United States › Arkansas › Howard County COUNTY · 2020 ACS
Howard County Arkansas · 12,785 residents · 587 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Howard County is a county of 12,785 people in Arkansas. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $101,000. Households take in $38,038 at the median, 43% less than the US figure. That trails the Arkansas median by roughly 23%. Median rent is $649 a month.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 40.6
US median: 38.8
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 36.1 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
12K 13K 13K 14K 14K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Howard County Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $38,038
−12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,699 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $15,586 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 16.2% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 15.5% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 9.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.7%
Education & health services 1.5%
Public administration 0.6%
Transportation & warehousing 0.5%
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$101,000
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $54,700 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$649
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $369 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 72.2% in 2000
31.2% rent
from 2.56 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 71.5%(10,220)
Hispanic / Latino 5.1%(727)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 62.4%(7,982)
Hispanic / Latino 11.9%(1,517)
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 11 more ancestry groups with data from 11.6% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 70.7% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 3.5% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 79.6% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 6.7% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.1% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 63.3% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 21.5% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 7.3% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 20.9% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
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: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 6.3%(46)
Gulf War (1990s) 30.2%(221)
Share of the 732 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Howard County Head to head
Compare Howard County to nearby counties HOWARD COUNTY VS
Sevier County
Income $53,527 +41%
Home value $117,600 +16%
Population 15,758 +28%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HOWARD COUNTY VS
Pike County
Income $49,269 +30%
Home value $121,600 +20%
Population 9,964 −19%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HOWARD COUNTY VS
Little River County
Income $53,344 +40%
Home value $113,500 +12%
Population 11,763 −4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HOWARD COUNTY VS
Hempstead County
Income $46,787 +23%
Home value $105,700 +5%
Population 19,080 +55%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Howard County, Arkansas? Howard County, Arkansas has about 12,785 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Howard County, Arkansas? The typical household in Howard County, Arkansas earns about $38,038 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 $101,000, and the typical rent is about $649 a month.
How educated are people in Howard County, Arkansas? About 13.8% 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 19.3% 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 784 residents, a change of about -6 percent over that period.
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