Saraland, Alabama
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Saraland is a city located in Mobile County, Alabama. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 12,288.
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Geography
Saraland is located at 30°49'31" North, 88°5'31" West (30.825186, -88.091932)Template:GR.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 57.0 km² (22.0 mi²). 56.7 km² (21.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.50% water.
History
The area that was to become the present day Saraland was included in a Spanish land grant to Don Diago Alvarez. Hence, descendants of Alvarez were the ones to give the community its first name - Alvarez Station. Later land squatters moved into the area and were able, legally, in 1800 to begin purchasing property. In 1807 a land office was opened in St. Stephens, Alabama to handle all land transactions. Some of the pioneer families who seized the opportunity to buy up sections were named Alvarez, Rice, Hartley, Moore, LaCoste, Williams, Tool and Cleveland. Ultimately, Alvarez Station was called Cleveland Station. The present name of the city is reported to have been given by C.J. DeWitt, a retired minister editor who moved south in 1890 for health reasons. He opened the first post office on the Southern Railroad in 1895. The Community is purported to be the namesake of his beloved wife, Sara.
Saraland was sparsely populated during the first part of the 20th century, until an industrial and population boom occurred in neighboring Mobile. Northward expansion of Mobile in the 1940's and 50's brought about the incorporation of Saraland in 1957. At the time of incorporation, the city reported only 125 residents. By the 1960 U.S. Census, annexations had swelled the population to 4,595. In 1980, census figures cited 9,844 Saraland residents.
(Above information from http://www.saraland.org/Default.asp?PN='CityHall'&P='History')
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 12,288 people, 4,810 households, and 3,602 families residing in the city. The population density is 216.5/km² (560.9/mi²). There are 5,138 housing units at an average density of 90.5/km² (234.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 88.50% White, 8.97% Black or African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. 1.17% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 4,810 households out of which 31.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.0% are married couples living together, 10.5% have a female householder with no husband present, and 25.1% are non-families. 21.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.55 and the average family size is 2.97.
In the city the population is spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 37 years. For every 100 females there are 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 92.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $38,318, and the median income for a family is $43,471. Males have a median income of $35,431 versus $22,787 for females. The per capita income for the city is $19,470. 9.0% of the population and 7.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 12.2% of those under the age of 18 and 8.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.