Montgomery County, Iowa

Montgomery County
County
Montgomery County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Iowa
Iowa's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°01′45″N95°09′05″W / 41.029166666667°N 95.151388888889°W / 41.029166666667; -95.151388888889
Country	United States
State	Iowa
Founded	1851
Named for	Richard Montgomery
Seat	Red Oak
Largest city	Red Oak
Area
• Total	425 sq mi (1,100 km2)
• Land	424 sq mi (1,100 km2)
• Water	0.9 sq mi (2 km2)  0.2%
Population  (2020)
• Total	10,330
• Density	24/sq mi (9.4/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	montgomerycountyia.gov

Montgomery County is a county located in the southwestern area of the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,330. ^[1] Its population has declined since a peak in 1900, since urbanization and decline of family farms. The county seat is Red Oak. ^[2] The county was founded by European-American migrants from eastern areas in 1851. ^[3] It was named in honor of Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 while trying to capture Quebec City, Canada.

The county has been largely rural and devoted to agriculture. The county was first surveyed in 1852. It is famous as the location of the unsolved Villisca axe murders committed in 1912. Clyde Cessna, the founder of the Cessna Aircraft Company was born here.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 425 square miles (1,100 km²), of which 424 square miles (1,100 km²) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) (0.2%) is water. ^[4]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 34
• U.S. Highway 71
• Iowa Highway 48

Adjacent counties

• Pottawattamie County (northwest)
• Cass County (northeast)
• Adams County (east)
• Page County (south)
• Mills County (west)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	1,256		—
1870	5,934		372.5%
1880	15,895		167.9%
1890	15,848		−0.3%
1900	17,803		12.3%
1910	16,604		−6.7%
1920	17,048		2.7%
1930	16,752		−1.7%
1940	15,697		−6.3%
1950	15,685		−0.1%
1960	14,467		−7.8%
1970	12,781		−11.7%
1980	13,413		4.9%
1990	12,076		−10.0%
2000	11,771		−2.5%
2010	10,740		−8.8%
2020	10,330		−3.8%
2023 (est.)	10,139	[5]	−1.8%
U.S. Decennial Census [6] 1790-1960 [7] 1900-1990 [8] 1990-2000 [9] 2010-2018 [10]

Population of Montgomery County from US census data

2020 census

2022 US Census population pyramid for Montgomery County from ACS 5-year estimates

The 2020 census recorded a population of 10,330 in the county, with a population density of 24.322/sq mi (9.391/km²). 96.38% of the population reported being of one race. 90.29% were non-Hispanic White, 0.24% were Black, 3.59% were Hispanic, 0.34% were Native American, 0.25% were Asian, 0.02% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 5.27% were some other race or more than one race. There were 5,007 housing units, of which 4,456 were occupied. ^[1]

2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 10,740 in the county, with a population density of 25.337/sq mi (9.783/km²). There were 5,239 housing units, of which 4,558 were occupied. ^[11]

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 11,771 people, 4,886 households, and 3,258 families in the county. The population density was 28 people per square mile (11 people/km²). There were 5,399 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5.0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.20% White, 0.08% Black or African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.68% from other races, and 0.44% from two or more races. 1.30%. ^[12] were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 4,886 households 29.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.40% were married couples living together, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.30% were non-families. 29.50% of households were one person and 14.70% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.91.

The age distribution was 25.00% under the age of 18, 6.50% from 18 to 24, 25.50% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 20.30% 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 90.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.30 males.

The median household income was $33,214 and the median family income was $40,129. Males had a median income of $28,531 versus $20,835 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,373. About 6.50% of families and 9.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.30% of those under age 18 and 6.00% of those age 65 or over.

Montgomery County Courthouse, Henry C. Koch, architect, 1891

Communities

Cities

• Coburg
• Elliott
• Grant
• Red Oak
• Stanton
• Villisca

Unincorporated community

• Pittsburg
• Tenville

Former towns

• Alix (Douglas Township) 1895-98
• Arlington (Washington Township)
• Biddick (Pilot Grove Township) 1893-1902
• Carr's Point (West Township) 1865-70
• Climax (West Township) 1871-1901
• Coe's Grove 1858-69
• Flora 1859
• Frankfort (County seat from 1864 to 1865) (Frankfort Township) 1856-78
• Hawthorne 1871-1908
• Oro 1856-1858
• Ross Grove (Jackson Township) 1855-63
• Rossville (Jackson Township) 1855
• Sciola (Washington Township) 1855-1905
• Wales (Lincoln Township) 1886-1901
• Wallace (Douglas Township) 1875-78
• Wilson (Pilot Grove Township) 1870-79

Townships

• Douglas
• East
• Frankfort
• Garfield
• Grant
• Lincoln
• Pilot Grove
• Red Oak
• Scott
• Sherman
• Washington
• West

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Montgomery County. ^[1]

†county seat

Rank	City/Town/etc.	Municipal type	Population (2020 Census)
1	† Red Oak	City	5,596
2	Villisca	City	1,132
3	Stanton	City	678
4	Elliott	City	338
5	Grant	City	86
6	Coburg	City	26

Politics

United States presidential election results for Montgomery County, Iowa ^[13]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	3,659	68.69%	1,583	29.72%	85	1.60%
2016	3,436	68.12%	1,314	26.05%	294	5.83%
2012	3,001	59.72%	1,922	38.25%	102	2.03%
2008	2,887	54.58%	2,326	43.98%	76	1.44%
2004	3,601	64.81%	1,899	34.18%	56	1.01%
2000	3,417	63.35%	1,838	34.07%	139	2.58%
1996	2,583	49.69%	1,912	36.78%	703	13.52%
1992	2,404	44.78%	1,599	29.78%	1,366	25.44%
1988	3,166	62.08%	1,898	37.22%	36	0.71%
1984	4,224	71.23%	1,661	28.01%	45	0.76%
1980	4,115	67.97%	1,556	25.70%	383	6.33%
1976	3,673	61.48%	2,229	37.31%	72	1.21%
1972	4,391	72.69%	1,559	25.81%	91	1.51%
1968	4,155	64.11%	1,892	29.19%	434	6.70%
1964	3,101	46.98%	3,489	52.86%	11	0.17%
1960	4,974	65.19%	2,655	34.80%	1	0.01%
1956	5,027	65.77%	2,597	33.98%	19	0.25%
1952	6,074	72.88%	2,235	26.82%	25	0.30%
1948	4,084	59.10%	2,751	39.81%	75	1.09%
1944	4,165	61.40%	2,572	37.92%	46	0.68%
1940	4,848	58.98%	3,332	40.54%	40	0.49%
1936	4,395	52.43%	3,920	46.77%	67	0.80%
1932	3,507	47.39%	3,760	50.80%	134	1.81%
1928	5,155	70.81%	2,079	28.56%	46	0.63%
1924	4,617	64.51%	805	11.25%	1,735	24.24%
1920	4,980	76.50%	1,404	21.57%	126	1.94%
1916	2,333	60.33%	1,431	37.01%	103	2.66%
1912	917	23.07%	1,206	30.35%	1,851	46.58%
1908	2,553	64.44%	1,282	32.36%	127	3.21%
1904	2,956	75.25%	722	18.38%	250	6.36%
1900	2,927	65.25%	1,467	32.70%	92	2.05%
1896	2,927	63.67%	1,634	35.54%	36	0.78%

See also

• Iowa portal

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Montgomery County, Iowa

References

1. "2020 Census State Redistricting Data". census.gov. United states Census Bureau. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. William Walace Merritt (1906). A History of the County of Montgomery. The Express Publishing Company. montgomery county iowa founding.
4. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
5. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
6. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
8. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
9. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
10. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
11. "Population & Housing Occupancy Status 2010" (PDF). United States Census Bureau American FactFinder. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
12. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
13. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 27, 2018.

External links

• Montgomery County, Iowa Archived August 6, 2018, at the Wayback Machine

41°01′45″N95°09′05″W / 41.02917°N 95.15139°W / 41.02917; -95.15139