What is now Prattville was largely inhabited by Native Americans and a few settlers when Daniel Pratt, a native of Temple, New Hampshire, first observed the Autauga Creek in the 1830s.
Pratt purchased approximately 1,000 acres (4 km²) from Joseph May at $21.00 an acre, and set out to build his manufacturing facilities and the town along the banks of the Autauga creek. This location was chosen because the creek could supply power to the cotton gin manufacturing equipment.
In the past 10 years, its city limits have begun to expand eastward into neighboring Elmore County. While the original plan was to keep this portion of the city strictly commercial, due to the rapid increase in population, housing developments are currently being built on the Elmore County side.
This town is also the home of singer Wilson Pickett, as well as NFL stars Roman Harper, Kevin Turner, and Zac Woodfin. Marlon Anderson, a major league baseball player, is originally from here.
It has become a popular golf destination, offering one of the widely famed Robert Trent Jones Golf Courses. With year-round warmth, hot summers and short, mild winters this destination offers entertainment throughout the year.
As of the census of 2000, there were 24,303 people, 8,939 households, and 6,918 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,049.0 people per square mile (405.0/km²). There were 9,562 housing units at an average density of 412.7/sq mi (159.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.09% White, 14.42% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. 1.71% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 8,939 households out of which 38.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.6% were non-families. 19.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.5% had someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the city the population is spread out with 28.5% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $45,728, and the median income for a family was $51,774. Males had a median income of $36,677 versus $22,978 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,832. 8.3% of the population and 6.4% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 9.3% of those under the age of 18 and 9.2% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.