Section 1: Summary of Data
2000 Census, Summary of Data, Montgomery County, MD
Section 2: Housing & Household Relationships
Population, Race and Age
- Montgomery County remains the most populous jurisdiction in the State of Maryland and it is the second largest jurisdiction in the Washington metro region (Fairfax County, VA is first).
- Montgomery County grew to 873, 341, a 15.4% increase over 1990's total population.
- The County's growth of 116,314, accounts for one quarter of the State's population change during the same period, 1990 to 2000. This growth was greater than that found in our neighboring Maryland counties, Howard and Frederick Counties combined (Howard Co. grew by 60,514 and Frederick Co. by 45,069).
- Montgomery County experienced a larger percentage change in total population (15.4%) than other large jurisdictions (those with populations over 750,000). For example, Montgomery County's growth of 15.4 outpaced Prince George's County at a 9.9 percent increase, Baltimore County at 9 percent, and followed only Fairfax County, Virginia at 18.5 percent.
- Graph 1: Couty growth outspaces State and U.S. growth
Montgomery County's growth outranked the growth at the national and State level. While the County grew by 15.4 percent between 1990 and 2000, the nation's population grew by 13.2 percent and the State by 10.8 percent.
- Graph 2: Under 18 population shows rebound after declines
The percentage of children in Montgomery County under 18 jumped by 24.5 percent between 1990 and 2000, a gain of 43,600. This growth breaks a downward trend in number of youth as a percentage of total population. In 2000 the County's under 18 population was 221,758, 25.3 percent of the total County population.
- Racial diversity continues to expand in Montgomery County as the population growth in the County's minority groups exceeds the change in total population between 1990 and 2000. Between those years, minority population grew by 145,439 and total population saw an increase of 116,314. Minorities accounted for 125 percent of the County's population growth in this period and minorities rose from 27 percent of total population in 1990 to 40 percent in 2000.
- The 1990 Census differed from the one done in 2000 in that the most recent census included many more racial categories that could be checked off. For the first time, recipients could specify that they were of two or more races. In 2000, 30,117 persons report themselves as being of multiple races; this was 3.5% of the County's total population.
Data of those declaring a single race show these trends:
- The White population decreasing by 2.6% since 1990. In 2000, 14,916 fewer Whites resided in the County thereby bringing the total White population to 565,719. The White population was 64.7% of the total 2000 population.
- The Black or African/American population growing by 43.3% since 1990. In 2000, 39,989 more Black or African/Americans resided in the County bringing the total Black or African/American population to 132,256. The Black or African/American population was 15.1% of the total 2000 population.
- The Asian population growing by 60% since 1990. In 2000, 36,997 more Asians resided in the County bringing the total Asian population to 98,651. The Asian population was 11.3% of the total 2000 population.
- Graph 3: Hispanic population continues to climb
The Hispanic population increased by 80.6% since 1990. In 2000, 44,920 more Hispanics resided in the County bringing the total Hispanic population to 100,604. The Hispanic population accounts for 11.5% of the total 2000 population, up from 7.4 percent in 1990. Almost half of Maryland's Hispanic or Latino population resides in Montgomery County.
Gaithersburg is largest incorporated city in Montgomery County with a population of 52,613 and Rockville follows closely behind at 47,388. This places Gaithersburg as the State's third largest city and Rockville as the fifth largest. Much of Gaithersburg's growth is tied to its increasing minority population; Gaithersburg has the second highest Hispanic or Latino population (10,398) among incorporated cities in the State of Maryland.