United States › Arkansas › Howard County COUNTY
Howard County Arkansas · 12,306 residents (2025 est.) · 587 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 12,583 people, Howard County is a county in Arkansas. 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $153,900. There are 21 people per square mile. The poverty rate is 22.5%, above the 12.5% national rate. Median rent is $690 a month.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 54%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 14,300 in 2000
12,306 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 24 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
12K 13K 13K 14K 14K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Howard County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $45,603
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,699 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,586 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 16.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 15.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.466 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 7.7%
Public administration 3.9%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.7%
Transportation & warehousing 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.4%
Education & health services 0.7%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$153,900
+54%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $54,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$690
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $369 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 72.2% in 2000
27.5% rent
from 17.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.56 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 18.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 35.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.1 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 71.5%(10,220)
Hispanic / Latino 5.1%(727)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 62.9%(7,909)
Hispanic / Latino 12.6%(1,582)
from 63 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 28 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 10 more ancestry groups with data from 11.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 70.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 79.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 14.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 6.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 63.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 69.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 21.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 7.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 18.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 20.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 60.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 85.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 91.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 86.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 10.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 28.4%(1,316)
Women 15+
Never married 24.4%(1,278)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 20.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 35.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 14.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 20.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 35.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 51.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 52.8% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 17.4%(88)
Gulf War (1990s) 49.3%(250)
Share of the 507 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Howard County Head to head
Compare Howard County to nearby counties HOWARD COUNTY VS
Sevier County
Income $53,527 +17%
Home value $117,600 −24%
Population 15,758 +28%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HOWARD COUNTY VS
Pike County
Income $49,269 +8%
Home value $121,600 −21%
Population 9,964 −19%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HOWARD COUNTY VS
Little River County
Income $53,344 +17%
Home value $113,500 −26%
Population 11,763 −4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HOWARD COUNTY VS
Hempstead County
Income $46,787 +3%
Home value $105,700 −31%
Population 19,080 +55%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Howard County, Arkansas? Howard County, Arkansas has about 12,583 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Howard County, Arkansas? The typical household in Howard County, Arkansas earns about $45,603 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Howard County, Arkansas expensive? In Howard County, Arkansas, the median home is worth about $153,900, and the typical rent is about $690 a month.
How educated are people in Howard County, Arkansas? About 16.2% of adults age 25 and over in Howard County, Arkansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Howard County, Arkansas? About 22.5% of people in Howard County, Arkansas live below the federal poverty line.
Has Howard County, Arkansas grown since 1990? Yes, Howard County, Arkansas has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 986 residents, a change of about -7 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 