
Early History
The first county seat was established on the Conecuh River sometime around 1824 and was named Montezuma for the Aztec king. The site, however, was surrounded by swampland that harbored disease-carrying mosquitoes and was prone to frequent flooding of the Conecuh River, causing many original residents to leave. A fire destroyed the first log-cabin courthouse in 1839, and a severe flood in 1841 prompted the relocation of the county seat. Montezuma subsequently disappeared as a town.


Demographics
Andalusia's population according to 2020 Census estimates was 8,719. Of that total, 70.3 percent of respondents identified themselves as white, 26.6 percent as African American, 2.6 percent as Hispanic, 1.4 percent as two or more races, 0.5 percent as Asian, and 0.1 as American Indian. Median household income was $41,410, and per capita income was $24,832.
Employment
According to 2020 Census estimates, the workforce in Andalusia was divided among the following industrial categories:
- Educational services, and health care and social assistance (21.6 percent)
- Manufacturing (15.5 percent)
- Retail trade (14.4 percent)
- Transportation and warehousing and utilities (9.5 percent)
- Professional, scientific, management, and administrative and waste management services (9.2 percent)
- Arts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation and food services (6.3 percent)
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and extractive (4.9 percent)
- Finance, insurance, and real estate, rental, and leasing (4.9 percent)
- Public administration (4.1 percent)
- Construction (3.7 percent)
- Other services, except public administration (3.6 percent)
- Wholesale trade (1.3 percent)
- Information (1.0 percent)
Education
Public education in Andalusia is administered by the Andalusia City School District and consists of an elementary school, middle school, and high school. In addition, the city hosts the main campus of Lurleen B. Wallace Community College, which also has a campus in nearby Opp.
Transportation
The city is accessed by U.S. Route 29 and U.S. Route 84, which travel north-south and east-west, respectively, and State Routes 12, 15, 55, and 100. The South Alabama Regional Airport, formerly known as the Andalusia-Opp Airport, lies east of Andalusia on U.S. 84 and provides general aviation services. The Three Notch Railroad and the Alabama and Florida Railway operate lines through Andalusia.
Events and Places of Interest
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places are the Andalusia Commercial Historic District, the Avant House, the Bank of Andalusia, the Central of Georgia Depot, the Covington County Courthouse and Jail, the First National Bank Building, and the J. W. Shreve Addition Historic District. Buildings listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage include the W. O. Carter Log House (ca. 1830s), the Givens House (ca. 1900), the Macon General Store Museum, and the Monch Riley Home (ca. 1890).

Additional Resources
Heritage of Covington County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 2003.
Ward, Wyley D. Early History of Covington County, Alabama, 1821-1871. Huntsville, Ala.: Ward, 1976.