United States › Missouri › Howard County COUNTY
Howard County Missouri · 10,180 residents (2025 est.) · 464 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
Howard County is home to 10,147 people in Missouri. 79% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 1%. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $159,400. There are 22 people per square mile. Median rent is $832 a month.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 30%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 10,212 in 2000
10,180 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 21 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
10K 10K 10K 10K 10K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Howard County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $65,938
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,614 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,198 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 18.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 11.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.458 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 6.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 5.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.1%
Education & health services 2.5%
Transportation & warehousing 1.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.1%
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$159,400
+30%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $67,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$832
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $380 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 75.3% in 2000
21.3% rent
from 16.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.61 people
+12%since 2009
from 2.34 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 22.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 30.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.3 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 90.7%(9,267)
Hispanic / Latino 0.9%(88)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 86.2%(8,742)
Hispanic / Latino 2.3%(229)
from 22 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 11 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
+ 13 more ancestry groups with data from 17.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 81.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 18.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 73.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 18.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 61.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 74.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 19.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 27.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 9.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 66.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 89.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 99.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 35.8%(1,504)
Women 15+
Never married 33.8%(1,431)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 9.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 60.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 15.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 14.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 74.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 33.8% 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) 17.1%(88)
Share of the 514 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
Cooper County
Income $70,625 +7%
Home value $203,500 +28%
Population 17,136 +68%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HOWARD COUNTY VS
Randolph County
Income $53,033 −20%
Home value $159,300 same
Population 24,513 +141%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HOWARD COUNTY VS
Boone County
Income $72,758 +10%
Home value $272,800 +71%
Population 191,746 +1784%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HOWARD COUNTY VS
Saline County
Income $57,931 −12%
Home value $150,500 −6%
Population 23,265 +129%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Howard County, Missouri? Howard County, Missouri has about 10,147 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Howard County, Missouri? The typical household in Howard County, Missouri earns about $65,938 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Howard County, Missouri expensive? In Howard County, Missouri, the median home is worth about $159,400, and the typical rent is about $832 a month.
How educated are people in Howard County, Missouri? About 28.2% of adults age 25 and over in Howard County, Missouri hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Howard County, Missouri? About 12.0% of people in Howard County, Missouri live below the federal poverty line.
Has Howard County, Missouri grown since 1990? Yes, Howard County, Missouri has grown since 1990. The population has added about 516 residents, a change of about 5 percent over that period.
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