At the turn of the 21st century, Wetumka was home to 1,451 people, and a weekly newspaper, the Hughes County Times, was published. The town became famous for Suckers' Day in 1950, which originated after a "confidence man" stole money for a circus ticket. The town also has a National Register of Historic Places-listed Levering Mission, and the Wetumka National Guard Armory.
The city's population composition was quite diverse. Its youngest residents were 18.4%, followed by 8.5% of the population. The oldest residents were age 65 and older, making up about 12.3% of the population. A high school, a daycare, and good schools are just a few of the things that make this city attractive. Among the population of Wetumka, 51% are renter-occupied, making it a good place to raise a family.
A small town, Wetumka was home to four cotton gins. The city also had a mill, elevator, and wagonyard, and had water and light companies. With the new oil field, the population temporarily grew to more than four thousand. The city was well-equipped for this new growth. Roads and streets were laid out and paved, and the railroad built a massive freight warehouse in April 1925. The school building expanded to accommodate the increased numbers of students and teachers.
After the Creeks were forced to relinquish their land, settlers moved in and made Wetumka an important center for agricultural trade. In 1834, the city was incorporated. At the time, cotton was the most popular crop in the new state of Alabama, and was shipped to the town via land. The cotton gin was invented by Eli Whitney and greatly simplified the labor of processing cotton.