2020)
• Total	10,600
• Estimate  (2023)	9,944
• Density	12/sq mi (4.5/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	7th
County Number 66 on Alabama Licence Plates

Wilcox County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,600.^[1] Its county seat is Camden.^[2]

History

Wilcox County was established on December 13, 1819. The county was named after Joseph M. Wilcox, a United States Army lieutenant who was killed in Alabama during the Creek War.^[3]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 907 square miles (2,350 km²), of which 888 square miles (2,300 km²) is land and 19 square miles (49 km²) (2.1%) is water.^[4]

Major highways

• State Route 5
• State Route 10
• State Route 21
• State Route 25
• State Route 28
• State Route 41
• State Route 89
• State Route 162
• State Route 164
• State Route 221
• State Route 265

Adjacent counties

• Dallas County (northeast)
• Lowndes County (east-northeast)
• Butler County (east-southeast)
• Monroe County (south)
• Clarke County (southwest)
• Marengo County (northwest)

Demographics

2020 Census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 10,600 people, 3,854 households, and 2,284 families residing in the county.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 11,670 people living in the county. 72.5% were Black or African American, 26.8% White, 0.1% Native American, 0.1% of some other race and 0.4% of two or more races. 0.6% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

2000 census

As of the census^[13] of 2000, there were 13,183 people, 4,776 households, and 3,376 families living in the county. The population density was 15 people per square mile (5.8 people/km²). There were 6,183 housing units at an average density of 7 units per square mile (2.7 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 71.90% Black or African American, 27.51% White, 0.14% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races, and 0.19% from two or more races. Nearly 0.74% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,776 households, out of which 36.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.80% were married couples living together, 26.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were non-families. Nearly 27.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70, and the average family size was 3.31.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 30.70% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 25.50% from 25 to 44, 21.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $16,646, and the median income for a family was $22,200. Males had a median income of $26,216 versus $17,274 for females. The per capita income for the county was $10,903. About 36.10% of families and 39.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 48.40% of those under age 18 and 32.10% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Wilcox County leans heavily towards the Democratic Party. The only Republican to carry the county since 1900 has been Barry Goldwater in 1964 – when little to none of the county's black majority had voted for over seven decades and opposition by the voting white minority to Civil Rights meant that national Democrat Lyndon Johnson was not allowed on the ballot. Even after the Voting Rights Act of 1965, black registration was so slow that segregationist George Wallace comfortably carried the county in 1968, but since then the Democratic presidential candidate has carried Wilcox in every election. It was one of only six Wallace counties^[a] to vote for George McGovern against Richard Nixon's 3,000-plus-county landslide of 1972.