Coffee County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 53,465. Its name is in honor of General John Coffee.
Coffee County comprises the Enterprise, Micropolitan Statistical Area, which was originally Enterprise–Ozark micropolitan area in 2010 censuses before being split off. It was originally included in the Dothan-Enterprise-Ozark, Combined Statistical Area in its 2012 statistics but the area in its recent years has been separated from the Dothan metropolitan area and Ozark micropolitan area in later censuses and is its own primary statistical area now. Despite the census change of the statistics by the United States Census Bureau, the county still remains culturally connected alongside the two core based areas as it is commonly described as part of what is called the Wiregrass region together and also it shares its locations of United States Army base, Fort Rucker. The county seat is mostly known as Elba, although Enterprise contains a second county courthouse as well.
History
The land in Coffee County was originally part of Dale County, which was incorporated in 1824. Coffee County was formed from the western part of Dale County on December 29, 1841. It was named after John R. Coffee, a soldier in the Creek War of 1813—14. The first county seat was in Wellborn. After the courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1851, the county seat was moved to Elba.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.2%) is water. The county is located in the Wiregrass region of southeast Alabama.
Major highways
- 20px U.S. Highway 84
- 20px U.S. Highway 231
- 20px State Route 27
- 20px State Route 51
- 20px State Route 87
- 20px State Route 88
- 20px State Route 92
- 20px State Route 134
- 20px State Route 189
- 20px State Route 192
Adjacent counties
- Pike County (north)
- Dale County (east)
- Geneva County (south)
- Covington County (west)
- Crenshaw County (northwest)