Population 10,147 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Howard County: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Howard County
Household size in Howard County
| Period | Howard County | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.35 | 2.49 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.51 | 2.52 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.70 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.62 | 2.49 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.27 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Howard County average 2.62 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in Missouri as a whole, where it has 2.49 people. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.35, even as the national average fell.
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 | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.4 | 38.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.8 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.2 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.0 | 40.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.4 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Howard County are younger than 39.0 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has edged down from 39.4 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the southeast.
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 | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 11.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.8% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.2% | 11.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in ten households in Howard County (9.2%), below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 1.1 points, in line with the national trend.
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 | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.6% | 30.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.8% | 32.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.8% | 33.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.3% | 31.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 21.3% of households in Howard County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 46.9% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the north.
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 | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.6% | 11.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.8% | 12.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 23.8% | 12.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.1% | 10.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Howard County: 18.1% 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 up 2.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1970 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1971 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1974 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Housing in Howard County leans a little older: the median home dates to 1974, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1970 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the center.
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 | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $479 | $740 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $685 | $816 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $627 | $899 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $816 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$337 | +$383 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Howard County costs $816 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $337 a month since 2006–10, up 70%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 26.3% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northwest; the highest are in the southeast.
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 | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.0% | 26.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.5% | 27.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.5% | 29.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.9% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Howard County than nationally: 27.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 4.9 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the southwest.
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 | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.1% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.7% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.2% | 90.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Howard County is a bit above the national rate: 90.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Missouri. The share with a diploma is up 4.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 7.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.7% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 4.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Howard County than nationally: unemployment was 3.6%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.8 points, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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 | 2.62 | 39.0 | 9.2% | 21.3% | 18.1% | 1974 | $816 | 27.9% | 90.9% | 3.6% |
| Saline County | 2.69 | 35.7 | 10.6% | 30.2% | 18.0% | 1969 | $818 | 24.5% | 86.4% | 3.2% |
| Audrain County | 2.65 | 40.2 | 8.9% | 28.2% | 13.0% | 1970 | $718 | 18.0% | 88.1% | 4.4% |
| Lafayette County | 2.62 | 41.8 | 8.4% | 24.3% | 11.2% | 1977 | $969 | 26.6% | 92.4% | 3.2% |
| Jackson County | 2.42 | 38.5 | 12.8% | 40.9% | 9.1% | 1971 | $1,337 | 33.3% | 91.3% | 4.6% |
| Clay County | 2.59 | 38.7 | 11.2% | 30.5% | 6.1% | 1987 | $1,396 | 37.5% | 94.1% | 3.7% |
| Platte County | 2.56 | 39.8 | 10.3% | 32.6% | 6.8% | 1990 | $1,409 | 47.3% | 96.5% | 2.7% |
| Wyandotte County | 2.83 | 35.5 | 16.4% | 38.0% | 10.8% | 1964 | $1,241 | 21.3% | 81.3% | 5.8% |
| Calhoun County | 3.58 | 47.6 | 5.8% | 11.3% | 42.7% | 1971 | $607 | 19.9% | 94.3% | 3.8% |
| Leavenworth County | 2.72 | 39.5 | 9.5% | 30.7% | 6.5% | 1982 | $1,375 | 37.5% | 94.3% | 4.4% |
| Jersey County | 2.54 | 43.5 | 9.8% | 19.5% | 19.6% | 1973 | $921 | 22.6% | 93.8% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Powell County, KY · Judith Basin County, MT · Kalkaska County, MI · Kanabec County, MN · Kane County, UT · Karnes County, TX · King County, TX · Piscataquis County, ME · Polk County, AR · Polk County, NC
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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.