Montgomery Township was incorporated in 1714. Alexander Edwards was certainly one of the first settlers, and probably the very earliest in Montgomery. Originally from Wales, he died in 1712 and described himself in his will as "of Montgomery", showing that the township had been created before that time, When old Philadelphia County was partitioned on September 10, 1784, Montgomery Township was included in Montgomery County. There were many Welsh within Montgomery and its surrounding townships, descendants of those who left Wales in the aftermath of the English Civil War, which led generations later to speculate that the new county was named for Montgomeryshire, Wales. But the county is more likely named for Richard Montgomery, the beloved Revolutionary War major general, although original documentation is misplaced or missing. It is the birthplace of Civil War general Winfield Scott Hancock. The Knapp Farm was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 10.7 square miles, all of it land. It is in the Delaware watershed and is drained mainly by the Little Neshaminy Creek. Its villages include Christy, Colmar, Eureka, Fortuna, Montgomery Square, and Montgomeryville. Pennsylvania Route 63 follows a portion of the southwestern boundary of the township.
Montgomery Township has a hot-summer humid continental climate and the hardiness zones are 6b and 7a with the dividing line on a ridge at roughly Stump Road. The average monthly temperature in Montgomeryville ranges from 29.9 °F in January to 74.3 °F in July.
Demographics
As of the 2010 census, the township was 76.7% White, 4.6% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 16.6% Asian, and 1.6% were two or more races. 2.2% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. As of the census of 2000, there were 22,025 people, 7,926 households, and 6,055 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,067.1 people per square mile. There were 8,053 housing units at an average density of 755.8/sq mi. The racial makeup of the township was 85.60% White, 3.87% African American, 0.07% Native American, 9.19% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.27% of the population. There were 7,926 households, out of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.5% were married couples living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.6% were non-families. 19.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.20. In the township the population was spread out, with 28.4% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 34.5% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males. The median income for a household in the township was $78,953, and the median income for a family was $88,209. Males had a median income of $61,260 versus $40,858 for females. The per capita income for the township was $32,349. About 1.5% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.
Government and politics
Transportation
Major roads in Montgomery Township include U.S. Route 202, which passes southwest-northeast through the center of the township along a parkway; Pennsylvania Route 309, which runs north-south through the center of the township along Bethlehem Pike; U.S. Route 202 Business, which passes southwest-northeast through the township along Dekalb Pike, PA 309, and Doylestown Road; Pennsylvania Route 63, which runs northwest-southeast along the southwestern border of the township on Welsh Road; Pennsylvania Route 152, which passes north-south through the eastern corner of the township along Limekiln Pike; Pennsylvania Route 463, which runs northwest-southeast through the center of the township along Cowpath Road and Horsham Road; and County Line Road, which runs northwest-southeast along the northeastern border of the township with Bucks County. SEPTA provides bus service to Montgomery Township along Suburban Bus routes, and, all of which stop at the Montgomery Mall.
