Decatur County, Tennessee

Decatur County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, the population was 11,757.[2] Its county seat is Decaturville.[3]

Not to be confused with Decatur, Tennessee.
Decatur County
U.S. county
Decatur County Courthouse in Decaturville
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Tennessee
Tennessee's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°37′N 88°07′W
Country United States
State Tennessee
FoundedNovember 1845
Named forStephen Decatur[1]
SeatDecaturville
Largest cityParsons
Area
 • Total345 sq mi (890 km2)
 • Land334 sq mi (870 km2)
 • Water11 sq mi (30 km2)  3.2%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2018)
11,706
 • Density35/sq mi (14/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district7th
Websitedecaturcountytn.org

History

This county is named after naval hero Stephen Decatur, Jr., who gained national recognition in the First Barbary War, the Second Barbary War, and the War of 1812 by his leadership and achievements at sea. The county was created in November 1845 from the part of Perry County west of the Tennessee River in response to a petition by citizens on the west side of the river who lacked easy access to the county seat on the east side.[1]

In 2015, the Decatur County clerk of court and the entire staff of that office resigned, to express conscientious objection to the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which would oblige the office to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 345 square miles (890 km2), of which 334 square miles (870 km2) is land and 11 square miles (28 km2) (3.2%) is water.[5]

Adjacent counties

National protected area

State protected area
  • Carroll Cabin Barrens State Natural Area
  • Cypress Pond Refuge

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18506,003—
18606,2764.5%
18707,77223.8%
18808,4989.3%
18908,9955.8%
190010,43916.1%
191010,093−3.3%
192010,1981.0%
193010,106−0.9%
194010,2611.5%
19509,442−8.0%
19608,324−11.8%
19709,45713.6%
198010,85714.8%
199010,472−3.5%
200011,73112.0%
201011,7570.2%
Est. 201811,706[6]−0.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2014[2]
Age pyramid Decatur County[11]

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 11,731 people, 4,908 households, and 3,415 families residing in the county. The population density was 35 people per square mile (14/km²).

There were 6,448 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile (7/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.12% White, 3.47% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.20% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. 1.95% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,908 households out of which 27.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.70% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.40% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the county, the population was spread out with 21.70% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 25.90% from 25 to 44, 26.30% from 45 to 64, and 18.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,741, and the median income for a family was $34,919. Males had a median income of $25,945 versus $20,155 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,285. About 13.80% of families and 16.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.90% of those under age 18 and 22.20% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City

Towns

Unincorporated communities

Politics

Decatur County – like all of rural Tennessee – is a Republican stronghold. The last Democrat to carry this county was Al Gore in 2000, and even before the collapse of traditional rural Democratic support after Bill Clinton the county had a sizeable Unionist population that caused it to vote Republican several times during the “System of 1896”.

Presidential election results
Presidential Elections Results[13]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2016 78.1% 3,588 19.5% 894 2.4% 110
2012 67.6% 2,874 30.7% 1,303 1.7% 74
2008 65.1% 3,101 32.9% 1,566 2.0% 96
2004 52.6% 2,566 46.5% 2,268 0.9% 45
2000 46.8% 2,046 52.1% 2,278 1.1% 46
1996 40.5% 1,712 53.6% 2,262 5.9% 250
1992 35.8% 1,667 56.5% 2,633 7.7% 361
1988 54.6% 2,286 44.9% 1,880 0.6% 25
1984 53.8% 2,390 45.7% 2,031 0.5% 20
1980 49.0% 2,095 50.0% 2,139 1.1% 46
1976 39.8% 1,637 59.1% 2,432 1.1% 47
1972 64.8% 2,368 32.5% 1,187 2.7% 100
1968 36.8% 1,409 22.9% 877 40.3% 1,544
1964 44.1% 1,429 55.9% 1,813
1960 54.8% 1,684 43.0% 1,321 2.3% 70
1956 48.8% 1,512 50.1% 1,554 1.1% 35
1952 45.4% 1,406 54.2% 1,681 0.4% 13
1948 42.8% 1,291 51.8% 1,565 5.4% 164
1944 44.7% 1,235 54.8% 1,515 0.5% 13
1940 40.9% 1,275 58.8% 1,832 0.3% 10
1936 38.0% 919 62.0% 1,502
1932 36.6% 601 62.1% 1,020 1.3% 22
1928 48.0% 748 52.0% 809
1924 47.1% 799 51.7% 877 1.2% 20
1920 57.8% 1,608 41.3% 1,149 0.8% 23
1916 49.7% 893 49.4% 887 1.0% 17
1912 24.3% 405 45.4% 758 30.3% 506
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See also

References
  1. Teresa Biddle-Douglass, "Decatur County," Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Retrieved: 26 June 2013.
  2. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved November 29, 2013.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. Boggioni, Tom (2015-07-05). "Entire staff in Tenn. county clerk's office resigns over same-sex marriage". Alternet. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
  5. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  6. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  9. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  10. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  11. Based on 2000 census data
  12. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  13. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-03-10.

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