Montague County, Texas

{{Short description|County in Texas, US}} {{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox U.S. county | county = Montague County | state = Texas | type = County | founded = 1858 | seat wl = Montague | largest city wl = Bowie | area_total_sq_mi = 938 | area_land_sq_mi = 931 | area_water_sq_mi = 7.4 | area percentage = 0.8 | census yr = 2020 | pop = 19965 | pop_est_as_of = 2025 | population_est = 21966 {{gain}} | density_sq_mi = auto | ex image = Montague county courthouse.jpg | ex image size = 250 | ex image cap = The Montague County Courthouse in Montague | website = {{Official URL}} | time zone = Central | district = 13th | named for = Daniel Montague }}

'''Montague County''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|ɒ|n|t|eɪ|ɡ}} {{respell|MON|tayg}})<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.texastripper.com/pronounce/locations-m.html|title=How to Pronounce: M Cities|date=September 23, 2014|access-date=May 20, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/TownPronunciationGuide.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/TownPronunciationGuide.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Texas Almanac Town Pronunciation Guide}}</ref> is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas, established in 1857. As of the 2020 census, its population was 19,965.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Montague County, Texas|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/montaguecountytexas|website=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=February 23, 2021}}</ref> The county seat is Montague.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=https://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> The county was created in 1857 and organized the next year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/TX_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|title=Texas: Individual County Chronologies|work=Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries|publisher=The Newberry Library|date=2008|access-date=May 25, 2015|archive-date=May 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150513024355/http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/TX_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> It is named for Daniel Montague, a surveyor and soldier in the Mexican–American War.

==History== In the mid- to late 19th century, the county was the site of the trading post known as Red River Station, established near the river of the same name by Jesse Chisholm, a Cherokee merchant who also served as an important interpreter for the Republic of Texas and the United States. Together with Black Bear, a Lenape guide, he had scouted and developed what became known as the Chisholm Trail north through Indian Territory, where he had more trading posts, and into Kansas.

In the post-Civil War period, ranchers suffered from low prices for their beef cattle, as overproduction had occurred during the war, when their regular markets were cut off. Learning about high prices and demand in the East, they began to have their cattle driven to railheads in Kansas for shipment to the east. Red River Station became the southern terminus for the Chisholm Trail, and the gathering place for thousands of Texas Longhorns during annual cattle drives to railheads in Kansas. Over the years, an estimated five million cattle were driven north to Kansas. The cattle were gathered by cowboys from ranches in East and West Texas; the cattle were then driven overland north to Kansas. They were shipped east, where they could command much higher prices. After railroads were constructed into Texas, the cattle drives to Kansas ended.

==Geography== According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|938|sqmi|abbr=on}}, of which {{convert|931|sqmi|abbr=on}} are land and {{convert|7.4|sqmi|abbr=on}} (0.8%) are covered by water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 4, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref>

===Adjacent counties=== * Jefferson County, Oklahoma (north) * Love County, Oklahoma (northeast) * Cooke County (east) * Wise County (south) * Jack County (southwest) * Clay County (west)

===National protected area=== * Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland (part)

==Demographics== {{US Census population | 1860 = 849 | 1870 = 890 | 1880 = 11257 | 1890 = 18863 | 1900 = 24800 | 1910 = 25123 | 1920 = 22200 | 1930 = 19159 | 1940 = 20442 | 1950 = 17070 | 1960 = 14893 | 1970 = 15326 | 1980 = 17410 | 1990 = 17274 | 2000 = 19117 | 2010 = 19719 | 2020 = 19965 | estyear = 2025 | estimate = 21966 | estref =<ref name="USCensusEst2025">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html|title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 16, 2026}}</ref> {{increase}} | align-fn = center | footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=}}</ref> 1850–2010<ref>{{cite web|url=http://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010|publisher=Texas Almanac|access-date=May 4, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2/> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/> | align = right }}

===Racial and ethnic composition=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |+'''Montague County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition''' {{nobold|''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.''}} !Race / Ethnicity (''NH = Non-Hispanic'') !Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Montague County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=0500000US48337&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}</ref> !Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Montague County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48337&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> !{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Montague County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48337&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> !% 2000 !% 2010 !{{partial|% 2020}} |- |White alone (NH) |17,717 |17,347 |style='background: #ffffe6; |16,342 |92.68% |87.97% |style='background: #ffffe6; |81.85% |- |Black or African American alone (NH) |28 |38 |style='background: #ffffe6; |73 |0.15% |0.19% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.37% |- |Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) |123 |137 |style='background: #ffffe6; |155 |0.64% |0.69% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.78% |- |Asian alone (NH) |49 |59 |style='background: #ffffe6; |84 |0.26% |0.30% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.42% |- |Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) |3 |3 |style='background: #ffffe6; |4 |0.02% |0.02% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.02% |- |Other Race alone (NH) |2 |3 |style='background: #ffffe6; |34 |0.01% |0.02% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.17% |- |Mixed Race or Multiracial (NH) |160 |202 |style='background: #ffffe6; |912 |0.84% |1.02% |style='background: #ffffe6; |4.57% |- |Hispanic or Latino (any race) |1,035 |1,930 |style='background: #ffffe6; |2,361 |5.41% |9.79% |style='background: #ffffe6; |11.83% |- |'''Total''' |'''19,117''' |'''19,719''' |style='background: #ffffe6; |'''19,965''' |'''100.00%''' |'''100.00%''' |style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%''' |}

===2020 census===

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 19,965, a median age of 45.1 years, 22.1% of residents under the age of 18, and 23.1% aged 65 years or older. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.3 males age 18 and over.<ref name="Census2020DP">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp?get=NAME,DP1_0021P,DP1_0024P,DP1_0025C,DP1_0049C,DP1_0045C,DP1_0069C,DP1_0073C,DP1_0125P,DP1_0126P,DP1_0129P,DP1_0133P,DP1_0137P,DP1_0138P,DP1_0139P,DP1_0141P,DP1_0142P,DP1_0143P,DP1_0145P,DP1_0146P,DP1_0147C,DP1_0148C,DP1_0149C,DP1_0156C,DP1_0157C,DP1_0158C,DP1_0159P,DP1_0160P&for=county%3A337&in=state%3A48|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=January 10, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

The racial makeup of the county as of the 2020 census was 85.5% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 1.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.6% from some other race, and 9.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 11.8% of the population.<ref name="Census2020PL">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME,P1_001N,P1_003N,P1_004N,P1_005N,P1_006N,P1_007N,P1_008N,P1_009N,P2_001N,P2_002N,H1_001N,H1_002N&for=county%3A337&in=state%3A48|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=January 10, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

As of the 2020 census, 27.1% of residents lived in urban areas while 72.9% lived in rural areas.<ref name="Census2020DHC">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dhc?get=NAME,P2_002N,P2_003N&for=county%3A337&in=state%3A48|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2023|access-date=January 10, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

As of the 2020 census, there were 8,112 households in the county, of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 51.8% were married-couple households, 18.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

As of the 2020 census there were 10,248 housing units, of which 20.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 75.8% were owner-occupied and 24.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.8%.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

===2000 census===

As of the 2000 census, 19,117 people, 7,770 households, and 5,485 families were residing in the county.<ref name="GR8">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 14, 2011|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> The population density was {{convert|20|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people|people|abbr=on}}. The 9,862 housing units averaged {{convert|11|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 95.95% White, 0.18% African American, 0.74% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 1.67% from other races, and 1.21% from two or more races. About 5.41% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 7,770 households, 28.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.10% were married couples living together, 8.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.40% were not families. About 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41, and the average family size was 2.91.

In the county, the age distribution was 24.00% under 18, 6.80% from 18 to 24, 24.30% from 25 to 44, 25.10% from 45 to 64, and 19.80% who were 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,048, and for a family was $38,226. Males had a median income of $31,585 versus $19,589 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,115. About 10.00% of families and 14.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.80% of those under age 18 and 11.90% of those age 65 or over. ==Education== These school districts serve Montague County: * Alvord ISD (mostly in Wise County) * Bowie ISD (small portion in Clay, Jack Counties) * Forestburg ISD * Gold-Burg ISD (small portion in Clay County) * Montague ISD * Nocona ISD * Prairie Valley ISD * Saint Jo ISD (small portion in Cooke County) * Slidell ISD (partly in Wise, Denton counties; small portion in Cooke County)

In addition, a branch of North Central Texas College operates in Bowie.

==Transportation== ===Major highways=== * 20px U.S. Highway 81 * 20px U.S. Highway 82 * 25px U.S. Highway 287 * 20px State Highway 59 * 20px State Highway 101 * 20px State Highway 175

===Farm to Market Roads=== {{div col|colwidth=12em}} * 20px FM 103 * 20px FM 174 * 20px FM 455 * 20px FM 677 * 20px FM 730 * 20px FM 922 * 20px FM 1106 * 20px FM 1125 * 20px FM 1630 * 20px FM 1655 * 20px FM 1749 * 20px FM 1758 * 20px FM 1759 * 20px FM 1806 * 20px FM 1815 * 20px FM 1816 * 20px FM 1956 * 20px FM 2382 * 20px FM 2634 * 20px FM 2849 * 20px FM 2953 * 20px FM 3043 * 20px FM 3301 * 20px FM 3394 * 20px FM 3428 {{div col end}}

==Communities== ===Cities=== * Bowie (largest city) * Nocona * St. Jo

===Census-designated places=== * Montague (county seat) * Nocona Hills * Ringgold * Sunset

===Other unincorporated communities=== {{div col}} *Belcherville *Bonita *Dye *Forestburg *Fruitland *Hardy *Illinois Bend *Mallard *New Harp *Spanish Fort *Stoneburg {{div col end}}

===Ghost towns=== *Capps Corner *Corinth *Gladys *Hynds City *Red River Station *Rowland *Salona

==Politics== Republican Drew Springer, a businessman from Muenster in Cooke County, represents Montague County in the Texas House of Representatives. He carried the county in the 2012 Republican runoff election.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lubbockonline.com/interact/blog-post/adam-d-young/2013-07-16/state-rep-springer-announces-district-tour-july-30#.UefOvhUo45s|title=State Rep. Springer announces district tour July 30|work=Lubbock Avalanche-Journal |date=July 16, 2013|access-date=July 18, 2013}}</ref>

Prior to 1996, Montague County was strongly Democratic in presidential elections. The only Republican Party candidates who managed to win the county from 1912 to 1992 were Herbert Hoover in 1928 and Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan in their 49-state landslides of 1972 and 1984, respectively. Since 1996, the county has swung hard to the supporting Republican Party, in similar fashion to almost all white-majority rural counties in the Solid South. {{PresHead|place=Montague County, Texas|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=May 20, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://results.texas-election.com/contestdetails?officeID=1001&officeName=PRESIDENT%2FVICE-PRESIDENT&officeType=FEDERAL%20OFFICES&from=race|title=PRESIDENT/VICE-PRESIDENT|last=Nelson|first=Jane|author-link=Jane Nelson|date=November 5, 2024|work=Secretary of State of Texas|access-date=January 28, 2026}}</ref>}}

Montague County is located within District 68 of the Texas House of Representatives. Montague County is located within District 30 of the Texas Senate.  {{PresRow|1912|Democratic|151|1,531|464|Texas}} {{PresRow|1916|Democratic|245|1,803|247|Texas}} {{PresRow|1920|Democratic|474|1,714|207|Texas}} {{PresRow|1924|Democratic|586|2,236|447|Texas}} {{PresRow|1928|Republican|1,519|1,452|0|Texas}} {{PresRow|1932|Democratic|262|3,090|29|Texas}} {{PresRow|1936|Democratic|324|2,789|15|Texas}} {{PresRow|1940|Democratic|530|3,352|6|Texas}} {{PresRow|1944|Democratic|429|2,900|381|Texas}} {{PresRow|1948|Democratic|475|2,872|210|Texas}} {{PresRow|1952|Democratic|2,367|3,012|4|Texas}} {{PresRow|1956|Democratic|2,003|2,358|11|Texas}} {{PresRow|1960|Democratic|2,101|2,346|18|Texas}} {{PresRow|1964|Democratic|1,106|3,746|4|Texas}} {{PresRow|1968|Democratic|1,736|2,555|914|Texas}} {{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,463|1,286|19|Texas}} {{PresRow|1976|Democratic|2,182|4,087|25|Texas}} {{PresRow|1980|Democratic|3,143|3,233|96|Texas}} {{PresRow|1984|Republican|4,406|2,602|22|Texas}} {{PresRow|1988|Democratic|3,475|3,689|22|Texas}} {{PresRow|1992|Democratic|2,304|2,885|2,337|Texas}} {{PresRow|1996|Republican|3,029|2,718|879|Texas}} {{PresRow|2000|Republican|4,951|2,256|123|Texas}} {{PresRow|2004|Republican|5,910|1,946|41|Texas}} {{PresRow|2008|Republican|6,245|1,597|108|Texas}} {{PresRow|2012|Republican|6,549|1,116|86|Texas}} {{PresRow|2016|Republican|7,526|885|193|Texas}} {{PresRow|2020|Republican|8,615|1,097|120|Texas}} {{PresRow|2024|Republican|9,825|1,208|68|Texas}} {{PresFoot}} {{U.S. SenHead|place=Montague County, Texas|Seat=1|source=<ref>{{cite news |title=2024 Senate Election (Official Returns)|website=Commonwealth of Texas by county |date=November 5, 2024 |access-date=December 5, 2024 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-elections/texas-senate-results}}</ref>}}  {{U.S. SenRow|2024|Republican|9,489|1,353|172|Texas}} {{U.S. SenFoot}} {{U.S. SenHead|place=Montague County, Texas|Seat=2|source=<ref>{{cite news|title=Texas Senate Election Results 2020|website=NBCNews.com|date=November 3, 2020|access-date=April 10, 2026 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-elections/texas-senate-results}}</ref>}}  {{U.S. SenRow|2020|Republican|8,526|1,051|182|Texas}} {{U.S. SenFoot}} {{T.X. GovHead|place=Montague County|Seat=|source=}}  {{T.X. GovRow|2022|Republican|7,004|765|86}} {{T.X. GovFoot}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{Commons category-inline}} * {{Official website}} * {{Handbook of Texas|id=hcm16|name=Montague County}} * [http://texashistory.unt.edu/search/?q=%22United+States+-+Texas+-+Montague+County%22&t=dc.coverage Historic Montague County materials], hosted by the [http://texashistory.unt.edu/ Portal to Texas History.] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110709025838/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/48337.html Montague County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau]

{{Geographic Location |Centre = Montague County, Texas |North = Jefferson County, Oklahoma |Northeast = Love County, Oklahoma |East = Cooke County |Southeast = |South = Wise County |Southwest = Jack County |West = Clay County |Northwest = }}

{{coord|33.67|-97.73|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-TX_source:UScensus1990}}

Category:Montague County, Texas Category:1858 establishments in Texas Category:Populated places in the United States established in 1858