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 United States 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]
U.S. Decennial Census[9] 1790–1960[10] 1900–1990[11] 1990–2000[12] 2010–2020[2]
2020 Census
Montgomery County, Alabama – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the 2020 census, there were 228,954 people, 93,223 households, and 56,961 families residing in the county.[16] The population density was 291.5 inhabitants per square mile (112.5/km2) There were 105,293 housing units.
2010 census
The 2010 census reported the following county population:
As of the 2000 census, 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 persons/km2). There were 95,437 housing units, at an average density of 121 units per square mile (47 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county (including Hispanics in the racial counts) 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.
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 licenses, 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.
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.
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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