Montgomery County, Alabama

Montgomery County is a county located in the southeast-central part of the State of Alabama. As of the 2010 census, its population was 229,363, making it the fourth-most populous county in Alabama.[2] Its county seat is Montgomery, the state capital.[3]

Montgomery County
County
Montgomery County
The Montgomery County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
Alabama's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°13′09″N 86°12′34″W
Country United States
State Alabama
FoundedDecember 6, 1816[1]
Named forLemuel P. Montgomery
SeatMontgomery
Largest cityMontgomery
Area
 • Total800 sq mi (2,000 km2)
 • Land784 sq mi (2,030 km2)
 • Water16 sq mi (40 km2)  2.0%%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total229,363
 • Estimate 
(2019)
226,486
 • Density290/sq mi (110/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts2nd, 3rd, 7th
Websitewww.mc-ala.org
 
  • County Number 03 on Alabama Licence Plates
  • One of three counties shuffled to the top 3 numbers because of population size.

Montgomery County is included in the Montgomery, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Montgomery County was established by dividing Monroe County on December 6, 1816, by the Mississippi Territorial Legislature.[1] It is named for Lemuel P. Montgomery, a young U.S. Army officer killed at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, the final battle of the Creek Indian war, which was waged concurrently with the War of 1812.[4]

The city of Montgomery, which is the county seat, is named for Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 while attempting to capture Quebec City, Canada.[4]

Over much of the 19th century great wealth was derived from the cotton crop, with the Civil War producing a temporary setback. More lasting trouble came in 1914 with the arrival of the boll weevil, which became very destructive to the cotton harvest from 1915 on.[5] By the 1940s county farms earned more from cattle than cotton.[6]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 800 square miles (2,100 km2), of which 784 square miles (2,030 km2) is land and 16 square miles (41 km2) (2.0%) is water.[7]

Major highways
  • Interstate 65
  • Interstate 85
  • Interstate 685 (future)
  • U.S. Highway 31
  • U.S. Highway 80
  • U.S. Highway 82
  • U.S. Highway 231
  • U.S. Highway 331
  • State Route 21
  • State Route 94
  • State Route 108
  • State Route 110
  • State Route 126
  • State Route 152
  • State Route 271
  • State Route 293

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18206,604—
183012,69592.2%
184024,57493.6%
185029,71120.9%
186035,90420.8%
187043,70421.7%
188052,35619.8%
189056,1727.3%
190072,04728.3%
191082,17814.1%
192080,853−1.6%
193098,67122.0%
1940114,42016.0%
1950138,96521.5%
1960169,21021.8%
1970167,790−0.8%
1980197,03817.4%
1990209,0856.1%
2000223,5106.9%
2010229,3632.6%
Est. 2019226,486[8]−1.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790–1960[10] 1900–1990[11]
1990–2000[12] 2010–2018[2]

2010

The 2010 United States Census reported the following county population:

2000

As of the census of 2000, there were 223,510 persons, 86,068 households, and 56,804 families in the county. The population density was 283 persons per square mile (109/km2). There were 95,437 housing units, at an average density of 121 per square mile (47/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 48.85% White, 48.58% Black or African American, 0.99% Asian, 0.25% Native American, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanics and Latinos, of any race, made up 1.19% of the population.

By 2005, 52.5% of the population was black, 44.0% was non-Hispanic white, 1.4% was Hispanic, 1.2% was Asian, 0.2% was Native American, and 0.9% of the population reported two or more races. This excludes those who reported "some other race" and "white," because the Census Bureau reclassified all who reported "some other race" as white.

There were 86,068 households, 32.20% of which included children under the age of 18, 43.80% were married couples living together, 18.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.00% were non-families. Single-persons households were 29.50% of the total; 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46. The average family size was 3.06.

Persons younger than 18 were 25.80% of the population; those 18–24, 11.70%; 25–44, 29.80%; 45–64, 20.90%; and 65 and older, 11.80%. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.80 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 86.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,962, and the median income for a family was $44,669. Males had a median income of $32,018; females, $24,921. The per capita income for the county was $19,358. About 13.50% of families and 17.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.10% of those under age 18 and 13.70% of those 65 and older.

Government, politics and infrastructure

Montgomery County is governed by a five-member County Commission who are elected to four-year terms. The County Probate Judge regulates business such as drivers, marriage licences, and voting. The Probate Judge operates four offices: downtown Montgomery, Mobile HWY (Montgomery), Woodley Road (Montgomery), and Atlanta HWY (Montgomery).

The City of Montgomery, located inside Montgomery County, serves as the capital for the State of Alabama and is home to most state government agencies.

In the 2008 presidential election, Barack Obama won 62,166 votes, or 59 percent, while 42,031 votes (40 percent of those cast) were for John McCain[13]

Presidential elections results
Montgomery County vote
by party in presidential elections [14]
Year GOP DEM Others
2016 35.5% 34,003 61.5% 58,916 3.1% 2,959
2012 37.6% 38,332 61.8% 63,085 0.6% 650
2008 40.1% 42,031 59.4% 62,166 0.5% 546
2004 49.2% 44,097 50.4% 45,160 0.4% 393
2000 48.3% 38,827 50.3% 40,371 1.4% 1,130
1996 48.0% 37,784 48.7% 38,382 3.3% 2,578
1992 47.3% 40,742 43.3% 37,342 9.4% 8,068
1988 58.4% 41,131 40.8% 28,709 0.8% 551
1984 57.8% 43,328 41.6% 31,206 0.6% 471
1980 53.8% 35,745 42.1% 28,018 4.1% 2,741
1976 53.6% 29,360 45.0% 24,641 1.3% 732
1972 71.9% 35,353 25.9% 12,723 2.3% 1,121
1968 14.5% 6,746 26.0% 12,088 59.5% 27,691
1964 75.5% 23,015 24.5% 7,482
1960 54.9% 11,778 43.9% 9,421 1.2% 249
1956 46.3% 8,727 36.6% 6,890 17.1% 3,224
1952 46.2% 8,102 52.7% 9,234 1.1% 193
1948 11.1% 802 88.9% 6,402
1944 4.0% 381 95.6% 9,143 0.4% 38
1940 2.0% 230 97.7% 11,311 0.3% 32
1936 1.8% 223 97.8% 12,061 0.4% 48
1932 4.2% 441 95.6% 10,066 0.3% 26
1928 32.9% 3,114 67.1% 6,347 0.0% 3
1924 4.6% 233 87.7% 4,422 7.7% 387
1920 4.6% 314 94.6% 6,411 0.7% 50
1916 3.1% 106 96.1% 3,316 0.9% 30
1912 1.3% 43 94.1% 3,047 4.6% 148
1908 2.9% 79 96.5% 2,621 0.6% 15
1904 2.0% 50 97.5% 2,492 0.5% 13

Infrastructure inside Montgomery County includes both Interstate 85 and 65 along with shipping hubs on the Alabama River and rail hubs located in the City of Montgomery. The Montgomery Regional Airport also serves as a major airport for the State of Alabama and the Southeastern US for passenger service, military aviation, and commercial aviation.

Education
The Montgomery Public Schools headquarters and Montgomery County Board of Education is located at 307 S. Decatur Street in Montgomery.

Montgomery Public Schools operates public schools.

The Montgomery City-County Public Library operates public libraries.

Universities/Colleges include:

  • Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University
  • Huntingdon College
  • Faulkner University
  • Alabama State University
  • Auburn University Montgomery
  • Virginia College
  • Amridge University
  • H. Council Trenholm Tech
  • United States Air War College
  • Troy University Montgomery

Cultural sites

Montgomery County is home to many cultural and historic sites including:

Communities

City

Town

Unincorporated communities

See also

References
  1. A Digest of the Laws of the State of Alabama: Containing The Statutes and Resolutions in Force at the end of the General Assembly in January, 1823. Published by Ginn & Curtis, J. & J. Harper, Printers, New-York, 1828. Title 10. Chapter VII. Pages 83-84. "An Act to divide the County of Monroe, and form a new County by the name of Montgomery—Passed December 6, 1816." (Internet Archive)
  2. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. Hardy, Michael C. (2015-04-20). The Capitals of the Confederacy: A History. Arcadia Publishing Incorporated. p. 11. ISBN 9781625854322. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  5. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/alabama/montgomeryAL1926/montgomeryAL1926.pdf Soil Survey of Montgomery County, Alabama
  6. Flynt, Wayne (February 5, 2016). Poor But Proud. 6918: University of Alabama Press.CS1 maint: location (link)
  7. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  8. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  9. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  10. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  11. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  12. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  13. Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved on July 21, 2013.
  14. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved November 21, 2016.

Further reading
  • Burton, Gary P., "The Founding Four Churches: An Overview of Baptist Beginnings in Montgomery County, Alabama," Baptist History and Heritage (Spring 2012), 47#1 pp 39–51.

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