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Montgomery County, Pennsylvania facts for kids

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Not to be confused with Montgomery, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania.
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Montgomery County
County
Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, May 2007
Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, May 2007
Flag of Montgomery County
Flag
 Official seal of Montgomery County
Seal
Nickname(s): 
Montco
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Montgomery County
Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Map of the United States highlighting Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location within the U.S.
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)
 • Total 856,553
 • Estimate 
(2022)
 868,742 Increase
 • Density 1,773/sq mi (685/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts 1st, 4th, 5th


Montgomery County, often called Montco, is a county in Pennsylvania. In 2020, about 856,553 people lived here. This makes it the third-most populated county in Pennsylvania. Only Philadelphia and Allegheny counties have more people. It is also the most populated county in Pennsylvania without a major city. Montco is part of the Delaware Valley region in the southeastern part of the state.

Norristown is the county seat and the largest city in Montgomery County. The county is part of a big metropolitan area. This area includes Philadelphia, Camden, and Wilmington. It is known as the Delaware Valley. Montgomery County marks the northern edge of this valley.

The county shares borders with several other counties. To the southeast is Philadelphia, a very large city. Bucks County is to the east. Berks and Lehigh counties are to the north. Delaware County is to the south. Chester County is to the southwest.

Montgomery County was created on September 10, 1784. It was formed from land that was originally part of Philadelphia County. The first courthouse was in the Barley Sheaf Inn. The county's name might come from Richard Montgomery. He was an American Revolutionary War general who died in 1775. Another idea is that it was named after Montgomeryshire, a county in Wales. This Welsh county was named after Roger de Montgomerie, a helper of William the Conqueror. Many Quakers from Wales settled in this area, which was called the Welsh Tract.

Exploring Montgomery County's Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Montgomery County covers about 487 square miles. Most of this area, 483 square miles, is land. The remaining 4.2 square miles, or 0.9%, is water.

Neighboring Counties

Montgomery County is surrounded by other counties.

Special Protected Areas

Part of the famous Valley Forge National Historical Park is located in Montgomery County. This park is important for American history.

County Parks to Visit

Montgomery County has many parks for everyone to enjoy.

Park Size (Acres) Trail Miles
Perkiomen Valley Park 800 19
Green Lane Park 3,400 25
Schuylkill Canal Park - 5
Lorimer Park 230 5.4
Lower Perkiomen Valley Park 107 -
Norristown Farm Park 690 8
Upper Schuylkill Valley Park 15 -

People and Population in Montco

Montgomery County has grown a lot over the years.

Historical population
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%
2022 (est.) 864,683 8.1%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2020

Who Lives in Montgomery County?

The 2020 census showed the different groups of people living in the county. About 73.27% of the county's population was White. About 9.55% were Black or African American. Around 7.94% were Asian. People of two or more races made up 6.13%. About 6.36% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Montgomery County Racial Composition
Race Number of People Percentage
White (not Hispanic) 618,244 72.2%
Black or African American (not Hispanic) 79,510 9.3%
Native American (not Hispanic) 763 0.1%
Asian (not Hispanic) 67,761 8%
Pacific Islander (not Hispanic) 168 0.02%
Other/Mixed (not Hispanic) 35,595 4.2%
Hispanic or Latino 54,512 6.4%

Largest Towns and Townships

Here are some of the biggest communities in Montgomery County by population:

Township/Borough Population (2010 US Census) Density mi2
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

Economy and Jobs in Montgomery County

Montgomery County has both busy towns like Cheltenham Township (top) and quiet natural areas like Perkiomen Creek (bottom).

Montgomery County is a suburb of Philadelphia, a very large city. Many people who live in Montco work in Philadelphia. But the county also has many jobs of its own. Big business parks are in places like Blue Bell, Lansdale, and King of Prussia. These parks bring thousands of workers from all over the region. Because there are so many jobs and taxes from them, Montgomery County has a very high credit rating. This means it is very good at managing its money.

Major Employers in the County

Many large companies and organizations have offices or facilities in Montgomery County.

  • 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 Corporation
  • Quest Diagnostics
  • SEI Investments Company
  • Souderton Area School District
  • Spring-Ford Area School District

Education in Montgomery County

The county offers many choices for learning, from colleges to public and private schools.

Colleges and Universities

Many colleges and universities are located in Montgomery County.

Public School Districts

Map of Montgomery County Pennsylvania School Districts
Map of Montgomery County public school districts

Here are the public school districts that serve students in Montgomery County:

  • 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 – This district exists but does not run its own schools. Students go to schools in nearby districts.

Private Secondary Schools

Many private high schools are also in Montgomery County.

  • 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
  • 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 and Family Services
  • The Pathway School
  • The Perkiomen School
  • Phil-Mont Christian Academy
  • Pope John Paul II Catholic High School
  • Reformation Christian School
  • Saint Aloysius School
  • Saint Katherine Day School
  • Stowe Lighthouse Christ Academy
  • The Shipley School
  • Torah Academy of Greater Philadelphia
  • Trinity Christian Academy
  • Valley Christian School at Huntingdon Valley Presbyterian Church
  • Valley Forge Baptist Academy
  • Wordsworth Academy
  • Wyncote Academy

Night Schools and Adult Education

  • Abington Township Adult School
  • Cheltenham Township Adult School

Communities in Montgomery County

Map of Montgomery County Pennsylvania With Municipal and Township Labels
Map of Montgomery County with municipal labels showing boroughs (red), townships (white), and census-designated places (blue)

Pennsylvania law lists different types of towns and cities. These include cities, boroughs, townships, and home rule municipalities. Here are the communities in Montgomery County:

Home Rule Municipalities

These communities have special local rules.

Boroughs

Boroughs are a type of self-governing community.

Townships

Townships are another type of local government area.

Unincorporated Areas

These areas are not officially separate towns or cities, but they are recognized for census data.

Census-Designated Places (CDPs)

Other Communities

These are other smaller communities or villages.

The historic village of Valley Forge and its park are partly in Montgomery County. However, the modern village is in Chester County, PA.

Population Ranking of Communities

This table shows the population of the largest communities based on the 2020 census. † county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2020 Census)
1 † Norristown Municipality 35,748
2 Pottstown Borough 23,433
3 King of Prussia CDP 22,028
4 Lansdale Borough 18,773
5 Horsham CDP 15,193
6 Willow Grove CDP 13,730
7 Ardmore (partially in Delaware County) CDP 13,566
8 Montgomeryville CDP 12,998
9 Harleysville CDP 9,899
10 Conshohocken Borough 9,261
11 Audubon CDP 8,688
12 Sanatoga CDP 8,496
13 Hatboro Borough 8,238
14 Kulpsville CDP 8,159
15 Glenside CDP 7,737
16 Plymouth Meeting CDP 7,452
17 Souderton Borough 7,191
18 Ambler Borough 6,807
19 Maple Glen CDP 6,647
20 Blue Bell CDP 6,506
21 Penn Wynne CDP 6,493
22 Oreland CDP 6,210
23 Fort Washington CDP 5,910
24 Bryn Mawr CDP 5,879
25 Wyndmoor CDP 5,853
26 Gilbertsville CDP 5,508
27 Trooper CDP 5,481
28 Collegeville Borough 5,043
29 Bridgeport Borough 5,015
30 Royersford Borough 4,940
31 Telford (partially in Bucks County) Borough 4,928
32 Eagleville CDP 4,800
33 Flourtown CDP 4,786
34 Jenkintown Borough 4,719
35 Narberth Borough 4,492
36 Gladwyne CDP 4,096
37 Trappe Borough 4,002
38 Pennsburg Borough 3,889
39 Spring House CDP 3,978
40 Skippack CDP 3,928
41 Stowe CDP 3,697
42 Hatfield Borough 3,496
43 Pottsgrove CDP 3,471
44 North Wales Borough 3,426
45 Halfway House CDP 3,273
46 East Greenville Borough 3,166
47 Wyncote CDP 3,081
48 Rockledge Borough 2,638
49 Spring Mount CDP 2,498
50 Red Hill Borough 2,496
51 Evansburg CDP 2,410
52 Haverford College (mostly in Delaware County) CDP 1,497
53 West Conshohocken Borough 1,493
54 Woxhall CDP 1,297
55 Schwenksville Borough 1,296
56 Bryn Athyn Municipality 1,272   
57 Arcadia University CDP 758
58 Green Lane Borough 490

Getting Around Montgomery County

There are many ways to travel in and out of Montgomery County.

Major Roads and Highways

2022-10-11 11 58 25 View east along Interstate 276 (Pennsylvania Turnpike Delaware River Extension) from the overpass for Interstate 476 (Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension) in Plymouth Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
I-276/Pennsylvania Turnpike eastbound at the Interstate 476/Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension in Montgomery County

Important roads that cross the county include:

  • I-76
  • I-276 / Penna Turnpike
  • I-476 / Penna Turnpike NE Extension
  • US 1
  • US 30
  • US 202

  • US 202 Bus.
  • 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

Public Transportation Options

The SEPTA system provides public transport in the county. This includes buses, commuter trains, and light rail. Pottstown Area Rapid Transit (PART) also offers bus services around the Pottstown area.

  • SEPTA services include:
    • Buses that serve both city and suburban areas.
    • Regional Rail lines like Cynwyd, Lansdale/Doylestown, and Manayunk/Norristown.
    • The Norristown High Speed Line (NHSL), a light rail line. It connects the Norristown Transportation Center to Upper Darby in Delaware County.

Airports in the Area

Most people flying to or from the area use Philadelphia International Airport. This is one of the largest airports in the country. It is located in Philadelphia and Delaware counties.

Other smaller public airports in Montgomery County include Heritage Field in Limerick Township. There is also Wings Field in Blue Bell. And Pottstown Municipal Airport is in Pottstown.

Culture and Community Life

Montgomery County is home to interesting cultural organizations.

  • The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential (IAHP) is in Wyndmoor. It started in 1955. This group teaches parents about how children's brains develop. It also helps children with brain injuries.
  • The Old York Road Symphony is based in Abington. It is one of the oldest orchestras in the country where all the musicians are volunteers. It was founded in 1932.

Climate in Montgomery County

Most of Montgomery County has a hot-summer humid continental climate. This means it has warm summers and cold winters. Some southern areas and along the Schuylkill River have a humid subtropical climate. This climate is a bit warmer and more humid.

Climate data for Upper Hanover Twp (Elevation: 489 ft; 149 m) 1981 - 2010 Averages
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 37.8
(3.2)		 41.1
(5.1)		 49.8
(9.9)		 61.7
(16.5)		 72.1
(22.3)		 80.8
(27.1)		 84.9
(29.4)		 83.2
(28.4)		 76.2
(24.6)		 64.5
(18.1)		 53.3
(11.8)		 41.8
(5.4)		 62.4
(16.9)
Daily mean °F (°C) 29.3
(−1.5)		 31.9
(−0.1)		 39.7
(4.3)		 50.5
(10.3)		 60.4
(15.8)		 69.5
(20.8)		 74.0
(23.3)		 72.3
(22.4)		 64.8
(18.2)		 53.2
(11.8)		 43.5
(6.4)		 33.5
(0.8)		 52.0
(11.1)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 20.8
(−6.2)		 22.7
(−5.2)		 29.6
(−1.3)		 39.2
(4.0)		 48.7
(9.3)		 58.3
(14.6)		 63.0
(17.2)		 61.4
(16.3)		 53.4
(11.9)		 41.9
(5.5)		 33.7
(0.9)		 25.2
(−3.8)		 41.6
(5.3)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.27
(83)		 2.71
(69)		 3.55
(90)		 3.86
(98)		 4.27
(108)		 4.21
(107)		 4.83
(123)		 3.90
(99)		 4.63
(118)		 4.26
(108)		 3.65
(93)		 3.75
(95)		 46.89
(1,191)
Average relative humidity (%) 68.4 65.1 60.6 59.5 63.6 69.0 69.0 71.8 72.9 71.4 70.4 70.7 67.7
Average dew point °F (°C) 20.2
(−6.6)		 21.5
(−5.8)		 27.2
(−2.7)		 36.9
(2.7)		 48.0
(8.9)		 58.9
(14.9)		 63.2
(17.3)		 62.7
(17.1)		 55.9
(13.3)		 44.2
(6.8)		 34.5
(1.4)		 25.0
(−3.9)		 41.6
(5.3)
Source: PRISM
Climate data for Cheltenham (Elevation: 125 ft; 38 m) 1981 - 2010 Averages
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 40.6
(4.8)		 43.9
(6.6)		 52.0
(11.1)		 63.3
(17.4)		 73.0
(22.8)		 82.3
(27.9)		 86.3
(30.2)		 84.9
(29.4)		 78.0
(25.6)		 66.7
(19.3)		 55.9
(13.3)		 44.9
(7.2)		 64.4
(18.0)
Daily mean °F (°C) 33.2
(0.7)		 35.9
(2.2)		 43.2
(6.2)		 53.7
(12.1)		 63.2
(17.3)		 72.8
(22.7)		 77.3
(25.2)		 76.0
(24.4)		 68.8
(20.4)		 57.3
(14.1)		 47.5
(8.6)		 37.7
(3.2)		 55.6
(13.1)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 25.8
(−3.4)		 27.8
(−2.3)		 34.3
(1.3)		 44.0
(6.7)		 53.4
(11.9)		 63.2
(17.3)		 68.4
(20.2)		 67.1
(19.5)		 59.6
(15.3)		 48.0
(8.9)		 39.2
(4.0)		 30.4
(−0.9)		 46.9
(8.3)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.46
(88)		 2.77
(70)		 4.10
(104)		 3.92
(100)		 4.15
(105)		 4.12
(105)		 4.96
(126)		 4.24
(108)		 4.29
(109)		 3.71
(94)		 3.52
(89)		 3.92
(100)		 47.16
(1,198)
Average relative humidity (%) 65.5 61.6 57.3 57.2 61.4 63.5 65.0 66.9 68.0 67.9 66.5 66.6 64.0
Average dew point °F (°C) 22.9
(−5.1)		 24.0
(−4.4)		 29.1
(−1.6)		 38.9
(3.8)		 49.7
(9.8)		 59.7
(15.4)		 64.6
(18.1)		 64.2
(17.9)		 57.8
(14.3)		 46.8
(8.2)		 36.9
(2.7)		 27.6
(−2.4)		 43.6
(6.4)
Source: PRISM

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