# Montgomery County, Illinois

Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 United States census, it had a population of 28,288. Its county seat is Hillsboro.

## History

Montgomery County was formed in 1821 out of Bond and Madison counties. It was named in honor of Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 while attempting to capture Quebec City, Canada. Perrin's 1882 History of Montgomery County relates that the county was named in honor of Gen. Montgomery, but goes on to say that "others are dubious as to whence it received its name."
* Montgomery County from the time of its creation to 1827
* Montgomery County between 1827 and 1839
* Montgomery in 1839, reduced to its present borders

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 710 square miles (1,800 km$^2$), of which 704 square miles (1,820 km$^2$) is land and 6.0 square miles (16 km$^2$) (0.8%) is water.

### Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Hillsboro have ranged from a low of 21 °F (−6 °C) in January to a high of 91 °F (33 °C) in July, although a record low of −22 °F (−30 °C) was recorded in February 1905 and a record high of 114 °F (46 °C) was recorded in July 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.00 inches (51 mm) in February to 4.31 inches (109 mm) in May.

### Adjacent counties

* Sangamon County - north
* Christian County - northeast
* Shelby County - east
* Fayette County - southeast
* Bond County - south
* Madison County - southwest
* Macoupin County - west

## Transportation
### Major highways

* Interstate 55
* Illinois Route 16
* Illinois Route 48
* Illinois Route 108
* Illinois Route 127
* Illinois Route 185

### Airports

Litchfield Municipal Airport is located in Montgomery County, two nautical miles (3.7 km) southwest of the central business district of Litchfield, Illinois.

## Demographics

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 30,104 people, 11,652 households, and 7,806 families living in the county. The population density was 42.8 inhabitants per square mile (16.5/km$^2$). There were 13,080 housing units at an average density of 18.6 per square mile (7.2/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 95.1% white, 3.2% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.5% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.5% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 27.8% were German, 11.2% were Irish, 10.1% were English, and 9.8% were American.
Of the 11,652 households, 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.7% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.0% were non-families, and 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.87. The median age was 41.9 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $40,864 and the median income for a family was $56,945. Males had a median income of $40,749 versus $29,426 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,700. About 10.9% of families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.7% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### Cities

* Coffeen
* Hillsboro
* Litchfield
* Nokomis
* Witt

### Villages

* Butler
* Coalton
* Donnellson
* Farmersville
* Fillmore
* Harvel
* Irving
* Ohlman
* Panama
* Raymond
* Schram City
* Taylor Springs
* Waggoner
* Walshville
* Wenonah

### Unincorporated communities

* Chapman
* Honey Bend
* Van Burensburg
* Zanesville
* Zenobia

### Townships

* Audubon Township
* Bois D'Arc Township
* Butler Grove Township
* East Fork Township
* Fillmore Township
* Grisham Township
* Harvel Township
* Hillsboro Township
* Irving Township
* Nokomis Township
* North Litchfield Township
* Pitman Township
* Raymond Township
* Rountree Township
* South Litchfield Township
* Walshville Township
* Witt Township
* Zanesville Township

### Former Townships

* South Fillmore Township

## Notable people

* Donald T. Barry, nurse, businessman, and politician
* Avery Bourne, member of the Illinois House of Representatives
* Buddy Cole, jazz musician and composer
* Mortimer A. Cullen, politician in New York
* Harry Forrester, basketball and baseball coach
* Otto Funk (1868–1934), violinist
* John A. Graham, member of the Illinois Senate
* Betsy Hannig, member of the Illinois House of Representatives
* Mary Hartline, actress
* Glen Hobbie, baseball player
* Matt Hughes, UFC fighter
* Calvin Hultman, member of the Iowa House of Representatives
* Harold Osborn, track athlete
* Ray Richmond, baseball pitcher
* Red Ruffing, baseball player
* Walter Short, military officer

## Politics

United States presidential election results for Montgomery County, Illinois :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 9,378 | 70.80% | 3,573 | 26.97% | 295 | 2.23% |
| 2020 | 9,544 | 69.36% | 3,905 | 28.38% | 312 | 2.27% |
| 2016 | 8,630 | 66.50% | 3,504 | 27.00% | 844 | 6.50% |
| 2012 | 6,776 | 55.60% | 5,058 | 41.50% | 354 | 2.90% |
| 2008 | 6,150 | 47.64% | 6,491 | 50.28% | 268 | 2.08% |
| 2004 | 6,851 | 52.99% | 5,979 | 46.24% | 100 | 0.77% |
| 2000 | 6,226 | 47.55% | 6,542 | 49.97% | 325 | 2.48% |
| 1996 | 4,770 | 37.76% | 6,338 | 50.18% | 1,523 | 12.06% |
| 1992 | 4,407 | 29.70% | 7,424 | 50.04% | 3,006 | 20.26% |
| 1988 | 6,388 | 46.43% | 7,293 | 53.01% | 78 | 0.57% |
| 1984 | 8,191 | 56.08% | 6,360 | 43.55% | 54 | 0.37% |
| 1980 | 8,947 | 58.04% | 5,721 | 37.11% | 747 | 4.85% |
| 1976 | 7,379 | 46.56% | 8,322 | 52.51% | 147 | 0.93% |
| 1972 | 9,025 | 56.71% | 6,858 | 43.10% | 30 | 0.19% |
| 1968 | 7,547 | 46.19% | 7,318 | 44.79% | 1,474 | 9.02% |
| 1964 | 6,425 | 37.78% | 10,581 | 62.22% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 9,178 | 50.97% | 8,815 | 48.95% | 14 | 0.08% |
| 1956 | 9,945 | 56.36% | 7,692 | 43.59% | 8 | 0.05% |
| 1952 | 10,014 | 54.95% | 8,195 | 44.97% | 16 | 0.09% |
| 1948 | 8,348 | 50.73% | 7,902 | 48.02% | 205 | 1.25% |
| 1944 | 8,989 | 52.74% | 7,855 | 46.08% | 201 | 1.18% |
| 1940 | 10,497 | 51.65% | 9,654 | 47.50% | 174 | 0.86% |
| 1936 | 8,140 | 42.92% | 10,132 | 53.43% | 692 | 3.65% |
| 1932 | 5,945 | 34.71% | 10,456 | 61.05% | 725 | 4.23% |
| 1928 | 8,999 | 54.29% | 7,392 | 44.60% | 184 | 1.11% |
| 1924 | 8,022 | 47.26% | 5,622 | 33.12% | 3,331 | 19.62% |
| 1920 | 7,429 | 52.92% | 4,756 | 33.88% | 1,854 | 13.21% |
| 1916 | 7,065 | 44.65% | 7,903 | 49.94% | 856 | 5.41% |
| 1912 | 1,476 | 18.20% | 3,705 | 45.69% | 2,928 | 36.11% |
| 1908 | 3,782 | 45.64% | 3,909 | 47.17% | 596 | 7.19% |
| 1904 | 3,489 | 47.98% | 3,181 | 43.74% | 602 | 8.28% |
| 1900 | 3,583 | 45.43% | 4,078 | 51.71% | 225 | 2.85% |
| 1896 | 3,622 | 46.02% | 4,117 | 52.31% | 132 | 1.68% |
| 1892 | 2,935 | 41.01% | 3,707 | 51.80% | 515 | 7.20% |