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COUNTY

Howard County

Texas · 30,504 residents (2025 est.) · 900.791 sq mi
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Notable rankings
#17Fastest shrinkingof 3,135-12.5%
The short version

Howard County has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $69,649. Population has declined 4% since 2000. 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than tripled since 2000, reaching $155,600.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 122%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
32,290
−4%since 2000
from 33,627 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
36 / sq mi
Unchangedsince 2009
from 36 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
36.7
+1%since 2000
from 36.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:30,504 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
32K33K34K36K37K1990201020202024Howard County
202432K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56%(1,927)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.9%(2,234)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.8%(1,859)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.6%(2,117)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.3%(2,021)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3414.9%(4,797)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4415.3%(4,953)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5413.8%(4,465)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6411.1%(3,595)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 748.3%(2,667)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 843.4%(1,103)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.7%(552)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$69,649
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,805 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$34,939
+133%since 2000
from $15,027 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
45.4%
+25.0 ptssince 2009
from 20.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
13.8%
−4.8 ptssince 2000
from 18.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.449
+3%since 2010
from 0.437 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing11.5%
US avg: 1.6%
Finance & insurance10.4%
US avg: 5.9%
Manufacturing9.7%
US avg: 0.4%
Information9.2%
US avg: 10.8%
Professional, scientific, technical7.2%
US avg: 5.1%
Wholesale trade6.5%
US avg: 6.9%
Retail trade3.7%
US avg: 9.9%
Education & health services3.2%
US avg: 0.9%
Other services2%
US avg: 6.7%
Construction1.8%
US avg: 1.2%
Transportation & warehousing1.8%
US avg: 2.2%
Public administration1.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$155,600
+122%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $38,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,034
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $414 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
69.5%
+0.1 ptssince 2000
from 69.4% in 2000
30.5% rent
Vacancy rate
13.2%
−3.4 ptssince 2009
from 16.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
15.6%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
44.4%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 44.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.2
+52%since 2009
from 1.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
80
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Howard County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic56.8%(19,096)
Black3.8%(1,292)
Hispanic / Latino37.5%(12,597)
Asian0.6%(196)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic43.1%(13,927)
Black4.5%(1,468)
Hispanic / Latino47.7%(15,408)
Asian1%(319)
Other3.6%(1,168)
Diversity Score
73
+5%since 2009
from 70 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
28
−6%since 2020
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

Hispanic origin
Mexican37.3%(12,043)
Cuban0.9%(290)
Puerto Rican0.6%(192)
Salvadoran0.6%(192)
Spaniard0.5%(151)
Guatemalan0.1%(27)
Venezuelan0.1%(25)
Nicaraguan0.1%(23)
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data
Asian origin
Filipino0.5%(146)
Thai0.3%(91)
Chinese0.2%(68)
Bangladeshi0.2%(62)
Korean0.1%(48)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(11)
Ancestry
German8.6%(2,791)
English8.4%(2,714)
Irish8.1%(2,629)
American6.3%(2,044)
Scottish1%(332)
French1%(326)
Italian0.7%(242)
Scotch-Irish0.7%(223)
Polish0.6%(180)
Welsh0.5%(147)
Norwegian0.3%(90)
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data
Danish0.2%(73)
Czech0.2%(69)
Dutch0.2%(63)
Greek0.1%(48)
Nigerian0.1%(28)
Russian0.1%(24)
Swedish0.1%(22)
West Indian0.1%(22)
British0.1%(21)
Belgian0%(12)
Hungarian0%(12)
Jamaican0%(12)
RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
15.7%
+4.6 ptssince 2000
from 11.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
81.1%
+10.5 ptssince 2000
from 70.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
5.0%
+1.7 ptssince 2000
from 3.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.7 min
+73%since 2000
from 12.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
79.1%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 81.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
16.0%
+3.8 ptssince 2009
from 12.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
3.0%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.0%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 6.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.4%
−2.7 ptssince 2011
from 8.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
55.3%
+7.6 ptssince 2011
from 47.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
18.0%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 16.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
34.0%
−23.6 ptssince 2009
from 57.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
55.7%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 54.8% in 2009
Female
44.3%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 45.2% in 2009
Foreign born
9.8%
−6.1 ptssince 2009
from 16.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
5.9%
−50.1 ptssince 2009
from 55.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
17.8%
−1.7 ptssince 2012
from 19.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
13.6%
−66.8 ptssince 2013
from 80.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
86.4%
+18.0 ptssince 2017
from 68.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
69.7%
−2.3 ptssince 2016
from 72.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
28.6%
+2.1 ptssince 2016
from 26.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married37.4%(5,567)
Married47.3%(7,048)
Widowed4.3%(638)
Divorced11%(1,633)
Women 15+
Never married26.9%(3,065)
Married50%(5,694)
Widowed9.3%(1,056)
Divorced13.8%(1,569)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Pop 29,877
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Head to head

Compare Howard County to nearby counties

HOWARD COUNTY VS
Mitchell County
Income$60,550−13%
Home value$85,800−45%
Population8,947−71%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HOWARD COUNTY VS
Borden County
Income$65,625−6%
Home value$108,900−30%
Population567−98%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HOWARD COUNTY VS
Glasscock County
Income$101,250+45%
Home value$245,200+58%
Population1,128−96%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HOWARD COUNTY VS
Martin County
Income$93,734+35%
Home value$174,800+12%
Population5,284−83%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Howard County, Texas?

Howard County, Texas has about 32,290 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Howard County, Texas?

The typical household in Howard County, Texas earns about $69,649 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Howard County, Texas expensive?

In Howard County, Texas, the median home is worth about $155,600, and the typical rent is about $1,034 a month.

How educated are people in Howard County, Texas?

About 15.7% of adults age 25 and over in Howard County, Texas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Howard County, Texas?

About 13.8% of people in Howard County, Texas live below the federal poverty line.

Has Howard County, Texas grown since 1990?

Yes, Howard County, Texas has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 53 residents, a change of about -0 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

10 census tracts
Census Tract 9506Census Tract 9509Census Tract 9508.02Census Tract 9508.01Census Tract 9504Census Tract 9507Census Tract 9505Census Tract 9502Census Tract 9501Census Tract 9503
5 ZIP codes
ZIP 79720ZIP 79511ZIP 79733ZIP 79721ZIP 79748
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →