Montgomery County, Texas

Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 455,746.[1] A 2019 estimate places the population at 607,391.[2] The county seat is Conroe.[3] 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. Between 2000 and 2010, its population grew by 55%, the 24th-fastest rate of growth of any county in the United States.

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 cityHouston
Area
 • Total1,077 sq mi (2,790 km2)
 • Land1,042 sq mi (2,700 km2)
 • Water35 sq mi (90 km2)  3.3%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2019)
607,391
 • Density498/sq mi (192/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%
2019 (est.)607,391[5]33.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1850–2010[7] 2010–2019[1]

As of the 2010 census,[8] 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.

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, Montgomery County assistant district attorney, approximately 60-70% of all crime in the county is connected to substance abuse.[9]

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[10] and 75.8% of its vote to John McCain in 2008.[11] 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.[12] 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.[13]

Even with the dramatic leftward turn of Texas' suburbs, especially in Houston, Dallas and Austin, Montgomery County has trended leftwards at a much smaller pace, with Trump remaining well above 70% in both of his runs for president, underperforming all other Republicans since 2000.

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[14]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 71.2% 193,382 27.3% 74,377 1.4% 3,784
2016 73.0% 150,314 22.3% 45,835 4.7% 9,755
2012 79.5% 137,969 19.0% 32,920 1.5% 2,634
2008 75.8% 119,884 23.2% 36,703 1.1% 1,664
2004 78.1% 104,654 21.4% 28,628 0.5% 706
2000 75.9% 80,600 21.9% 23,286 2.2% 2,327
1996 65.2% 51,011 26.5% 20,722 8.3% 6,469
1992 51.3% 39,976 23.8% 18,551 24.9% 19,431
1988 68.2% 40,360 31.1% 18,394 0.7% 392
1984 75.4% 41,230 24.3% 13,293 0.3% 167
1980 65.6% 26,237 31.5% 12,593 2.9% 1,141
1976 53.1% 15,739 46.3% 13,718 0.7% 202
1972 77.5% 15,067 22.4% 4,358 0.1% 22
1968 32.8% 4,353 30.3% 4,021 36.8% 4,881
1964 38.6% 3,167 60.9% 4,989 0.5% 40
1960 47.7% 3,309 50.6% 3,510 1.7% 118
1956 56.2% 3,360 43.1% 2,572 0.7% 42
1952 46.3% 2,969 53.5% 3,432 0.1% 9
1948 16.3% 544 53.8% 1,795 29.9% 999
1944 6.1% 219 80.2% 2,902 13.8% 499
1940 10.9% 408 89.1% 3,347
1936 7.1% 186 92.6% 2,443 0.3% 9
1932 6.0% 126 93.9% 1,971 0.1% 2
1928 40.4% 613 59.6% 905 0.1% 1
1924 9.8% 166 88.8% 1,500 1.4% 23
1920 14.0% 203 64.5% 935 21.5% 312
1916 16.1% 197 72.1% 880 11.8% 144
1912 12.7% 120 64.7% 613 22.6% 214

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:

Pre-K to 12
  • Covenant Christian School
  • Christ Community School
  • Esprit International School
  • The Woodlands Christian Academy
  • The John Cooper School
  • St. Anthony Of Padua Catholic School
  • The Woodlands Preparatory School
  • Porter Christian Academy
  • Cunae International School
  • Legacy Preparatory Christian Academy
  • Willis Classical Academy

The county is also home to two campuses of the Lone Star College System: Montgomery and The University Center.

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.[15]

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"[16] 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).[17] 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.[18] 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

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 24, 2011. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
  2. "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.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  5. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  6. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  7. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  8. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  9. Zedaker, Hannah. Officials: Substance abuse rising in Montgomery County. Community Impact Newspaper: June 12, 2017. Retrieved April 23, 2018
  10. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections - Data Graph --2004 Montgomery County, Texas". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  11. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections - Data Graph --2008 Montgomery County, Texas". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  12. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections - Data Graphs". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  13. https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2016/results/president
  14. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  15. "Master Plan Executive Summary." George Bush Intercontinental Airport Master Plan. Houston Airport System. December 2006. 2-1 (23/130). Retrieved on December 14, 2010.
  16. TxDot's Pass-Through Financing Program
  17. Montgomery County Toll Road Authority (MCTRA) SH 249 Retrieved May 8, 2020
  18. First stretch of ‘Aggie Expressway’ toll road opens Saturday Houston Chronicle. 8 August 2020 (same-day retrieval)

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.