Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Not to be confused with Tuskaloosa; Tuskegee, Alabama; or Tuscumbia, Alabama.
"Tuscaloosa" redirects here. For other uses, see Tuscaloosa (disambiguation).

Tuscaloosa
City
View of Downtown Tuscaloosa from the amphitheater
View of Downtown Tuscaloosa from the amphitheater
Flag of Tuscaloosa
Flag
Official seal of Tuscaloosa
Seal
Official logo of Tuscaloosa
Logo
Nickname(s): 
Druid City, T-Town, City of Champions
Motto: 
"Together we can build a bridge to the future."
Location of Tuscaloosa in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama
Location of Tuscaloosa in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama
Coordinates: 33°12′35″N 87°34′09″W / 33.20972°N 87.56917°W / 33.20972; -87.56917
CountryUnited States
StateAlabama
CountyTuscaloosa
IncorporatedDecember 13, 1819[1][2]
Government
 • TypeMayor-Council
 • MayorWalt Maddox (D)
 • Council PresidentKip Tyner
Area
[3]
 • City72.22 sq mi (187.05 km2)
 • Land62.15 sq mi (160.97 km2)
 • Water10.07 sq mi (26.08 km2)
Elevation
[4]
221 ft (69 m)
Population
 (2023)[6]
 • City99,600
 • Estimate 
(2023)
111,338[5]
 • RankUS: 280th
AL: 5th
 • Density1,787/sq mi (689.9/km2)
 • Urban
156,450 (US: 229th)
 • Urban density1,774.6/sq mi (685.2/km2)
 • Metro
277,494 (US: 181st)
 • Metro density79.4/sq mi (30.67/km2)
Time zoneUTC–6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC–5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes
35401, 35402, 35403, 35404, 35405, 35406, 35407, 35486, 35487
Area code(s)205 and 659
FIPS code01-77256
GNIS feature ID0153742[4]
Websitetuscaloosa.com

Tuscaloosa (/ˌtʌskəˈluːsə/ TUS-kə-LOO-sə) is a city in and the county seat of Tuscaloosa County in west-central Alabama, United States,[7] on the Black Warrior River where the Gulf Coastal and Piedmont plains meet. Alabama's fifth-most populous city, the population was 99,600 at the 2020 census,[6] and was estimated to be 111,338 in 2023.[8] It was known as Tuskaloosa until the early 20th century.[9] It is also known as "the Druid City" because of the numerous water oaks planted in its downtown streets since the 1840s.[10]

Incorporated on December 13, 1819, it was named after Tuskaloosa, the chief of a band of Muskogean-speaking people defeated by the forces of Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto in 1540 in the Battle of Mabila, in what is now central Alabama.[11] It served as Alabama's capital city from 1826 to 1846, where in 1846 it was moved to its present location in Montgomery.

Tuscaloosa is the regional center of industry, commerce, healthcare and education for the area of west-central Alabama known as West Alabama. It is the principal city of the Tuscaloosa Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Tuscaloosa, Hale and Pickens counties.

It is the home of the University of Alabama, Stillman College and Shelton State Community College. While it attracted international attention when Mercedes-Benz announced on September 30, 1993 that it would build its first North American automotive assembly plant in Tuscaloosa County,[12] the University of Alabama remains the city's dominant economic and cultural engine, making it a college town. City leaders adopted the moniker "The City of Champions" after the Alabama Crimson Tide football team won the College Football National Championship in their 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2020 seasons.

In 2008, Tuscaloosa hosted the USA Olympic Triathlon trials for the Beijing Games.[13]

  1. ^ "Municipalities of Alabama Incorporation Dates" (PDF). Alabama League of Municipalities. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference alabama-law-1823 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "2023 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  4. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
  5. ^ https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/tuscaloosacityalabama/PST045223
  6. ^ a b "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  7. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference USCensusEst2022 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Writer, Mark Hughes CobbStaff. "Many names associated with Tuscaloosa have a story". Tuscaloosa News.
  10. ^ Staff Writer. "TUSCALOOSA 200 MOMENT IN HISTORY: The City of Oaks and the Druid City". The Tuscaloosa News. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  11. ^ Herbert J. "Jim" Lewis (April 27, 2011). "Tuscaloosa". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved May 13, 2016.
  12. ^ Taylor, Drew (September 30, 2018). "Mercedes decided 25 years ago to build in Alabama, fueling economy". Tuscaloosa News. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  13. ^ "IFES 2012 Symposium Conference | the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa Alabama | Tuscaloosa Area". Archived from the original on June 19, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2012.