United States › Iowa › Howard County COUNTY
Howard County Iowa · 9,415 residents (2025 est.) · 473 sq mi
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The short version
Howard County is a county of 9,445 people in Iowa. 20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $147,800. Owners hold 77% of the housing stock. 2% of residents were born outside the United States. Density works out to 20 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 26%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 9,932 in 2000
9,415 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
20 / sq mi
Unchangedsince 2009
from 20 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
9K 9K 10K 10K 10K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Howard County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $67,446
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,641 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,842 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 18.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 9.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.393 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 10.5%
Professional, scientific, technical 3%
Public administration 2.1%
Transportation & warehousing 1.7%
Education & health services 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.1%
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$147,800
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $64,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$713
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $333 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 79.2% in 2000
22.6% rent
from 8.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.45 people
+10%since 2009
from 2.22 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 18.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 33.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.9 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 98.6%(9,797)
Hispanic / Latino 0.6%(55)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 93%(8,782)
Hispanic / Latino 3.3%(312)
from 5 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 30 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
+ 15 more ancestry groups with data from 12.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 79.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 73.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 5.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 3.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 68.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 81.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 26.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 10.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 9.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 70.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 89.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 30.6%(1,137)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 9.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 52.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 23.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 20.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 21.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 72.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 38.9% 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) 8.1%(37)
Gulf War (1990s) 14.5%(66)
Share of the 456 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
Chickasaw County
Income $75,675 +12%
Home value $182,600 +24%
Population 11,663 +24%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HOWARD COUNTY VS
Mitchell County
Income $71,365 +6%
Home value $175,100 +18%
Population 10,650 +13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HOWARD COUNTY VS
Winneshiek County
Income $79,066 +17%
Home value $259,200 +75%
Population 19,733 +110%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HOWARD COUNTY VS
Fillmore County
Income $77,512 +15%
Home value $221,100 +50%
Population 21,540 +129%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Howard County, Iowa? Howard County, Iowa has about 9,445 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Howard County, Iowa? The typical household in Howard County, Iowa earns about $67,446 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Howard County, Iowa expensive? In Howard County, Iowa, the median home is worth about $147,800, and the typical rent is about $713 a month.
How educated are people in Howard County, Iowa? About 19.5% of adults age 25 and over in Howard County, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Howard County, Iowa? About 8.9% of people in Howard County, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Howard County, Iowa grown since 1990? Yes, Howard County, Iowa has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 364 residents, a change of about -4 percent over that period.
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