Hobson City is located in Calhoun County just south of the city of Anniston. At its founding in 1899, Hobson City was the only municipality governed entirely by African Americans in Alabama. It was named for naval hero Richmond Pearson Hobson of the Spanish-American War. In 2010, the Alabama Historical Commission declared the town one of Alabama's "Places in Peril."
Early History


Demographics
According to 2016 Census estimates, Hobson City recorded a population of 724. Of that number, 91.3 percent of respondents identified themselves as black, 7.9 percent as white, 1.3 percent as Hispanic, 0.8 percent as two or more races, and 0.4 percent as Asian. The town's median household income was $28,125, and the per capita income was $15,401.
Employment
According to 2016 Census estimates, the work force in Hobson City was divided among the following industrial categories:
- Educational services, and health care and social assistance (22.4 percent)
- Manufacturing (14.2 percent)
- Retail trade (11.8 percent)
- Professional, scientific, and administrative and waste management services (9.6 percent)
- Arts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation and food services (8.4 percent)
- Construction (6.5 percent)
- Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing (5.5 percent)
- Public administration (5.4 percent)
- Transportation, warehousing, and utilities (5.4 percent)
- Other services, except public administration (5.1 percent)
- Wholesale trade (2.6 percent)
- Information (1.6 percent)
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and extractive (1.5 percent)
Education
Hobson City is part of the Oxford City Schools. The Ayers Campus of Gadsden State Community College is located less than two miles to the east.
Transportation
Although no major roads run through Hobson City, it is bordered to the southeast by U.S. Highway 78 and Interstate 20, both of which run east-west. The town is bordered to the east by U.S. Highway 431. Anniston Metropolitan Airport is located approximately three miles to the south.
Events and Places of Interest
Booker T. Washington Park contains a swimming pool, tennis court, baseball diamond, and bowling alley. The town hosts a May Day celebration annually.