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."

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File:Montgomery County Illinois 1821.png|Montgomery County from the time of its creation to 1827

File:Montgomery County Illinois 1827.png|Montgomery County between 1827 and 1839

File:Montgomery County Illinois 1839.png|Montgomery in 1839, reduced to its present borders

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Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.8%) is water.

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Hillsboro have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in February 1905 and a record high of was recorded in July 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in February to in May.

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|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<br />1790-1960 1900-1990<br />1990-2000 2010

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2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 28,288. The median age was 43.7 years. 20.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 108.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 110.2 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 91.5% White, 3.3% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.9% from some other race, and 3.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.1% of the population.

46.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 53.2% lived in rural areas.

There were 11,155 households in the county, of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.6% were married-couple households, 18.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

!Pop 1990

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020

!% 1980

!% 1990

!% 2000

!% 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020

|-

|White alone (NH)

|21,665

|20,089

|28,928

|28,334

|style='background: #ffffe6; |25,709

|97.74%

|96.15%

|94.38%

|94.12%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |90.88%

|-

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|297

|581

|1,141

|949

|style='background: #ffffe6; |916

|1.34%

|2.78%

|3.72%

|3.15%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.24%

|-

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|37

|37

|59

|45

|style='background: #ffffe6; |49

|0.17%

|0.18%

|0.19%

|0.15%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.17%

|-

|Asian alone (NH)

|26

|31

|67

|111

|style='background: #ffffe6; |131

|0.12%

|0.15%

|0.22%

|0.37%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.46%

|-

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|x

|x

|5

|11

|style='background: #ffffe6; |7

|x

|x

|0.02%

|0.04%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.02%

|-

|Other race alone (NH)

|9

|1

|4

|10

|style='background: #ffffe6; |26

|0.04%

|0.00%

|0.01%

|0.03%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.09%

|-

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|x

|x

|122

|185

|style='background: #ffffe6; |863

|x

|x

|0.40%

|0.61%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.05%

|-

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|133

|154

|326

|459

|style='background: #ffffe6; |587

|0.60%

|0.74%

|1.06%

|1.52%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.08%

|-

|Total

|22,167

|20,893

|30,652

|30,104

|style='background: #ffffe6; |28,288

|100.00%

|100.00%

|100.00%

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

|}

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 30,104&nbsp;people, 11,652&nbsp;households, and 7,806&nbsp;families living in the county. The population density was . There were 13,080 housing units at an average density of . 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.

Of the 11,652&nbsp;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.

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

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See also

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

References