16 Percent of Alabamians Live in Hurricane Counties, According to UA’s State Data Center, NOAA

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Let’s test your Alabama geography knowledge. How many coastal counties does the state have?

You probably answered two, and, technically, you’re right. Baldwin and Mobile counties border the Gulf Coast, but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines eight of the state’s counties as coastal counties, and that is important with the onset of hurricane season.

“Obviously, only Baldwin and Mobile counties border the Gulf Coast, but the others are part of the state’s coastal watershed land area,” said Annette Watters, manager of the Alabama State Data Center at The University of Alabama. “When Hurricanes Ivan and Katrina hit Alabama, more counties than the eight official coastal counties felt the effect because those hurricanes were especially powerful. But, in general, it is the coastal counties that are considered at highest risk for damage from any strength of hurricane that hits the area,” Watters said.

Alabama’s eight coastal counties are Baldwin, Clarke, Covington, Escambia, Geneva, Mobile, Monroe and Washington. Together, their estimated July 1, 2006 population was 742,500. More than 16 percent of the state’s population lives in these counties, at an average population density of 85 persons per square mile.

The 2000 census counted 712,000 people in Alabama coastal counties, meaning that the population in Alabama most in harm’s way for a hurricane’s effects has increased by 30,500 people thus far in the decade, or a little more than 4 percent.

Baldwin County has seen the greatest population growth in this decade. Despite being hit by several hurricanes in recent years, the population of Baldwin County has increased a whopping 21 percent increase since the census was last taken.

“Mobile County’s population has also grown by several thousand in the same time period. Alabama’s other coastal counties are more rural in character and more sparsely populated, but they are intimately familiar with the damages that can be incurred by a hurricane,” Watters said.

There are more than 17,400 businesses in the eight coastal counties employing more than 253,400 people. Seventeen percent of the state’s private non-farm business establishments are in coastal counties, and 15 percent of the state’s workforce is located in that area, according to Watters.

She also noted that past hurricanes have changed the housing stock in Alabama’s coastal counties. “Baldwin is the county that has added the most housing units, including condos, apartments, garden homes and all other kinds of housing,” Watters said. “Not all are year-round, full-time housing units, but considering all types of housing, Baldwin County has added more than 15,400 dwellings since the year 2000.”

The county with the largest population – Mobile – has added more than 9,600 housing units thus far in this decade. The other coastal counties have also seen new housing, and that number doesn’t count upgrades, repairs, or remodeling. There are more than 27,000 new housing units in Alabama’s coastal counties since the last census.

“As hurricane season starts, everyone in every county in Alabama watches the weather reports. People in any county can potentially be affected by a catastrophic hurricane,” Watters said. “But we especially hold in our hearts the people who own property, have businesses, live, and work in Alabama’s coastal counties.”

EDITORS NOTE: Chart accompanies release