Cotton production was one of the county’s most enduring industries as its
operations in the county continued for over 100 years. However, cotton
production and its distributors ceased business operations several years ago
correlative to the cotton industry leaving the area. Today, Montgomery
County has a diverse economic base including agriculture‐related,
defense‐related industry, and manufacturing.
Montgomery County is largely rural characterized by approximately
93 percent, or 471,726 of its 505,446 acres, of its land used for farmland or
timberland. In 2013, Montgomery County’s agricultural, forestry, and other
related industries created a total of 24,575 jobs within the county, which
represents 14.2 percent of the county’s total workforce. The leading
commodities in the county are eggs and poultry; cattle; and greenhouse,
nursery, and floriculture. In addition to agriculture and forestry,
manufacturing, government‐related services, and finance and insurance
make up the top four industries. The City of Montgomery is the main urban
center within the county, and is where the majority of non‐agricultural
industries are located. The majority of urban development occurs within the
City of Montgomery, with most development taking place along the major
transportation corridors.
City of Montgomery
The Alabama state capitol in downtown Montgomery
Source: Downtown Montgomery Plan, http://www.montgomeryal.gov/,
http://www.choosemontgomery.com/; www.encyclopediaofalabama.org
The City of Montgomery was incorporated in 1819 as a merger of two towns
situated along the Alabama River. The City of Montgomery covers
approximately 156.2 square miles of which 155.4 is land and 0.8 is water,
and is located in south‐central