| Official Name: | West Blocton, Alabama |
| Settlement Type: | Town |
| Mapsize: | 250px |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Alabama |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Bibb |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Daniel Sims |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | August 28, 1883[1] |
| Established Title1: | Incorporated |
| Established Date1: | 1901 |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [2] |
| Area Total Km2: | 12.489 |
| Area Land Km2: | 12.427 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.063 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 4.822 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 4.798 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.024 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Est: | 1189 |
| Pop Est As Of: | 2023 |
| Population Total: | 1217 |
| Population Density Km2: | 95.68 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 247.8 |
| Timezone: | Central (CST) |
| Utc Offset: | –6 |
| Timezone Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | –5 |
| Elevation M: | 151 |
| Elevation Ft: | 495 |
| Coordinates: | 33.1181°N -87.125°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP Code |
| Postal Code: | 35184 |
| Area Code: | 205 and 659 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 01-80928 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 0153935 |
| Blank2 Name: | Sales tax |
| Blank2 Info: | 10.0%[3] |
West Blocton is a town in Bibb County, Alabama, United States. The population was 1,217 at the 2020 census.[4]
It was built on land once owned by Uriah Smith, near the company town Blocton. Many of its non-native residents were immigrants from various European countries, with Italians being the largest, as they came to do mining in the area. West Blocton has a neighborhood previously named "Dago Hollow" and now called Little Italy.[5]
West Blocton is located in northern Bibb County at 33.1181°N -87.125°W (33.1181748, -87.1249954), at the southern terminus of the Appalachian Mountains.
It is on a midway point between Birmingham and Tuscaloosa.[5]
Alabama State Route 5 passes through the town, west of the town center, leading north 7miles to Woodstock and south to Brent and Centreville, the county seat.
The community is 7miles south of Interstate 20 and Interstate 59.[5]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 4.822sqmi, of which, 4.798sqmi is land and 0.024sqmi, or 0.52%, is water.[2]
West Blocton Coke Ovens Park blends history with nature, providing a place to relax and learn about the history of the industrial era of Alabama and how the Coke Ovens supplied the steel of the South.
| White (NH) | 967 | 79.46% | |
| Black or African American (NH) | 162 | 13.31% | |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 1 | 0.08% | |
| Asian (NH) | 5 | 0.41% | |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 1 | 0.08% | |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 3 | 0.20% | |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 34 | 2.80% | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 44 | 3.62% | |
| Total | 1,217 | 100.00% |
As of the 2010 census, there were 1,240 people, 494 households, and 341 families residing in the town. The population density was 271sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 576 housing units at an average density of 125.2sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the town was 85.6% White, 13.2% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.1% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. 0.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 494 households, out of which 22.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.8% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 27.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $34,844, and the median income for a family was $59,875. Males had a median income of $37,384 versus $31,167 for females. The per capita income for the town was $22,224. About 11.3% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.2% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.
The community's original economy was coal. By 2002 industry left the town. Robert Dewitt of the Tuscaloosa News stated that the community remained active despite the lack of jobs, and that "While downtown West Blocton is a shell of its former self, the place isn’t a ghost town."[5]
Bibb County School District operates West Blocton High School.
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, West Blocton has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. [9]