Howard County, MD

County

Add Comparison

2023 Population

333,916

0.574% 1-year growth

US Senator

Chris Van Hollen

Democratic Party

US Senator

Angela Alsobrooks

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

39.4

0.51% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

5.11%

4.77% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$146,982

4.26% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$576,700

4.61% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

174,635

0.189% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Howard County, MD had a population of 334k people with a median age of 39.4 and a median household income of $146,982. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Howard County, MD grew from 332,011 to 333,916, a 0.574% increase and its median household income grew from $140,971 to $146,982, a 4.26% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Howard County, MD are White (Non-Hispanic) (47%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (19.6%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (18.8%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (5.41%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (3.11%).

None of the households in Howard County, MD reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

92.5% of the residents in Howard County, MD are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Howard County, MD are Howard Community College (1,344 degrees awarded in 2022), Lincoln College of Technology-Columbia (509 degrees), and Maryland University of Integrative Health (320 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Howard County, MD was $576,700, and the homeownership rate was 71.7%.

Most people in Howard County, MD drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 28.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Howard County, MD was 2 cars per household.

Howard County, MD borders Anne Arundel County, MD, Baltimore County, MD, Carroll County, MD, Frederick County, MD, Montgomery County, MD, and Prince George's County, MD.

About the photo: Historic Ellicott City, MD

Photo by Joe Haupt

United States Maryland Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

Population & Diversity

Howard County, MD is home to a population of 334k people, from which 92.5% are citizens. As of 2023, 22.1% of Howard County, MD residents were born outside of the country (73.7k people).

In 2023, there were 2.39 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (157k people) in Howard County, MD than any other race or ethnicity. There were 65.6k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 62.8k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

92.5%

2023 Citizenship

92.2%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 92.5% of Howard County, MD residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Howard County, MD was 92.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Howard County, MD compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Howard County, MD

White (Non-Hispanic)
157k ± 594
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
65.6k ± 1.07k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
62.8k ± 1.32k

8.42%

Hispanic Population

28.1k people

8.42% of the people in Howard County, MD are hispanic (28.1k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Howard County, MD as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Maryland.

Most Common Origin

El Salvador
115,960 ± 8,281 people
India
61,668 ± 6,066 people
Nigeria
45,887 ± 5,240 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Maryland was El Salvador, the natal country of 115,960 Maryland residents, followed by India with 61,668 and Nigeria with 45,887.

Foreign-Born Population

22.1%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

73.7k people

21.7%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

72k people

As of 2023, 22.1% of Howard County, MD residents (73.7k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Howard County, MD was 21.7%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Howard County, MD compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
5,479 ± 682
Vietnam
3,791 ± 358
Gulf War (1990s)
2,893 ± 496

Howard County, MD has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.45 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Howard County, MD employs 175k people. The largest industries in Howard County, MD are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (31,871 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (24,137 people), and Educational Services (20,868 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($250,001), Public Administration ($128,680), and Utilities ($123,526).

Males in Maryland have an average income that is 1.24 times higher than the average income of females, which is $77,266. The income inequality in Maryland (measured using the Gini index) is 0.454, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

175k

2023 Value

± 3,418

0.189%

1 Year growth

± 2.75%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Howard County, MD grew at a rate of 0.189%, from 174k employees to 175k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Howard County, MD, are Management Occupations (26,742 people), Computer & Mathematical Occupations (20,662 people), and Business & Financial Operations Occupations (16,120 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Howard County, MD.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Maryland (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

View Full Dashboard

Industries

Employment by Industries

175k

2023 Value

± 3,418

0.189%

1 Year growth

± 2.75%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Howard County, MD grew at a rate of 0.189%, from 174k employees to 175k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Howard County, MD, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (31,871 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (24,137 people), and Educational Services (20,868 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Howard County, MD, though some of these residents may live in Howard County, MD and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$96,308

Median earning men ± $1,860

$68,262

Median earning women ± $2,576

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Public Administration ($131,913), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($128,595), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($116,146).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($123,786), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($92,495), and Manufacturing ($92,351).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Maryland.

Y-Axis

0.617%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.69M people employed in Maryland. This represents a 0.617% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Maryland.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,525
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
638
Health Care and Social Assistance
494
Construction

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$5.34M
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$1.33M
Wholesale Trade
$1.07M
Health Care and Social Assistance

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Howard County, MD went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 70.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (26.4%), followed by Other (1.51%).

Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks are the senators currently representing the state of Maryland. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Maryland is currently represented by 8 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (70.7%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (26.4%)
Republican Party
Other (1.51%)
Green and Other Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Howard County, MD went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 70.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (26.4%), followed by Other (1.51%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Howard County, MD for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Maryland

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Maryland.

Chris Van Hollen

Senator from Maryland

Assumed office on January 3, 2017

Angela Alsobrooks

Senator from Maryland

Assumed office on January 3, 2025

Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks are the senators currently representing Maryland.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Maryland over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Maryland

Maryland is currently represented by 8 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Maryland have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Howard County, MD awarded 2,218 degrees. The student population of Howard County, MD in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 4,327 male students and 5,619 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Howard County, MD are White (738 and 34.8%), followed by Black or African American (604 and 28.5%), Hispanic or Latino (284 and 13.4%), and Asian (254 and 12%).

The largest universities in Howard County, MD by number of degrees awarded are Howard Community College (1,344 and 60.6%), Lincoln College of Technology-Columbia (509 and 22.9%), and Maryland University of Integrative Health (320 and 14.4%).

The most popular majors in Howard County, MD are General Studies (565 and 25.5%), Liberal Arts & Sciences (188 and 8.48%), and Automobile Mechanics Technology (168 and 7.57%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2022 there were 9,946 students enrolled in Howard County, MD, 43.5% men and 56.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Black or African American with 3,087 records, of which 58.6% were women and 41.4% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Studies
565 degrees awarded
Liberal Arts & Sciences
188 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
150 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Howard County, MD was General Studies with 565 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Howard County, MD according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Howard Community College
1,344 degrees awarded
Lincoln College of Technology-Columbia
509 degrees awarded
Maryland University of Integrative Health
320 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Howard Community College with 1,344 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2022, 1,019 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Howard County, MD, which is 0.85 times less than the 1,199 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 738 degrees mean that there were 1.22 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 604 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($6,939) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($765) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($2,400) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Maryland.

Measure

In 2022, 1.12% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.05% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Maryland.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.2M), Bachelors Degree (1.04M), and Some college (961k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Howard County, MD was $576,700 in 2023, which is 1.9 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $551,300 to $576,700, a 4.61% increase. The homeownership rate in Howard County, MD is 71.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Howard County, MD have an average commute time of 28.8 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Howard County, MD is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Howard County, MD is $146,982. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Howard County, MD was Census Tract 6051.04 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 6055.04 and Census Tract 6055.05, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

In 2023, 13.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Howard County, MD. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 1.72%.

Housing

Property

$576,700

Median Property Value 2023

±$6,644

$86,100

Median Property Taxes

±$1,574

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Howard County, MD the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Howard County, MD compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

71.7%

Homeownership

2023

68.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 71.7% of the housing units in Howard County, MD were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 72.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Howard County, MD compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 6051.04
Census Tract 6055.04
Census Tract 6055.05

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Howard County, MD was Census Tract 6051.04 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 6055.04 and Census Tract 6055.05, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Howard County, MD colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$146,982

Median Household Income

± $3,334

120k

Number of Households

± 2,613

In 2023, the median household income of the 120k households in Howard County, MD grew to $146,982 from the previous year's value of $140,971.

The following chart displays the households in Howard County, MD distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Howard County, MD is from Maryland.

0.454

2022 Wage GINI in Maryland

0.456

2021 Wage GINI in Maryland

In 2022, the income inequality in Maryland was 0.454 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.498% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Maryland was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Maryland in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Maryland across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (67.4%)
Worked At Home (23.2%)
Carpooled (5.35%)

In 2023, 67.4% of workers in Howard County, MD drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (23.2%) and those who carpooled to work (5.35%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

28.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Howard County, MD have a longer commute time (28.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.48% of the workforce in Howard County, MD have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Howard County, MD compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Howard County, MD distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Howard County, MD have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 13.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Howard County, MD. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 1.72%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

5.11% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Howard County, MD (16.9k out of 331k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Howard County, MD is Black, followed by White and Asian.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 7.4% of the children was living in poverty in Howard County, MD. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 0.5%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

96% of the population of Howard County, MD has health coverage, with 63.5% on employee plans, 9.19% on Medicaid, 10.5% on Medicare, 11.4% on non-group plans, and 1.49% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Howard County, MD see 521 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.17% increase from the previous year (515 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1146 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 278 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49% were men and 51% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

521 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Howard County, MD

Primary care physicians in Howard County, MD see an average of 521 patients per year. This represents a 1.17% increase from the previous year (515 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Howard County, MD in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.7% under 18 years, 18% between 18 and 34 years, 41.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49% were men and 51% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

4.01%

Uninsured

63.5%

Employer Coverage

9.19%

Medicaid

10.5%

Medicare

11.4%

Non-Group

1.49%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Howard County, MD grew by 3.49% from 3.88% to 4.01%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Howard County, MD changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 33.9 in Howard County, MD.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Howard County, MD.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 25.5% in Howard County, MD.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Howard County, MD.