Population 12,583 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Howard County
Household size in Howard County
| Period | Howard County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.65 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.70 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.59 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.48 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.17 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
The average household in Howard County has 2.48 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has dropped from 2.65 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the south.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Howard County
| Period | Howard County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.7 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.5 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.2 | 39.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.5 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.2 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Howard County is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 38.5, against 40.1 nationally. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the west. Howard County is younger than at least four in five Arkansas counties.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Howard County
| Period | Howard County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.2% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.6% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.2% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in six households in Howard County (16.2%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 0.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Howard County has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Arkansas counties.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Howard County
Renters in Howard County
| Period | Howard County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.4% | 32.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.9% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.1% | 34.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.5% | 33.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | +1.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Howard County own their homes; 27.5% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 58.5% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the southeast; owners are most common in the center. The renter share has fallen 2.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Howard County
| Period | Howard County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.4% | 13.4% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.4% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.9% | 14.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.4% | 13.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Howard County: 16.4% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is down 2.0 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Howard County
| Period | Howard County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1983 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1985 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Howard County are the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1980. Homes here are older than in Arkansas overall, where the median home dates to 1988. The median year built has moved up from 1975 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Howard County
| Period | Howard County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $534 | $660 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $556 | $718 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $578 | $785 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $743 | $1,007 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$208 | +$346 | +$606 |
Rent in Howard County runs $743 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $208 a month from 2006–10, a 39% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 31.4% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the west; the highest are in the east.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Howard County
Bachelor's degrees in Howard County
| Period | Howard County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 20.6% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.9% | 21.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.6% | 23.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.3% | 26.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Howard County: 17.3% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 4.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the south.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Howard County
| Period | Howard County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.4% | 82.6% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 77.9% | 84.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.2% | 86.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.7% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.3 pts | +6.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Howard County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Arkansas as a whole looks much the same. The share with a diploma is up 9.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Howard County
| Period | Howard County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.6% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 5.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.1%, unemployment in Howard County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 1.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Howard County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard County | 2.48 | 38.5 | 16.2% | 27.5% | 16.4% | 1980 | $743 | 17.3% | 87.7% | 5.1% |
| Sevier County | 2.84 | 33.8 | 12.9% | 32.4% | 16.8% | 1982 | $739 | 10.1% | 73.6% | 5.2% |
| Clark County | 2.26 | 37.5 | 10.7% | 35.0% | 18.7% | 1985 | $807 | 32.1% | 91.2% | 3.8% |
| McCurtain County | 2.80 | 38.2 | 16.2% | 26.9% | 18.3% | 1984 | $742 | 16.6% | 85.8% | 4.8% |
| Dallas County | 2.34 | 46.8 | 14.7% | 27.4% | 26.9% | 1979 | $635 | 12.0% | 85.7% | 9.2% |
| Choctaw County | 2.45 | 41.5 | 12.1% | 34.2% | 16.6% | 1983 | $753 | 15.3% | 87.5% | 4.7% |
| Cleveland County | 2.53 | 43.0 | 11.2% | 17.4% | 16.2% | 1986 | $790 | 19.6% | 92.6% | 2.1% |
| Lincoln County | 2.40 | 39.7 | 16.8% | 23.9% | 20.0% | 1982 | $751 | 15.0% | 84.0% | 2.0% |
| Bryan County | 2.59 | 38.1 | 13.4% | 36.2% | 11.1% | 1989 | $963 | 26.9% | 88.2% | 4.7% |
| Marshall County | 2.67 | 45.3 | 10.6% | 22.4% | 28.3% | 1984 | $867 | 17.4% | 86.0% | 5.4% |
| Love County | 2.64 | 39.0 | 12.7% | 27.0% | 16.9% | 1986 | $937 | 16.2% | 85.9% | 5.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Pope County, IL · Kent County, MD · Keokuk County, IA · Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK · Kimball County, NE · Kimble County, TX · King and Queen County, VA · Knox County, NE · Knox County, TX · Kusilvak Census Area, AK
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Howard County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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