Montgomery County, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Montgomery County
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County of Montgomery | ||
Montgomery County Courthouse
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Nickname(s):
Montco
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Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
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Pennsylvania's location within the U.S. |
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Country | United States | |
State | Pennsylvania | |
Founded | September 10, 1784 | |
Named for | Richard Montgomery or Montgomeryshire | |
Seat | Norristown | |
Largest municipality | Lower Merion Township | |
Area | ||
• Total | 487 sq mi (1,260 km2) | |
• Land | 483 sq mi (1,250 km2) | |
• Water | 4.2 sq mi (11 km2) 0.9%% | |
Population
(2020)
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• Total | 856,553 | |
• Density | 1,773/sq mi (685/km2) | |
Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
Congressional districts | 1st, 4th, 5th |
Montgomery County is the third-most populous county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the 73rd-most populous in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the county was 856,553, representing a 7.1% increase from the 799,884 residents enumerated in the 2010 census. Montgomery County is located adjacent to and northwest of Philadelphia. The county seat and largest city is Norristown. Montgomery County is geographically diverse, ranging from farms and open land in the extreme north of the county to densely populated suburban neighborhoods in the southern and central portions of the county.
Montgomery County is included in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington PA-NJ-DE-MD metropolitan statistical area, sometimes expansively known as the Delaware Valley. The county marks part of the Delaware Valley's northern border with the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. In 2010, Montgomery County was the 66th-wealthiest county in the country by median household income.
The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part of Philadelphia County. The first courthouse was housed in the Barley Sheaf Inn. It is believed to have been named either for Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 while attempting to capture Quebec City, or for the Welsh county of Montgomeryshire (which was named after one of William the Conqueror's main counselors, Roger de Montgomerie), as it was part of the Welsh Tract, an area of Pennsylvania settled by Quakers from Wales. Early histories of the county indicate the origin of the county's name as uncertain.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 487 square miles (1,260 km2), of which 483 square miles (1,250 km2) is land and 4.2 square miles (11 km2) (0.9%) is covered by water. It has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) and is in hardiness zones 6b and 7a.
Major highways
- I-76
- I-276 / Penna Turnpike
- I-476 / Penna Turnpike NE Extension
- I-476
- US 1
- US 30
- US 202
- US 422
- PA 23
- PA 29
- PA 63
- PA 73
- PA 100
- PA 113
- PA 152
- PA 232
- PA 252
- PA 263
- PA 309
- PA 320
- PA 332
- PA 363
- PA 463
- PA 563
- PA 611
- PA 663
Adjacent counties
- Lehigh County (north)
- Bucks County (northeast)
- Philadelphia County (southeast)
- Delaware County (southwest)
- Chester County (west)
- Berks County (northwest)
National protected area
Demographics
Historical population | |||
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Census | Pop. | %± | |
1790 | 22,918 | — | |
1800 | 24,150 | 5.4% | |
1810 | 29,703 | 23.0% | |
1820 | 35,793 | 20.5% | |
1830 | 39,406 | 10.1% | |
1840 | 47,241 | 19.9% | |
1850 | 58,291 | 23.4% | |
1860 | 70,500 | 20.9% | |
1870 | 81,612 | 15.8% | |
1880 | 96,494 | 18.2% | |
1890 | 123,290 | 27.8% | |
1900 | 138,995 | 12.7% | |
1910 | 169,590 | 22.0% | |
1920 | 199,310 | 17.5% | |
1930 | 265,804 | 33.4% | |
1940 | 289,247 | 8.8% | |
1950 | 353,068 | 22.1% | |
1960 | 516,682 | 46.3% | |
1970 | 623,799 | 20.7% | |
1980 | 643,621 | 3.2% | |
1990 | 678,111 | 5.4% | |
2000 | 750,097 | 10.6% | |
2010 | 799,884 | 6.6% | |
2020 | 856,553 | 7.1% | |
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2019 |
As of the 2020 census, the county was 73.27% White (72.18% White, non-Hispanic), 9.55% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American or Alaskan Native, 7.94% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, and 2.87% some other race; 6.13% were two or more races. 6.36% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
As of the 2010 census, the county was 79.0% White non-Hispanic, 8.7% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American or Alaskan Native, and 6.4% Asian (2.1% Indian, 1.7% Korean, 1.2% Chinese, 0.5% Vietnamese, 0.3% Filipino, 0.1% Japanese, 0.6% other Asian); 1.9% were two or more races, and 1.6% were some other race. About 4.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.
As of the census of 2000, 750,097 people, 286,098 households, and 197,693 families resided in the county. The population density was 1,553 people per square mile (599/km2). The 297,434 housing units averaged 238 units/km2 (616 units/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 86.46% White, 7.46% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 4.02% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.75% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. About 2.04% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race, 17.5% were of German, 16.7% Irish, 14.3% Italian, 6.5% English, and 5.0% Polish ancestry according to 2000 United States Census. Around 90.5% spoke English, 2.0% Spanish, 1.1% Korean, and 1.0% Italian as their first language. Historically, much of western Montgomery County is part of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, with a great many descendants of German-speaking settlers from the 18th century.
Montgomery County is home to large and growing African American, Korean American, Puerto-Rican American, Mexican American, and Indian American populations. The county has the second-largest foreign-born population in the region, after Philadelphia County.
Of the 286,098 households, 32.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.20% were married couples living together, 8.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were not families. About 25.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the county, the age distribution was 24.10% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 30.50% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $60,829, and for a family was $72,183 (these figures had risen to $73,701 and $89,219, respectively, as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $48,698 versus $35,089 for females. The per capita income for the county was $30,898. About 2.80% of families and 4.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.60% of those under age 18 and 5.10% of those age 65 or over.
The largest townships/boroughs in Montgomery County include:"
Township/borough | Population (2010 US Census) | Density mi2 |
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Lower Merion Township | 57,825 | 2,526.1 |
Abington Township | 55,310 | 3,630.3 |
Cheltenham Township | 36,793 | 4,083.1 |
Municipality of Norristown | 34,324 | 9,806.9 |
Upper Merion Township | 28,395 | 1,593.3 |
Horsham Township | 26,147 | 1,398.6 |
Upper Dublin Township | 25,569 | 1,960.7 |
Lower Providence Township | 25,436 | 1,458.8 |
Montgomery Township | 24,790 | 2,067.1 |
Upper Moreland Township | 24,015 | 3,202 |
Communities
Under Pennsylvania law, five types of incorporated municipalities are listed: cities, boroughs, townships, home rule municipalities (which can include communities that bear the name "Borough" or "Township") and, in at most two cases, towns. These boroughs, townships, and home rule municipalities are located in Montgomery County:
Home rule municipalities
- Bryn Athyn (official name remains "Borough of Bryn Athyn")
- Cheltenham Township
- Horsham Township
- Norristown (county seat)
- Plymouth Township
- Whitemarsh Township
Boroughs
Townships
- Abington
- Douglass
- East Norriton
- Franconia
- Hatfield
- Limerick
- Lower Frederick
- Lower Gwynedd
- Lower Merion
- Lower Moreland
- Lower Pottsgrove
- Lower Providence
- Lower Salford
- Marlborough
- Montgomery
- New Hanover
- Perkiomen
- Salford
- Skippack
- Springfield
- Towamencin
- Upper Dublin
- Upper Frederick
- Upper Gwynedd
- Upper Hanover
- Upper Merion
- Upper Moreland
- Upper Pottsgrove
- Upper Providence
- Upper Salford
- West Norriton
- West Pottsgrove
- Whitpain
- Worcester
Census-designated places
Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here, as well.
- Arcadia University
- Ardmore
- Audubon
- Blue Bell
- Bryn Mawr
- Eagleville
- Evansburg
- Flourtown
- Fort Washington
- Gilbertsville
- Glenside
- Halfway House
- Harleysville
- Haverford College
- Horsham
- King of Prussia
- Kulpsville
- Maple Glen
- Montgomeryville
- Oreland
- Penn Wynne
- Plymouth Meeting
- Pottsgrove
- Sanatoga
- Skippack
- Spring House
- Spring Mount
- Stowe
- Trooper
- Willow Grove
- Woxall
- Wyncote
- Wyndmoor
Unincorporated communities
- Bala Cynwyd
- Bethayres
- Dresher
- Elkins Park
- Frederick, a village in New Hanover Township.
- Gladwyne
- Gwynedd
- Gwynedd Valley
- Huntingdon Valley
- Lafayette Hill
- Melrose Park
- Merion
- Mont Clare
- Rosemont
- Valley Forge
- Villanova
- Wynnewood
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Montgomery County.
† county seat
Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2010 Census) |
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1 | † Norristown | Municipality | 34,324 |
2 | Pottstown | Borough | 22,377 |
3 | King of Prussia | CDP | 19,936 |
4 | Lansdale | Borough | 16,269 |
5 | Willow Grove | CDP | 15,726 |
6 | Horsham | CDP | 14,842 |
7 | Montgomeryville | CDP | 12,624 |
8 | Ardmore (partially in Delaware County) | CDP | 12,455 |
9 | Harleysville | CDP | 9,286 |
10 | Audubon | CDP | 8,433 |
11 | Glenside | CDP | 8,384 |
12 | Sanatoga | CDP | 8,378 |
13 | Kulpsville | CDP | 8,194 |
14 | Conshohocken | Borough | 7,833 |
15 | Hatboro | Borough | 7,360 |
16 | Maple Glen | CDP | 6,742 |
17 | Souderton | Borough | 6,618 |
18 | Ambler | Borough | 6,417 |
19 | Plymouth Meeting | CDP | 6,177 |
20 | Blue Bell | CDP | 6,067 |
21 | Trooper | CDP | 5,744 |
22 | Penn Wynne | CDP | 5,697 |
23 | Oreland | CDP | 5,678 |
24 | Wyndmoor | CDP | 5,498 |
25 | Fort Washington | CDP | 5,446 |
26 | Collegeville | Borough | 5,089 |
27 | Telford (partially in Bucks County) | Borough | 4,872 |
28 | Gilbertsville | CDP | 4,832 |
29 | Eagleville | CDP | 4,800 |
30 | Royersford | Borough | 4,752 |
31 | Bridgeport | Borough | 4,554 |
32 | Flourtown | CDP | 4,538 |
33 | Jenkintown | Borough | 4,422 |
34 | Narberth | Borough | 4,282 |
35 | Pennsburg | Borough | 3,843 |
36 | Spring House | CDP | 3,804 |
37 | Bryn Mawr | CDP | 3,779 |
38 | Skippack | CDP | 3,758 |
39 | Stowe | CDP | 3,695 |
40 | Trappe | Borough | 3,509 |
41 | Pottsgrove | CDP | 3,469 |
42 | Hatfield | Borough | 3,290 |
43 | North Wales | Borough | 3,229 |
44 | Wyncote | CDP | 3,044 |
45 | East Greenville | Borough | 2,951 |
46 | Halfway House | CDP | 2,881 |
47 | Rockledge | Borough | 2,543 |
48 | Red Hill | Borough | 2,383 |
49 | Spring Mount | CDP | 2,259 |
50 | Evansburg | CDP | 2,129 |
51 | Schwenksville | Borough | 1,385 |
52 | Bryn Athyn | Municipality | 1,375 |
53 | Haverford College (mostly in Delaware County) | CDP | 1,331 |
54 | West Conshohocken | Borough | 1,320 |
55 | Woxhall | CDP | 1,318 |
56 | Arcadia University | CDP | 595 |
57 | Green Lane | Borough | 508 |
Culture
- The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential (IAHP), a nonprofit organization founded by Glenn Doman, was established in Wyndmoor in 1955. The IAHP is an educational organization that teaches parents about child brain development, and is a treatment center for brain-injured children.
- The Old York Road Symphony, based in Abington, is one of the oldest all-volunteer orchestras in the country, founded in 1932.
Economy
Montgomery County is a suburb of Philadelphia and consequently, many of its residents work in the city. However, Montco is also a major employment center with large business parks in Blue Bell, Lansdale, Fort Washington, Horsham, and King of Prussia which attract thousands of workers from all over the region. The strong job base and taxes generated by those jobs have resulted in Montgomery County receiving the highest credit rating of 'AAA' from Standard & Poor's, one of fewer than 30 counties in the United States with such a rating. In 2012, Moody's downgraded the general obligation rating to Aa1, and in 2018 the rating was revised back to Aaa.
Major employers include:
- Abington School District
- ABM Industries
- ACTS Retirement-Life Communities
- Aetna
- Arcadia University
- Giant
- GlaxoSmithKline
- Hatfield Quality Meats
- Hatboro-Horsham School District
- Holy Redeemer Health System
- Janssen
- Jefferson Abington Hospital
- Lockheed Martin
- Lower Merion School District
- King of Prussia mall
- Main Line Health
- McNeil Consumer Healthcare
- Merck
- Montgomery County Community College
- Motorola Mobility
- Norristown Area School District
- North Penn School District
- Pfizer
- Prudential
- Quaker Chemical
- Quest Diagnostics
- SEI Investments Company
- Souderton Area School District
- Spring-Ford Area School District
Education
Colleges and universities
- Arcadia University
- Bryn Athyn College
- Bryn Mawr College
- DeVry University – Fort Washington
- Gwynedd Mercy University
- Haverford College
- Manor College
- Montgomery County Community College
- Pennsylvania College of Optometry (Salus University)
- Penn State Abington – a commonwealth campus of Pennsylvania State University
- Rosemont College
- St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
- Saint Joseph's University
- Temple University – Ambler
- Ursinus College
- Westminster Theological Seminary
Public school districts
- Abington School District
- Boyertown Area School District
- Cheltenham Township School District
- Colonial School District
- Hatboro-Horsham School District
- Jenkintown School District
- Lower Merion School District
- Lower Moreland Township School District
- Methacton School District
- Norristown Area School District
- North Penn School District
- Perkiomen Valley School District
- Pottsgrove School District
- Pottstown School District
- Souderton Area School District
- Springfield Township School District
- Spring-Ford Area School District
- Upper Dublin School District
- Upper Merion Area School District
- Upper Moreland School District
- Upper Perkiomen School District
- Wissahickon School District
- Bryn Athyn School District – exists as an entity, but does not operate any schools. Public school students attend class in neighboring districts.
Private secondary schools
- Academy Of The New Church Boys School
- Academy Of The New Church Girls School
- Abington Friends School
- The Baldwin School
- AIM Academy
- Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy, formerly known as the Akiba Hebrew Academy
- Bishop McDevitt High School
- Calvary Baptist School
- Coventry Christian Schools
- Dock Mennonite Academy
- Friends' Central School
- Germantown Academy
- Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School
- Haverford School
- The Hill School
- Huntingdon Valley Christian Academy
- Indian Creek Mennonite School
- Lakeside School
- Lansdale Catholic High School
- La Salle College High School
- Lincoln Academy
- Main Line Academy
- Martin Luther School
- Mary, Mother of the Redeemer Catholic School
- Meadowbrook School
- Merion Mercy Academy
- Mount Saint Joseph Academy
- New Life Youth & Family Svcs
- The Pathway School
- The Perkiomen School
- Pope John Paul II Catholic High School, replaced Kennedy-Kenrick Catholic High School and Saint Pius X High School in 2010.
- Reformation Christian School
- Saint Aloysius School
- Saint Basil Academy
- Saint Katherine Day School
- Stowe Lighthouse Christ Academy
- The Shipley School
- Torah Academy of Greater Philadelphia
- Trinity Christian Academy
- Valley Forge Baptist Academy
- Wordsworth Academy
- Wyncote Academy
Night schools/adult education
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Montgomery (Pensilvania) para niños