When was Baldwin County founded?

Baldwin County was founded in 1809, formed from Washington County, and named after Abraham Baldwin.

What is the county seat of Baldwin County?

The county seat of Baldwin County is Bay Minette.

Is there an online parcel map for Baldwin County?

Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 155,764 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.

Has Baldwin County's boundary or name changed?

Baldwin County was created in 1809 from Washington County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 7 later changes, chiefly involving Monroe County, Mobile County and Conecuh County.

Who issues building permits in Baldwin County?

The county's page on building permits: Permits and Licenses. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.

Who issues septic and well permits in Baldwin County?

The county's page on septic systems and wells: Health department: septic and well.

Is my lot in a flood zone?

We do not have flood maps for Baldwin County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

County · code 01003

Baldwin CountyAlabama

Baldwin County is in Alabama and has its county seat in Bay Minette. The county was formed on December 21, 1809, and was named after Abraham Baldwin.

Founded1809
County seatBay Minette
Named forAbraham Baldwin
Land area1,590 sq mi + 437 sq mi water
Population231,767 2020 Census
Parcels mapped155,764 checked 16 October 2026

Open the free map Click any parcel in Baldwin County: acreage, parcel id, address and who publishes the map. No sign-in.

Updated 20 October 2026

Census outline · seat marked

History

Formed in 1809 from Washington County

An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.

Baldwin County was created by the Mississippi Territory from Washington County on December 21, 1809. When Alabama Territory was created from Mississippi Territory on March 3, 1817, Baldwin became a county in Alabama Territory. The county gained territory from Greene, Conecuh, and Monroe counties between 1818 and 1819, but lost land to Mississippi in 1820 when the state boundary was surveyed and fixed. In 1868, Escambia County was created from Baldwin County, reducing its size.

Boundary changes from the Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; the 5 that matter most are shown first.

1809
Baldwin County created Baldwin created by Mississippi Territory from Washington.
from Washington
21 December 1809 · Toulmin, Digest, ch. 3/pp. 81-82; Miss. Terr. Stat., pp. 96-97
1817
Became part of Alabama Baldwin became a county in Alabama Territory. 3 March 1817 · U.S. Stat., vol. 3, ch. 59 [1817], sec. 1/p. 371
1818
Gained territory Baldwin gained all of Non-County Area 3 (formerly part of Greene, Mississippi).
from Greene
7 February 1818 · Ala. Terr. Acts 1818, 1st sess., p. 21
1819
Gained territory Baldwin gained from Conecuh and Monroe.
from Conecuh from Monroe
13 December 1819 · Ala. Acts 1819, 1st sess./pp. 50-57; Ala. Rpts., 215:640
1820
Exchanged territory Baldwin exchanged with Mobile and Monroe.
with Mobile with Monroe
16 December 1820 · Ala. Acts 1820, 2d sess., p. 104

Show all 9 changes (4 more, mostly small adjustments)

1809
Baldwin County created Baldwin created by Mississippi Territory from Washington.
from Washington
21 December 1809 · Toulmin, Digest, ch. 3/pp. 81-82; Miss. Terr. Stat., pp. 96-97
1817
Became part of Alabama Baldwin became a county in Alabama Territory. 3 March 1817 · U.S. Stat., vol. 3, ch. 59 [1817], sec. 1/p. 371
1818
Gained territory Baldwin gained all of Non-County Area 3 (formerly part of Greene, Mississippi).
from Greene
7 February 1818 · Ala. Terr. Acts 1818, 1st sess., p. 21
1819
Gained territory Baldwin gained from Conecuh and Monroe.
from Conecuh from Monroe
13 December 1819 · Ala. Acts 1819, 1st sess./pp. 50-57; Ala. Rpts., 215:640
c. 1820
Lost territory Baldwin lost to Mississippi when surveyors demarcated the southern segment of the Alabama-Mississippi line, fixing the end point ten miles east of the mouth of the Pascagoula River. This southern terminus is approximately 3.7 miles east of its prior location, an adjustment authorized in the act admitting Alabama to the Union on 14 December 1819. 29 May 1820 · Van Zandt, 108-109
1820
Exchanged territory Baldwin exchanged with Mobile and Monroe.
with Mobile with Monroe
16 December 1820 · Ala. Acts 1820, 2d sess., p. 104
1832
Gained territory Baldwin gained from Mobile.
from Mobile
21 December 1832 · Ala. Acts 1832, ann. sess., no. 50/p. 94
1868
Lost territory Baldwin lost to creation of Escambia, and lost small area to Monroe.
to Escambia to Monroe
10 December 1868 · Ala. Acts 1868, reg. sess., no. 34, sec. 1/p. 397
1983
Boundary clarified Baldwin boundaries were redefined (no change).
no change
18 July 1983 · Ala. Acts 1983, reg. sess., no. 83-533, secs. 1-3, 6/pp. 831-832

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Baldwin

Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.

Parcels Good enough

Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 155,764 parcels. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 8 October 2026 · checked 16 October 2026
Address points Missing

No public address points layer found for Baldwin County yet.
Buildings Reference

Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026

Official: from the office that keeps the record
Good enough: a reliable statewide or national copy
Fallback: a guide only; check the official record
Missing: nothing public found yet

People and land

Baldwin by the Census

Population

231,767 2020 Census count

Housing units

124,148 2020 Census count

Land area

1,590 square miles

Water area

437 square miles

People per sq mi

146 population ÷ land area

Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Rules and offices

Who to ask before you build, dig or sell

Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.

Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.

Permits

Health department: septic and wellfrom baldwincountyal.gov · checked 13 October 2026
Permits and Licensesfrom baldwincountyal.gov
Permit Testfrom baldwincountyal.gov
Septic Septic Tank Systemsfrom alabamapublichealth.gov

Zoning and code

Planning and zoningfrom baldwincountyal.gov · checked 13 October 2026
Planning & Zoningfrom baldwincountyal.gov
Planning Mapsfrom baldwincountyal.gov

County government

County government
The official website of Baldwin County.
baldwincountyal.gov

See your own lot on these maps

Open Baldwin County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.

Open the free map no sign-in Pro early access

Questions

Common questions about Baldwin County

When was Baldwin County founded?: Baldwin County was founded in 1809, formed from Washington County, and named after Abraham Baldwin.
What is the county seat of Baldwin County?: The county seat of Baldwin County is Bay Minette.
Is there an online parcel map for Baldwin County?: Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 155,764 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has Baldwin County's boundary or name changed?: Baldwin County was created in 1809 from Washington County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 7 later changes, chiefly involving Monroe County, Mobile County and Conecuh County.
Who issues building permits in Baldwin County?: The county's page on building permits: Permits and Licenses. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
Who issues septic and well permits in Baldwin County?: The county's page on septic systems and wells: Health department: septic and well.
Is my lot in a flood zone?: We do not have flood maps for Baldwin County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

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