Geneva County, Alabama


Geneva County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,659. Its county seat is Geneva. Geneva County is a dry county. However, beer and wine are sold in the city limits of Geneva, Samson, Slocomb, and most recently in Hartford, after residents voted to become wet in a 2022 election.
Geneva County is part of the Dothan, Alabama metropolitan area.

History

Geneva County was established on December 26, 1868 from Coffee, Dale, and Henry counties. The county was named after its county seat, which in turn was named after Geneva, New York, which was named after Geneva, Switzerland, by Walter H. Yonge, an early town resident and Swiss native.
The county was declared a disaster area in September 1979 due to damage from Hurricane Frederic.
On March 10, 2009, a gunman, identified as Michael McLendon, went on a shooting spree at nine locations in Geneva County from the town of Samson to the city of Geneva, killing ten people and wounding six others. McLendon entered his former place of employment, Reliable Metal Products on the northeastern side of Geneva, where he killed himself.

Geography

According to the United States 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.
It is the fifth-smallest county in Alabama by total area.

Major highways

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 26,659. The median age was 43.8 years. 21.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.8 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 82.8% White, 8.4% Black or African American, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.0% from some other race, and 5.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.9% of the population.
0.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 99.4% lived in rural areas.
There were 10,874 households in the county, of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 27.8% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 12,452 housing units, of which 12.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 73.1% were owner-occupied and 26.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.2%.

2010

The 2010 United States census has the breakdown as:
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,764 people, 10,477 households, and 7,459 families residing in the county. The population density was. There were 12,115 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 87.11% White, 10.65% Black or African American, 0.76% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races, and 0.72% from two or more races. 1.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 10,477 households, out of which 30.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.40% were married couples living together, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.80% were non-families. 26.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.00% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 25.30% from 45 to 64, and 16.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.70 males. For every 100 women age 18 and over, there were 90.00 men.
The median income for a household in the county was $26,448, and the median income for a family was $32,563. Males had a median income of $26,018 versus $19,341 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,620. About 15.90% of families and 19.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.20% of those under age 18 and 21.80% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

  • Geneva
  • Hartford
  • Samson
  • Slocomb

    Towns

  • Black
  • Coffee Springs
  • Malvern
  • Taylor

    Census-designated place

  • Eunola

    Unincorporated communities

  • Bellwood
  • Chancellor
  • Dundee
  • Earlytown
  • Fadette
  • Hacoda
  • High Bluff
  • Highfalls
  • Highnote

    Government and politics

Much like the state and the rest of the Deep South, Geneva County was locked for the Democrats before 1964, until Herbert Hoover won against Democrat nominee Al Smith in 1928 by 48 votes. However, ever since 1980, Geneva County has been a Republican stronghold. The last Democrat to carry the county was Deep South native Jimmy Carter in 1976.
Geneva is also noteworthy for being the best county in the country for Alabama native George Wallace in the 1968 election, where his main support was from the Deep South and was strongest in the Wiregrass and Piney Woods regions.

Education

There are two school districts including parts of the county: Geneva City School District and Geneva County School District.