Montgomery County is the third most populous county in the state of Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 455,766. The county seat is Conroe. Montgomery County is included in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metropolitan area.
The county was created by an act of the Congress of the Republic of Texas on December 14, 1837 and is named for the former County of Montgomery in the State of New York. It was organized on May 10, 1838. Between1856 and 1890 about fifty percent of its territory was detached to form other counties including Liberty and San Jacinto Counties. There are three incorporated cities in Montgomery County: Conroe, Magnolia, and Willis. Montgomery County is the location of Lone Star Executive Airport, a general aviation airport located in Conroe. The Woodlands Mall, the 12th largest mall in the United States, is located in the county along Interstate 45.
The Woodlands is a census-designated place (CDP) and master-planned community in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area. It is mainly located in northwestern Harris County, with portions extending into Montgomery County. As of the 2010 census, the CDP population was 93,847,[3] up from 55,649 at the 2000 census.[4][5] Located 27 miles (43 km) north of Downtown Houston, The Woodlands is the largest master-planned community in the United States.[6]
The Woodlands took root in the 1970s with the envisioning of George P. Mitchell, now chairman emeritus of The Woodlands Corporation and the developer of the 28,000-acre (110 km2) project,[7][8] inspired by the new towns movement. Mitchell’s family had been in the land development business in Houston for generations and he decided that this rural area north of the city would be a perfect place to create a planned community. The Woodlands Corporation was one of the first developers of master-planned communities and today, The Woodlands is home to over 106,000 people and more than 22,000 businesses.[9] George P. Mitchell is credited with the creation of The Woodlands, Texas.
The Woodlands was one of the first master-planned communities in the United States and is nationally recognized for its sustainability practices. More than 40 percent of the 28,000 acres (110 km2) that make up The Woodlands are designated green space and the community has been named one of the best places to live by Money magazine, CNN/Money, Forbes.com, and Kiplinger.[10][11][12] In 2017, The Woodlands was ranked the Best Place to Live in Texas by Niche.[13]
The Woodlands is home to two major league sporting clubs – the Houston Astros (MLB) and the Houston Dynamo (MLS). The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, a 16,500-seat amphitheater, hosts the Texas Music Festival and concerts by world-renowned performers. Lake Woodlands is the community’s signature waterway with 22 lakes covering more than 1,800 acres (730 ha) and over 100 miles (160 km) of shoreline. More than 70 percent of the residential neighborhoods in The Woodlands are connected by the village greenbelts which provide residents with walking and biking trails as well as picnic areas, playgrounds, and parks.[14]
The Woodlands has one of the lowest crime rates in the Houston area and is served by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, The Woodlands Township, and three municipal police departments: Shenandoah Police Department, the South County Police Department (serving the master-planned communities of Grogan’s Mill and Panther Creek), and the Oak Ridge North Police Department.
The Woodlands is also home to several hospitals including Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center, CHI St. Luke’s Health – The Woodlands Hospital, and Texas Children’s Hospital – The Woodlands.[15]