Vance, in west-central Alabama, is located primarily in Tuscaloosa County, except for a small portion in the south that extends into Bibb County. The town has a mayor/council form of government.
History

In 1872, Trion was renamed Smallwood after Charles Smallwood, who owned a local sawmill; the lumber industry remains important in the area. In 1873, the Alabama Great Southern Railroad built a line through the area, quickly ending the delivery of mail by stagecoach. The town was renamed Vance in 1879, the official year of its founding, after William Vance, a physician who had relocated there from North Carolina, established a long-time medical practice there, and helped found the Lee Institute school in 1873. Vance's daughter Lucy was the postmistress for about 40 years. In 1923, the institute was replaced by a 12-grade school. Vance was incorporated in 1972.

Demographics
According to 2016 Census estimates, Vance recorded a population of 1,325. Of that number, 91.3 percent of respondents identified themselves as white, 6.0 percent as African American, 5.5 percent as Hispanic, and 1.1 percent as two or more races. The town's median household income was $72,585, and the per capita income was $25,374.
Employment
According to 2016 Census estimates, the workforce in Vance was divided among the following industrial categories:
- Manufacturing (17.6 percent)
- Retail trade (17.0 percent)
- Educational services and health care and social assistance (13.0 percent)
- Public administration (8.7 percent)
- Transportation and warehousing, and utilities (8.4 percent)
- Wholesale trade (7.6 percent)
- Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services (5.8 percent)
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and extraction (5.6 percent)
- Construction (5.1 percent)
- Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services (4.2 percent)
- Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing (3.0 percent)
- Information (2.3 percent)
- Other services, except public administration (1.7 percent)
Education
Public education in Vance is overseen by the Tuscaloosa County School System, which administers one elementary school in the town.
Transportation
Vance is accessed by U.S. Route 11/State Highway 7, which runs east-west through the center of the town, and Interstate 59/20, which runs east-west through the northern section of the town. Norfolk Southern Corporation operates a rail line that runs through Vance. The town is convenient to the Tuscaloosa Regional Airport.
Events and Places of Interest
Vance maintains several athletic fields and a nature trail and hosts a community farmers' market at the Vance Civic Center. It also hosts a Christmas celebration, typically the second Saturday in December.
Additional Resources
Hoole, William Stanley, and Elizabeth Hoole McArthur. The Yankee Invasion of West Alabama, March-April, 1865, Including the Battle of Trion (Vance), the Battle of Tuscaloosa, the Burning of the University, and the Battle of Romulus. Tuscaloosa, Ala.: Confederate Publishing Company, 1985.
Additional Resources
Hoole, William Stanley, and Elizabeth Hoole McArthur. The Yankee Invasion of West Alabama, March-April, 1865, Including the Battle of Trion (Vance), the Battle of Tuscaloosa, the Burning of the University, and the Battle of Romulus. Tuscaloosa, Ala.: Confederate Publishing Company, 1985.
The Heritage of Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 1999.