Montgomery County, Texas

Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county had a population of 620,443.[1] The county seat is Conroe.[2] The county was created by an act of the Congress of the Republic of Texas on December 14, 1837, and is named for the town of Montgomery.[3] Between 2000 and 2010, its population grew by 55%, the 24th-fastest rate of growth of any county in the United States. Between 2010 and 2020, its population grew by 36%. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the July 1, 2021, estimated population is 648,886.

Montgomery County
U.S. county
The Montgomery County Courthouse in Conroe
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 30°18′N 95°30′W
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1837
Named forMontgomery, Texas
SeatConroe
Largest townshipThe Woodlands
Area
 • Total1,077 sq mi (2,790 km2)
 • Land1,042 sq mi (2,700 km2)
 • Water35 sq mi (90 km2)  3.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total620,443
 • Density580/sq mi (220/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district8th
Websitewww.mctx.org

Montgomery County is part of the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,077 square miles (2,790 km2), of which 1,042 square miles (2,700 km2) are land and 35 square miles (91 km2) (3.3%) are covered by water.[4]

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18502,384—
18605,479129.8%
18706,48318.3%
188010,15456.6%
189011,76515.9%
190017,06745.1%
191015,679−8.1%
192017,33410.6%
193014,588−15.8%
194023,05558.0%
195024,5046.3%
196026,8399.5%
197049,47984.4%
1980128,487159.7%
1990182,20141.8%
2000293,76861.2%
2010455,74655.1%
2020620,44336.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1850–2010[6] 2010–2020[7]

2020 census
Montgomery County, Texas - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[8] Pop 2020[9] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 324,611 371,403 71.23% 59.86%
Black or African American alone (NH) 18,537 34,177 4.07% 5.51%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 1,807 1,884 0.40% 0.30%
Asian alone (NH) 9,347 21,436 2.05% 3.45%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 241 634 0.05% 0.10%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 635 2,522 0.14% 0.41%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 5,870 24,298 1.29% 3.92%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 94,698 164,089 20.78% 26.45%
Total 455,746 620,443 100.00% 100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

2010 Census

As of the 2010 census,[10] there were 455,746 people, 162,530 households, and 121,472 families residing in the county. The population density was 423 people per square mile (163/km2). There were 177,647 housing units at an average density of 165 per square mile (64/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 83.5% White, 4.3% Black or African American, 0.7% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 7.0% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. 20.8% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the 2010 census, its population was 455,746.[7] A 2019 estimate places the population at 607,391.[11]

There were 162,530 households, out of which 36.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.50% were married couples living together, 10.60% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.70% had a male householder with no wife present, and 25.30% were non-families. 20.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.22.

In the county, 27.60% of the population was under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 26.60% from 45 to 64, and 10.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.29 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.94 males.

As of the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the county was $50,864, and the median income for a family was $58,983. Males had a median income of $42,400 versus $28,270 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,544. About 7.10% of families and 9.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.90% of those under age 18 and 10.10% of those age 65 or over.

From 2010 to 2016, 54% of all vehicle-related fatalities in the county were related to the use of controlled substances, including alcohol, marijuana, methamphetamine and synthetic drugs. According to Tyler Dunman, former Montgomery County assistant district attorney, approximately 60-70% of all crime in the county is connected to substance abuse.[12]

Politics

Montgomery County is one of the most heavily Republican counties in Texas, giving 78.1 percent of its vote to George W. Bush in 2004[13] and 75.8% of its vote to John McCain in 2008.[14] The county has not been won by a Democratic presidential candidate since native Texan Lyndon Johnson won 60.9% of the county's vote in 1964.[15] In 1968, George Wallace, running as a third-party candidate, won the county, whilst in 1948, “States’ Rights” candidate Strom Thurmond had previously won over 29 percent of the vote to make Montgomery his fourth-strongest county in Texas, and in 1992, Ross Perot, another third-party candidate received more votes than Democratic candidate Bill Clinton. In 2016, it was the only county in the United States which Republican nominee Donald Trump won against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton by a margin of greater than 100,000 votes.[16]

Even with the dramatic leftward turn of Texas' suburbs, especially in Houston, Dallas and Austin, Montgomery County has trended leftwards at a much slower pace, with Trump remaining above 70% in both of his runs for president, and even expanding the raw vote margin to the largest in the county's history.

United States presidential election results for Montgomery County, Texas[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 193,382 71.22% 74,377 27.39% 3,784 1.39%
2016 150,314 73.00% 45,835 22.26% 9,755 4.74%
2012 137,969 79.51% 32,920 18.97% 2,634 1.52%
2008 119,884 75.76% 36,703 23.19% 1,664 1.05%
2004 104,654 78.11% 28,628 21.37% 706 0.53%
2000 80,600 75.89% 23,286 21.92% 2,327 2.19%
1996 51,011 65.23% 20,722 26.50% 6,469 8.27%
1992 39,976 51.28% 18,551 23.80% 19,431 24.92%
1988 40,360 68.24% 18,394 31.10% 392 0.66%
1984 41,230 75.39% 13,293 24.31% 167 0.31%
1980 26,237 65.64% 12,593 31.51% 1,141 2.85%
1976 15,739 53.07% 13,718 46.25% 202 0.68%
1972 15,067 77.48% 4,358 22.41% 22 0.11%
1968 4,353 32.84% 4,021 30.34% 4,881 36.82%
1964 3,167 38.64% 4,989 60.87% 40 0.49%
1960 3,309 47.70% 3,510 50.60% 118 1.70%
1956 3,360 56.24% 2,572 43.05% 42 0.70%
1952 2,969 46.32% 3,432 53.54% 9 0.14%
1948 544 16.30% 1,795 53.77% 999 29.93%
1944 219 6.05% 2,902 80.17% 499 13.78%
1940 408 10.87% 3,347 89.13% 0 0.00%
1936 186 7.05% 2,443 92.61% 9 0.34%
1932 126 6.00% 1,971 93.90% 2 0.10%
1928 613 40.36% 905 59.58% 1 0.07%
1924 166 9.83% 1,500 88.81% 23 1.36%
1920 203 14.00% 935 64.48% 312 21.52%
1916 197 16.13% 880 72.07% 144 11.79%
1912 120 12.67% 613 64.73% 214 22.60%


United States Congress
Senators Name Party First Elected Level
  Senate Class 1 Ted Cruz Republican 2012 Junior Senator
  Senate Class 2 John Cornyn Republican 2002 Senior Senator
Representatives Name Party First Elected Area(s) of Montgomery County Represented
  District 8 Kevin Brady Republican 1996 Entire county

Texas Senate
District Name Party First Elected Area(s) of Montgomery County Represented
  3 Robert Nichols Republican 2006 North
  4 Brandon Creighton Republican Special election 2014 South and central (including The Woodlands and Conroe)

Texas House of Representatives
District Name Party First Elected Area(s) of Montgomery County Represented
  3 Cecil Bell Jr. Republican 2012 Southwest to southeast
  15 Steve Toth Republican 2014 South (including The Woodlands)
  16 Will Metcalf Republican 2014 North and east (including Conroe)

Education

Public schools

Several school districts operate public schools in the county:

Private schools
Pre-K to 12
  • Covenant Christian School
  • Christ Community School
  • Esprit International School
  • The Woodlands Christian Academy
  • The John Cooper School
  • The Woodlands Preparatory School
  • Porter Christian Academy
  • Cunae International School
  • Legacy Preparatory Christian Academy
  • Willis Classical Academy
Pre-K to 8

The closest Catholic high school is Frassati Catholic High School in north Harris County; the planners of the school intended for it to serve The Woodlands.[18]

Colleges and universities

The county is also home to two campuses of the Lone Star College System (formerly North Harris-Montgomery Community College District): Montgomery and The University Center.

Lone Star College's service area under Texas law includes, in Montgomery County: Conroe, Magnolia, Montgomery, New Caney, Splendora, Tomball, and Willis ISDs. The portion in Richards ISD is zoned to Blinn Junior College District.[19]

Libraries

The county operates the Montgomery County Memorial Library System.

Transportation

Airports

Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport, a general aviation airport, is located in Conroe.

The Houston Airport System stated that Montgomery County is within the primary service area of George Bush Intercontinental Airport, an international airport in Houston in Harris County.[20]

Major highways
Main article: List of highways in Montgomery County, Texas

Toll roads
Main article: Montgomery County Toll Road Authority

Montgomery County has several toll roads within its borders, most of which are operated as "pass-through toll roads"[21] or shadow toll roads.

There are two "true" toll roads within Montgomery County. One toll road consists of a section of mainlanes of State Highway 249 between the Harris County line at Spring Creek to FM 1774 in Pinehurst and is signed as MCTRA 249 Tollway (maintained by the Montgomery County Toll Road Authority).[22] North of Pinehurst, the toll road continues as the TxDOT maintained Aggie Expressway (SH 249 Toll) up north to FM 1488 east of Magnolia; an extension of the tolled expressway north to FM 1774 near Todd Mission is under construction.[23] The other toll road within Montgomery County (also maintained by TxDOT) is Grand Parkway (State Highway 99) between Spring Creek to I-69/US 59 near New Caney with an extension east to Liberty and Chambers Counties currently under construction.

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Healthcare

In 1938, the Montgomery County Hospital, a public institution, opened, the first public hospital in the county. It had 25 beds.[25] The Montgomery County Hospital District opened in the 1970s, and the purpose of the district was making a new hospital, which opened in 1982 and replaced the former hospital.[26]

See also

References
  1. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. Searle, Kameron K. The Early History of Montgomery, Texas. City of Montgomery, Texas: July 7, 2012. Accessed on June 5, 2021.
  4. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  5. "Census of Population and Housing from 1790". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  6. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  7. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 24, 2011. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
  8. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Montgomery County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  9. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Montgomery County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  10. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  11. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2016". U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Washington, DC. March 2017. Retrieved March 27, 2017.
  12. Zedaker, Hannah. Officials: Substance abuse rising in Montgomery County. Community Impact Newspaper: June 12, 2017. Retrieved April 23, 2018
  13. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections - Data Graph --2004 Montgomery County, Texas". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  14. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections - Data Graph --2008 Montgomery County, Texas". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  15. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections - Data Graphs". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  16. "2016 Presidential Election Results". The New York Times. August 9, 2017.
  17. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  18. Dominguez, Catherine (August 29, 2012). "New Catholic high school breaks ground". The Spring Observer. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  19. Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.168. BLINN JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA. Sec. 130.191. LONE STAR COLLEGE SYSTEM DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.
  20. "Master Plan Executive Summary." George Bush Intercontinental Airport Master Plan. Houston Airport System. December 2006. 2-1 (23/130). Retrieved on December 14, 2010.
  21. TxDot's Pass-Through Financing Program
  22. Montgomery County Toll Road Authority (MCTRA) SH 249 Retrieved May 8, 2020
  23. First stretch of ‘Aggie Expressway’ toll road opens Saturday Houston Chronicle. 8 August 2020 (same-day retrieval)
  24. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 6, 2022. Retrieved January 6, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  25. "Mary Swain Sanitarium, County Hospital cornerstones to local modern healthcare". Montgomery County Courier. November 22, 2017. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  26. Hernandez, Sondra (March 23, 2021). "Developer looks to renovate old Montgomery County Hospital property". Montgomery County Courier. Retrieved April 28, 2021. - See at Houston Chronicle, see at Press Reader.

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