County-level Census Bureau data covering income, housing, demographics, education, employment, and more. Counties are the primary administrative division in the U.S. and the most common unit for comparing local conditions across a state.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).
Quick Facts — Howard County
- What is the median household income in Howard County?
- The median household income in Howard County is $48,186 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in Howard County?
- The poverty rate in Howard County is 17.6% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in Howard County?
- $137,900 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in Howard County?
- The median gross rent in Howard County is $966 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of Howard County residents have a college degree?
- 15.7% of adults in Howard County hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
26,941
Median Income
$48,186
Median Home Value
$137,900
Poverty Rate
17.6%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
8.5%
Median Age
35.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$5,883 (+13.9%)
Home Value:
+$46,500 (+50.9%)
Poverty Rate:
-2.8 pp (-13.7%)
Bachelor's+:
-1.6 pp (-9.2%)
Unemployment:
-0.2 pp (-2.3%)
Demographics
Total Population
26,941
Median Age
35.0
Female
52.1%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 10.3%
White (non-Hisp.) 35.4%
Black 47.3%
Asian 1.2%
Two or More 6.8%
Other 3.8%
Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Indian
0.3%
Korean
0.3%
Vietnamese
0.3%
Chinese
0.1%
Japanese
0.1%
Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Mexican
5.5%
Puerto Rican
0.4%
Cuban
0.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$48,186
±$4,722
-$26,799 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$56,928
Median Family Income
$55,503
Poverty Rate
17.6%
+10.9 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
28.4%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
18.5%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
27.5%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
7.7%
$10–15k
5.9%
$15–25k
12.0%
$25–35k
12.4%
$35–50k
14.4%
$50–75k
21.5%
$75–100k
9.4%
$100–150k
11.4%
$150–200k
3.2%
$200k+
2.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
13,275
Owner-Occupied
53.4%
Renter-Occupied
46.6%
Vacancy Rate
12.3%
Median Home Value
$137,900
-$85,900 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$966
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
22.6%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
49.8%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
11.0%
$50–100k
25.1%
$100–200k
17.5%
$200–300k
17.1%
$300–500k
5.4%
$500k–$1M
2.7%
$1M+
1.0%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
9.1%
$500–1k
46.8%
$1–1.5k
37.8%
$1.5–2k
5.1%
$2–2.5k
0.6%
$3.5k+
0.6%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
7.6%
1 vehicle
39.5%
2 vehicles
31.3%
3+
21.5%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
65.3%
Single-fam. att.
1.3%
2–4 units
2.5%
5–19 units
10.8%
20+ units
1.3%
Mobile home
8.0%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
1.2%
1940–1969
2.9%
1970–1999
22.5%
2000–2009
9.0%
2010+
4.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
86.7%
Bachelor's or Higher
15.7%
-18.4 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
5.8%
Some College / Associate
26.2%
Less Than High School
5.1%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
59.1%
Unemployment Rate
8.5%
+5.5 pp vs. state
Work from Home
5.3%
Self-Employed
6.3%
Government Workers
17.8%
Private For-Profit
75.8%
Industry
Edu/Health
16.7%
Retail
16.2%
Manufacturing
11.8%
Arts/Entmt.
10.9%
Public Admin
9.9%
Prof. Services
8.1%
Transportation
7.9%
Construction
7.4%
Finance
5.1%
Information
1.4%
Wholesale
1.4%
Agriculture
1.0%
Occupation
Management
24.3%
Production
22.6%
Food Prep
21.5%
Sales
19.8%
Construction
11.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
24.7 min
Drove Alone
78.5%
Carpool
13.2%
Public Transit
0.4%
Work from Home
5.3%
Walked
0.3%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
11,644
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
32.2%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
9.9%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
5.6%
5–9
7.4%
10–14
7.2%
15–19
4.9%
20–24
6.3%
25–34
18.0%
35–44
11.2%
45–54
10.4%
55–64
4.9%
65–74
7.1%
75–84
9.9%
85+
5.4%
Under 18: 23.5%
Working age (18–64): 76.5%
65 and over: 17.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
5.7%
Naturalized Citizen
48.8%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
5.1%
Foreign-Born Origin
Latin America
72.5%
Asia
19.1%
Europe
3.6%
Africa
3.6%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
12.8%
With a Disability
18.5%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
81.4%
Uninsured
18.6%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
86.4%
Has a Computer
91.6%
Same House 1 Year Ago
85.7%
Moved from Abroad
0.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Compare Howard County
Compare to another county →Where People Move From (IRS Migration Data)
Top origins of people who moved to Howard County in 2023, by number of tax returns filed (IRS SOI Migration Data).
| Origin | Tax Returns | People (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Hall County | 52 | 106 |