Lee County is one of the fastest-growing in Alabama. Here’s a map of 2020 Census changes
Lee County was one of Alabama’s fastest-growing counties, seeing its population increase by 24% over the last decade, according to the 2020 U.S. Census.
As of the 2020 Census, a little over 174,000 residents called Lee County home, up from 140,247 recorded in the 2010 Census. Only two counties in the state, Limestone and Baldwin, grew at a faster rate over the same period.
Residents who reported their race as white alone make up the majority of Lee County, accounting for 111,651 or roughly 64% of the total population. The white, non-Hispanic population grew 12% over the decade. However, the county’s Asian, Black and Hispanic populations grew at faster rates.
Residents who reported their race as Black alone accounted for roughly 23% (39,570) of Lee’s total population. Over the last decade, the county’s Black, non-Hispanic population grew 24%.
The Asian, non-Hispanic population increased 136% over the last decade. Residents who reported their race as Asian alone accounted for 8,572 or about 5% of the county’s total population in the 2020 Census.
The county’s Hispanic population nearly doubled. More than 9,100 residents reported their ethnicity as Hispanic, up from nearly 4,600 a decade ago. The Census Bureau records Hispanic or Latino ethnicity in a separate question from race.
Russell County and Phenix City both reported population increases. Phenix City’s population rose to just over 38,800, up 18% from just over 32,800 in 2010. Russell County saw it’s population rise to just over 59,000, up 12% from nearly 53,000 reported a decade ago.
In Russell County, the white population dipped slightly while Black and Hispanic populations grew. White residents make up the largest racial group, but it’s no longer above 50%.
Over 27,500 residents reported their race as white alone in the 2020 Census, accounting for 46.5% of the population. The white, non-Hispanic population fell 3% over the decade. Residents who reported their race as Black alone account for 44.3% or just over 26,200. The Black, non-Hispanic population grew 18% since 2010.
The Hispanic population increased by 64%. In the 2020 Census, roughly 3,200 residents reported their ethnicity as Hispanic, up from more than 1,900 in 2010.
Statewide, Alabama’s 2020 Census population was just over 5 million, an increase of nearly 245,000 or 5.1% in the last decade.
This story was originally published August 14, 2021 at 7:00 AM.