Montgomery County, Texas

Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 620,443,^[1] and was estimated to be 749,613 in 2024.^[2] Its county seat is Conroe.^[3]

Montgomery County
County
The Montgomery County Courthouse in Conroe
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 30.298801°N 95.50295°W / 30.298801; -95.50295
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	December 14, 1837
Named after	Montgomery, Texas
Seat	Conroe
Largest community	The Woodlands
Government
• County judge	Mark Keough
Area
• Total	1,076.885 sq mi (2,789.12 km2)
• Land	1,042.179 sq mi (2,699.23 km2)
• Water	34.706 sq mi (89.89 km2)  3.22%
Population  (2020)
• Total	620,443
• Estimate  (2024)	749,613
• Density	719.239/sq mi (277.700/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code	281, 346, 621, 713, 832, and 936
Congressional districts	2nd, 8th
Website	mctx.org

Montgomery County is part of the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan statistical area.

History

The county was created by an act of the Congress of the Republic of Texas on December 14, 1837,^[4] and is named for the town of Montgomery.^[5]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,076.885 square miles (2,789.12 km²), of which 1,042.179 square miles (2,699.23 km²) is land and 34.706 square miles (89.89 km²) (3.22%) is water.^[6] It is the 65th largest county in Texas by total area.

Adjacent counties

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

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	2,384		—
1860	5,479		129.8%
1870	6,483		18.3%
1880	10,154		56.6%
1890	11,765		15.9%
1900	17,067		45.1%
1910	15,679		−8.1%
1920	17,334		10.6%
1930	14,588		−15.8%
1940	23,055		58.0%
1950	24,504		6.3%
1960	26,839		9.5%
1970	49,479		84.4%
1980	128,487		159.7%
1990	182,201		41.8%
2000	293,768		61.2%
2010	455,746		55.1%
2020	620,443		36.1%
2024 (est.)	749,613	[7]	20.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1850–1900[9] 1910[10] 1920[11] 1930[12] 1940[13] 1950[14] 1960[15] 1970[16] 1980[17] 1990[18] 2000[19] 2010[20] 2020[21]

As of the fourth quarter of 2024, the median home value in Montgomery County was $371,646.^[22]

As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 235,474 estimated households in Montgomery County with an average of 2.77 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $97,266. Approximately 10.1% of the county's population lives at or below the poverty line. Montgomery County has an estimated 64.6% employment rate, with 37.9% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 90.2% holding a high school diploma.^[2]

The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (73.0%), Spanish (21.3%), Indo-European (2.8%), Asian and Pacific Islander (1.9%), and Other (1.0%).

The median age in the county was 37.3 years.

Montgomery County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
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 may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 1980[17]	Pop 1990[18]	Pop 2000[23]	Pop 2010[24]	Pop 2020[21]	% 1980	% 1990	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	117,290	159,436	239,150	324,611	371,403	91.29%	87.51%	81.41%	71.23%	59.86%
Black or African American alone (NH)	6,117	7,659	10,076	18,537	34,177	4.76%	4.20%	3.43%	4.07%	5.51%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	262	646	1,118	9,347	1,884	0.20%	0.35%	0.38%	0.40%	0.30%
Asian alone (NH)	358	1,143	3,167	9,347	21,436	0.28%	0.63%	1.08%	2.05%	3.45%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)	x	x	80	241	634	x	x	0.03%	0.05%	0.10%
Other race alone (NH)	171	80	281	635	2,522	0.13%	0.04%	0.10%	0.14%	0.41%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	x	x	2,746	5,870	24,298	x	x	0.93%	1.29%	3.92%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	4,289	13,237	37,150	94,698	164,089	3.34%	7.27%	12.65%	20.78%	26.45%
Total	128,487	182,201	293,768	455,746	620,443	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

2023 estimate

As of the 2023 estimate, there were 711,354 people and 235,474 households residing in the county. There were 280,357 housing units at an average density of 269.01 per square mile (103.9/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 85.0% White (58.8% NH White), 7.8% African American, 1.0% Native American, 3.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, _% from some other races and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 28.3% of the population.^[25]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 620,443 people, 219,796 households, and 164,212 families residing in the county.^[26] The population density was 595.3 inhabitants per square mile (229.8/km²). There were 238,489 housing units.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, 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 people/km²). There were 177,647 housing units at an average density of 165 per square mile (64/km²).

In 2010, 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. At the 2020 census, the racial and ethnic makeup was 59.86% non-Hispanic white, 5.51% African American or Black, 0.30% Native American, 3.45% Asian alone, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.41% some other race, 3.92% multiracial, and 26.45% Hispanic or Latino American of any race.

At the 2010 census 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.

2000 census

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.

National protected area

• Sam Houston National Forest (partial)

Communities

Cities

• Cleveland (most of the city is in Liberty County)^[27]
• Conroe (county seat)
• Cut and Shoot
• Houston (most of the city is in Harris County)
• Magnolia
• Montgomery
• Oak Ridge North
• Panorama Village
• Patton Village
• Roman Forest
• Shenandoah
• Splendora
• Willis
• Woodbranch

Towns

• Stagecoach
• Woodloch

Census-designated places

• Pinehurst
• Porter Heights
• The Woodlands (small part of the CDP located in Harris County)

Unincorporated communities

• Chateau Woods (former city)
• Decker Prairie
• Dobbin
• Egypt
• Grangerland
• Imperial Oaks
• New Caney
• Porter
• River Plantation
• Spring (larger part in Harris County, which includes the CDP part)
• Tamina

Education

Public schools

Several school districts operate public schools in the county:^[28]

• Conroe ISD
• Magnolia ISD
• Montgomery ISD
• New Caney ISD
• Richards ISD (partial)
• Splendora ISD
• Tomball ISD (partial)
• Willis ISD
• Humble ISD (partial)
• Cleveland ISD (partial)

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.^[29]

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.^[30]

Former colleges for black students in the pre-desegregation era included Conroe Normal and Industrial College and Royal College.^[31]

Politics

Montgomery County has given Republican candidates 70 percent or more of the vote since 2000, and a Democratic presidential candidate has not won the county since 1964, when native Texan and favorite son Lyndon Johnson won 60.9% of the county's vote.^[32]

In 2004, county voters gave 78.1 percent of their vote to Republican candidate George W. Bush, who served as Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000.^[33] In 2008, 75.8% of the voters supported the Republican ticket of John McCain and Sarah Palin.^[34]

In 2016, Montgomery County was the only county in the United States where Republican nominee Donald Trump won against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton by a margin of greater than 100,000 votes.^[35] In 2020, Trump won Montgomery County again, with an expanded margin of 119,000 votes.^[36] In 2024, Trump won Montgomery County once again, with another expanded margin of about 140,000 votes.^[37]

United States presidential election results for Montgomery County, Texas^[38]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	221,964	72.24%	82,277	26.78%	3,017	0.98%
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 Senate election results for Montgomery County, Texas1^[39]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	213,797	69.75%	86,879	28.34%	5,841	1.91%

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 2	Dan Crenshaw	Republican	2018	South county
	District 8	Morgan Luttrell	Republican	2020	West and north 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)

Libraries

The county operates the Montgomery County Memorial Library System. The public library system has been the subject of multiple book banning controversies, including a change to the book review process lobbied by local right-wing group Two Moms and Some Books that removed librarians from the review process. Under this new policy, any children books challenged but immediate be placed in the adult sections.^[40]

Healthcare

In 1938, the Montgomery County Hospital, a public institution, opened, the first public hospital in the county. It had 25 beds.^[41] 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.^[42]

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.^[43]

Major highways

• Interstate 45
• Interstate 69/U.S. Highway 59
• State Highway 75
• State Highway 99 - Grand Parkway Toll Road
• State Highway 105
• State Highway 242
• State Highway 249 - a.k.a. MCTRA 249 Tollway (from Spring Creek to Pinehurst) and the Aggie Expressway (Pinehurst up to Todd Mission)

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"^[44] 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).^[45] North of Pinehurst, the toll road continues as the TxDOT maintained Aggie Expressway (SH 249 Toll) up north to FM 1774 near Todd Mission then as a two-lane freeway up to State Highway 105 near Navasota.^[46] The other toll road within Montgomery County (also maintained by TxDOT) is Grand Parkway (State Highway 99) between the Harris County line at Spring Creek, with an interchange at I-69/US 59 near New Caney, and reentering Harris County before continuing into Liberty and Chambers Counties.

See also

• Texas portal

• List of museums in the Texas Gulf Coast
• Earth Quest Adventures
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Montgomery County, Texas
• Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Montgomery County