Decatur County
County
Decatur County Courthouse in Decaturville
Decatur County Courthouse in Decaturville
Official seal of Decatur County
Seal
Map of Tennessee highlighting Decatur County
Location within the U.S. state of Tennessee
Map of the United States highlighting Tennessee
Tennessee's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°37′N 88°07′W / 35.61°N 88.11°W / 35.61; -88.11
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
 (2020)
 • Total11,435 Decrease
 • Density35/sq mi (14/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district7th
Websitedecaturcountytn.org

Decatur County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,435.[2] Its county seat is Decaturville.[3]

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.[1]

Like several other counties west of the Tennessee River, Decatur County was substantially pro-Union during the Civil War, contrary to the generally pro-Confederate sympathies of West and Middle Tennessee. In Tennessee's Ordinance of Secession referendum on June 8, 1861, Decatur County voted to remain in the Union by a margin of 550 to 310,[4] being one of only eight counties in West or Middle Tennessee to support the Union. Earlier on February 9, 1861, Decatur County voters had voted against holding a secession convention by a margin of 514 to 251.[5]

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.[6]

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.[7]

Adjacent counties

National protected area

State protected area

  • Carroll Cabin Barrens State Natural Area
  • Cypress Pond Refuge

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
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%
202011,435−2.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2014[2]
Age pyramid Decatur County[12]

2020 census

Decatur County racial composition[13]
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 10,462 91.49%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 270 2.36%
Native American 9 0.08%
Asian 42 0.37%
Pacific Islander 5 0.04%
Other/Mixed 289 2.53%
Hispanic or Latino 358 3.13%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 11,435 people, 4,440 households, and 3,059 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the census[14] 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 people/km2).

There were 6,448 housing units at an average density of 19 units per square mile (7.3/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”.

United States presidential election results for Decatur County, Tennessee[15]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 4,229 80.69% 904 17.25% 108 2.06%
2016 3,588 78.14% 894 19.47% 110 2.40%
2012 2,874 67.61% 1,303 30.65% 74 1.74%
2008 3,101 65.11% 1,566 32.88% 96 2.02%
2004 2,566 52.59% 2,268 46.48% 45 0.92%
2000 2,046 46.82% 2,278 52.13% 46 1.05%
1996 1,712 40.53% 2,262 53.55% 250 5.92%
1992 1,667 35.76% 2,633 56.49% 361 7.75%
1988 2,286 54.55% 1,880 44.86% 25 0.60%
1984 2,390 53.82% 2,031 45.73% 20 0.45%
1980 2,095 48.95% 2,139 49.98% 46 1.07%
1976 1,637 39.77% 2,432 59.09% 47 1.14%
1972 2,368 64.79% 1,187 32.48% 100 2.74%
1968 1,409 36.79% 877 22.90% 1,544 40.31%
1964 1,429 44.08% 1,813 55.92% 0 0.00%
1960 1,684 54.76% 1,321 42.96% 70 2.28%
1956 1,512 48.76% 1,554 50.11% 35 1.13%
1952 1,406 45.35% 1,681 54.23% 13 0.42%
1948 1,291 42.75% 1,565 51.82% 164 5.43%
1944 1,235 44.70% 1,515 54.83% 13 0.47%
1940 1,275 40.90% 1,832 58.77% 10 0.32%
1936 919 37.96% 1,502 62.04% 0 0.00%
1932 601 36.58% 1,020 62.08% 22 1.34%
1928 748 48.04% 809 51.96% 0 0.00%
1924 799 47.11% 877 51.71% 20 1.18%
1920 1,608 57.84% 1,149 41.33% 23 0.83%
1916 893 49.69% 887 49.36% 17 0.95%
1912 405 24.27% 758 45.42% 506 30.32%

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Teresa Biddle-Douglass, "Decatur County," Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Retrieved: 26 June 2013.
  2. 1 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 May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Tennessee Secession Referendum, 1861". Vote Archive.
  5. ↑ "Tennessee Vote on Secession Convention, 1861". Fayetteville Observer. March 21, 1861.
  6. ↑ Boggioni, Tom (July 5, 2015). "Entire staff in Tenn. county clerk's office resigns over same-sex marriage". Alternet. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
  7. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  8. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  10. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  12. ↑ Based on 2000 census data
  13. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  14. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  15. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
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