Montgomery County, Texas facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids 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.
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1837
Named for	Montgomery, Texas
Seat	Conroe
Largest community	The Woodlands
Area
• Total	1,077 sq mi (2,790 km²)
• Land	1,042 sq mi (2,700 km²)
• Water	35 sq mi (90 km²) 3.3%
Population (2020)
• Total	620,443
• Estimate (2023)	711,354
• Density	576.08/sq mi (222.43/km²)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts	2nd, 8th

Montgomery County is a place in Texas, a state in the USA. In 2020, about 620,443 people lived here. Its main city, where the county government is, is Conroe.

The county was created on December 14, 1837. It got its name from the town of Montgomery. The county has grown a lot! Between 2000 and 2010, its population grew by 55%. From 2010 to 2020, it grew by another 36%. By July 1, 2023, the population was estimated to be 711,354 people.

Montgomery County is part of the larger Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land area. This is a big group of cities and towns that are connected.

Exploring Montgomery County's Geography

Montgomery County covers a total area of about 1,077 square miles. Most of this area, about 1,042 square miles, is land. The rest, about 35 square miles, is covered by water. This means about 3.3% of the county is water.

Neighboring Counties Around Montgomery

Montgomery County shares its borders with several other counties. These are like its neighbors on a map.

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

Protected Natural Areas

Part of the Sam Houston National Forest is located in Montgomery County. This is a special area of nature that is protected.

Communities: Cities, Towns, and More

Montgomery County has many different types of communities. These include cities, towns, and other smaller places where people live.

Cities in Montgomery County

Towns in Montgomery County

Census-Designated Places (CDPs)

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities.

Pinehurst
Porter Heights
The Woodlands (a small part is in Harris County)

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller communities that are not part of any city or town.

Chateau Woods (used to be a city)
Decker Prairie
Dobbin
Egypt
Grangerland
Imperial Oaks
New Caney
Porter
River Plantation
Spring (most of it is in Harris County)
Tamina

Understanding Montgomery County's Population

The number of people living in Montgomery County has changed a lot over the years. You can see this growth in the table below.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
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	620,460	36.1%
2023 (est.)	711,354	56.1%
U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010–2020

In 2010, there were about 455,746 people living in the county. There were also about 162,530 households, which are groups of people living together. The population density was about 423 people per square mile.

The county's population is made up of people from many different backgrounds. In 2010, most people were White (83.5%). There were also Black or African American (4.3%), Native American (0.7%), and Asian (2.1%) people. About 20.8% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

By 2020, the population had grown to 620,443. The mix of people also changed. About 59.86% were non-Hispanic White. African American or Black people made up 5.51%. Hispanic or Latino people made up a larger part, at 26.45%.

In 2010, about 27.6% of the people were under 18 years old. The average age was 36.1 years. Most households were married couples living together.

Education: Schools and Colleges

Montgomery County offers many choices for education, from public schools to colleges.

Public Schools in the County

Several public school districts serve the students in Montgomery County. These districts manage the public schools.

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

Private Schools in the County

There are also many private schools for students of all ages.

Pre-K to 12th Grade

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 8th Grade

St. Anthony Of Padua Catholic School

The closest Catholic high school for students in The Woodlands area is Frassati Catholic High School.

Colleges and Universities

For higher education, Montgomery County has two campuses of the Lone Star College System. These are Montgomery and The University Center.

Lone Star College serves students from many local school districts. These include Conroe, Magnolia, Montgomery, New Caney, Splendora, Tomball, and Willis ISDs. Students from the Richards ISD part of the county go to Blinn Junior College District.

In the past, there were colleges for Black students before schools were desegregated. These included Conroe Normal and Industrial College and Royal College.

Libraries: Places to Read and Learn

The county has its own library system called the Montgomery County Memorial Library System. These libraries offer books, computers, and other resources for everyone.

Healthcare: Hospitals and Care

In 1938, the Montgomery County Hospital opened. It was the first public hospital in the county and had 25 beds. Later, in the 1970s, the Montgomery County Hospital District was created. This led to a new, larger hospital opening in 1982, replacing the older one.

Transportation: Getting Around the County

Montgomery County has different ways to travel, including airports and major roads.

Airports in the County

Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport is in Conroe. It's an airport for general aviation, meaning it's used for private planes and smaller flights.

The Houston Airport System says that George Bush Intercontinental Airport is the main airport for Montgomery County. This is a large international airport located in nearby Harris County.

Major Highways Connecting the County

Several important highways run through Montgomery County. They help people travel to and from different places.

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 - also known as MCTRA 249 Tollway and the Aggie Expressway

Toll Roads in Montgomery County

Montgomery County has some roads where you pay a fee to drive. These are called toll roads. Many of them are "pass-through" or "shadow" toll roads. This means the county gets money from the state for traffic on these roads.

There are two main toll roads in the county where you pay directly. One is a part of State Highway 249. This section is called the MCTRA 249 Tollway. It runs from the Harris County line to Pinehurst. North of Pinehurst, it continues as the Aggie Expressway (SH 249 Toll).

The other main toll road is Grand Parkway (State Highway 99). It also starts at the Harris County line and goes through Montgomery County. It then goes back into Harris County before continuing into Liberty and Chambers Counties.