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Montgomery County As of 2000, the population of Montgomery County was 750,097. A 2005 U.S. Census estimate placed the population at 795,618, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia and Allegheny counties), and the 69th most populous county in the United States. The county seat is Norristown. The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part of Philadelphia County. It is believed to have been either named in honor of Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 while attempting to capture Quebec City, Canada, 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. Montgomery County is a suburban county northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Delaware Valley and marks the region's northern border with the Lehigh Valley region of the state. It is the 44th wealthiest county in the country. GeographyMontgomery County Courthouse According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 487 square miles (1,262 km²), of which, 483 square miles (1,251 km²) of it is land and 4 square miles (11 km²) of it (0.89%) is water. Adjacent counties
Demographics
Montgomery County is home to large and growing African American, Korean, Puerto Rican and Indian populations. The county has the second largest foreign-born population in the region.[1] There were 286,098 households out of which 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 non-families. 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 population was spread out with 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. Population growthMontgomery County's population grew about 10.6% as of the 2000 census with much of the growth in the western part of the county. Much of the growth is attributable to population shifts in the region. The county especially saw an increase of Asian American immigrants.[2]Also, Montgomery County receives a large amount of immigrants, and many migrants from other urban areas, looking for cheaper real estate compared to their areas. Montgomery County provides many expressways to Philadelphia, New Jersey, and many other places in Pennsylvania. The median income for a household in the county was $60,829, and the median income for a family was $72,183. 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. EconomyMontgomery County is a suburb of Philadelphia and consequently, many of its residents work in the city. However, it 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 nation with such a rating. There are several colleges and institutions of higher learning, 23 public school districts, and very many private schools in Montgomery County. |
