Montgomery County, Texas

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Montgomery County
U.S. county
The Montgomery County Courthouse in Conroe
The Montgomery County Courthouse in Conroe
Map of Texas highlighting Montgomery County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 30°18′N 95°30′W / 30.3°N 95.5°W / 30.3; -95.5
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1837
Named forMontgomery, Texas
SeatConroe
Largest communityThe Woodlands
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 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.[4] Between 2000 and 2010, its population grew by 55%, the 24th-fastest rate of growth of any county in the United States.

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.[5]

Adjacent counties[]

  • Walker County (north)
  • San Jacinto County (northeast)
  • Liberty County (east)
  • Harris County (south)
  • Waller County (west)
  • Grimes County (northwest)

National protected area[]

  • Sam Houston National Forest (partial)

Demographics[]

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
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[6]33.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1850–2010[8] 2010–2019[1]

As of the 2010 census,[9] 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, former Montgomery County assistant district attorney, approximately 60-70% of all crime in the county is connected to substance abuse.[10]

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[11] and 75.8% of its vote to John McCain in 2008.[12] 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.[13] 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.[14]

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 above 70% in both of his runs for president, and even expanding the raw vote margin to the largest in the county’s history.

Presidential elections results

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 Legislature[]

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
  • St. Anthony Of Padua Catholic School of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

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.[16]

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.[17]

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.[18]

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"[19] 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).[20] 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.[21] 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.[22] 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.[23]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "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. ^ Searle, Kameron K. The Early History of Montgomery, Texas. City of Montgomery, Texas: July 7, 2012. Accessed on June 5, 2021.
  5. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  6. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  7. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  8. ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  9. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  10. ^ Zedaker, Hannah. Officials: Substance abuse rising in Montgomery County. Community Impact Newspaper: June 12, 2017. Retrieved April 23, 2018
  11. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections - Data Graph --2004 Montgomery County, Texas". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  12. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections - Data Graph --2008 Montgomery County, Texas". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  13. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections - Data Graphs". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  14. ^ https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2016/results/president
  15. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  16. ^ Dominguez, Catherine (2012-08-29). "New Catholic high school breaks ground". . Retrieved 2017-03-25.
  17. ^ Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.168. BLINN JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA. Sec. 130.191. LONE STAR COLLEGE SYSTEM DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.
  18. ^ "Master Plan Executive Summary." George Bush Intercontinental Airport Master Plan. Houston Airport System. December 2006. 2-1 (23/130). Retrieved on December 14, 2010.
  19. ^ TxDot's Pass-Through Financing Program
  20. ^ [1] Montgomery County Toll Road Authority (MCTRA) SH 249 Retrieved May 8, 2020
  21. ^ First stretch of ‘Aggie Expressway’ toll road opens Saturday Houston Chronicle. 8 August 2020 (same-day retrieval)
  22. ^ "Mary Swain Sanitarium, County Hospital cornerstones to local modern healthcare". Montgomery County Courier. 2017-11-22. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  23. ^ Hernandez, Sondra (2021-03-23). "Developer looks to renovate old Montgomery County Hospital property". Montgomery County Courier. Retrieved 2021-04-28. - See at Houston Chronicle, see at .

External links[]

Coordinates: 30°18′N 95°30′W / 30.30°N 95.50°W / 30.30; -95.50

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