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 $36,221 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in Howard County?
- The poverty rate in Howard County is 23.9% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in Howard County?
- $70,900 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in Howard County?
- The median gross rent in Howard County is $1,034 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of Howard County residents have a college degree?
- 11.9% of adults in Howard County hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
39,474
Median Income
$36,221
Median Home Value
$70,900
Poverty Rate
23.9%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
19.4%
Median Age
37.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$7,024 (+24.1%)
Home Value:
+$20,900 (+41.8%)
Poverty Rate:
-6.8 pp (-22.1%)
Bachelor's+:
+2.0 pp (+20.2%)
Unemployment:
+5.5 pp (+39.6%)
Demographics
Total Population
39,474
Median Age
37.0
Female
55.0%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 0.6%
White (non-Hisp.) 1.5%
Black 95.3%
Two or More 2.8%
Other 0.1%
Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Mexican
0.4%
Puerto Rican
0.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$36,221
±$2,014
-$40,071 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$53,882
Median Family Income
$45,833
Poverty Rate
23.9%
+13.4 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
34.8%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
44.0%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
21.5%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
15.7%
$10–15k
8.7%
$15–25k
10.8%
$25–35k
12.9%
$35–50k
17.3%
$50–75k
15.5%
$75–100k
7.6%
$100–150k
8.1%
$150–200k
1.9%
$200k+
1.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
19,933
Owner-Occupied
56.5%
Renter-Occupied
43.5%
Vacancy Rate
22.2%
Median Home Value
$70,900
-$189,500 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$1,034
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
30.9%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
54.7%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
31.0%
$50–100k
42.8%
$100–200k
11.4%
$200–300k
6.2%
$300–500k
0.9%
$500k–$1M
0.3%
$1M+
0.2%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
4.0%
$500–1k
42.5%
$1–1.5k
41.8%
$1.5–2k
8.6%
$2–2.5k
2.5%
$2.5–3.5k
0.4%
$3.5k+
0.2%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
17.5%
1 vehicle
50.8%
2 vehicles
23.0%
3+
8.7%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
79.3%
Single-fam. att.
6.9%
2–4 units
4.1%
5–19 units
1.7%
20+ units
3.5%
Mobile home
0.2%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
31.5%
1940–1969
34.1%
1970–1999
3.3%
2000–2009
1.0%
2010+
0.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
83.1%
Bachelor's or Higher
11.9%
-21.2 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
5.1%
Some College / Associate
26.2%
Less Than High School
3.4%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
51.9%
Unemployment Rate
19.4%
+14.3 pp vs. state
Work from Home
9.3%
Self-Employed
5.6%
Government Workers
15.0%
Private For-Profit
79.4%
Industry
Edu/Health
25.9%
Manufacturing
16.0%
Prof. Services
10.6%
Retail
10.0%
Transportation
8.5%
Arts/Entmt.
7.5%
Finance
5.9%
Public Admin
4.7%
Construction
3.1%
Wholesale
1.4%
Information
0.7%
Agriculture
0.4%
Occupation
Food Prep
27.7%
Production
25.8%
Sales
21.0%
Management
20.1%
Construction
5.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
25.8 min
Drove Alone
68.3%
Carpool
9.3%
Public Transit
8.2%
Work from Home
9.3%
Walked
0.8%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
15,514
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
17.6%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
6.0%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
6.9%
5–9
6.4%
10–14
7.5%
15–19
6.6%
20–24
4.7%
25–34
14.9%
35–44
11.3%
45–54
12.5%
55–64
6.9%
65–74
5.6%
75–84
10.1%
85+
4.7%
Under 18: 24.6%
Working age (18–64): 75.4%
65 and over: 16.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
1.1%
Naturalized Citizen
18.2%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
0.3%
Foreign-Born Origin
Africa
74.7%
Latin America
15.9%
Asia
7.4%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
3.9%
With a Disability
19.3%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
94.0%
Uninsured
6.0%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
75.5%
Has a Computer
90.2%
Same House 1 Year Ago
90.0%
Moved from Abroad
0.2%
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.) |
|---|---|---|
| Other flows - West | 86 | 166 |
| Midland County | 63 | 128 |
| Other flows - South | 53 | 109 |
| Other flows - Midwest | 35 | 53 |
| Lubbock County | 25 | 44 |
| Tom Green County | 24 | 29 |
| Tarrant County | 22 | 44 |
| Mitchell County | 22 | 41 |
| Ector County | 21 | 33 |
| Dawson County | 20 | 48 |