Ariton is located in northwestern Dale County at . Alabama State Routes 51 and 123 pass through the center of town as Main Street. AL 51 leads northeast to Clio and southwest to U.S. Route 231, while AL 123 leads west to US 231 and southeast to Ozark, the Dale County seat. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of, all land.
Demographics
Town of Ariton
Ariton first appeared on the 1910 U.S. Census as an incorporated town.
At the 2000 census there were 772 people, 306 households, and 220 families in the town. The population density was 152.3 people per square mile. There were 335 housing units at an average density of 66.1 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 69.30% White, 29.27% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, and 1.30% from two or more races. 0.78%. were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 306 households 39.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% were married couples living together, 20.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 26.5% of households were one person and 15.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.02. The age distribution was 28.5% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.0 males. The median household income was $21,083 and the median family income was $25,781. Males had a median income of $27,250 versus $17,639 for females. The per capita income for the town was $11,502. About 25.1% of families and 25.9% 55 of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.5% of those under age 18 and 22.2% of those age 65 or over.
Historic Demographics
Ariton Census Division (1960-70)
Ariton Census Division was created in 1960 after the merger/reorganization of county precincts into census divisions. In 1980, it was consolidated into the Ozark Census Division.
Eunice Hutto Morelock, pioneer faculty member at Bob Jones College and possibly the first female chief academic officer of a coeducational college in the United States