Howard County, TX

County

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2023 Population

33,127

3.95% 1-year decline

US Senator

John Cornyn

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Cruz

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

1.6% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

15.1%

3.91% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$71,457

6.27% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$150,300

13.1% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

13,661

4.27% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Howard County, TX had a population of 33.1k people with a median age of 37 and a median household income of $71,457. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Howard County, TX declined from 34,488 to 33,127, a −3.95% decrease and its median household income grew from $67,243 to $71,457, a 6.27% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Howard County, TX are White (Non-Hispanic) (44%), White (Hispanic) (25.4%), Two+ (Hispanic) (13.3%), Other (Hispanic) (7.26%), and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (4.88%).

None of the households in Howard County, TX 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.

91.6% of the residents in Howard County, TX are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Howard County, TX are Howard College (225520) (625 degrees awarded in 2022) and Southwest College for the Deaf (13 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Howard County, TX was $150,300, and the homeownership rate was 68.6%.

Most people in Howard County, TX drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Howard County, TX was 2 cars per household.

Howard County, TX borders Borden County, TX, Dawson County, TX, Glasscock County, TX, Martin County, TX, Mitchell County, TX, and Sterling County, TX.

United States Texas Big Spring, TX

Population & Diversity

Howard County, TX is home to a population of 33.1k people, from which 91.6% are citizens. As of 2023, 10.6% of Howard County, TX residents were born outside of the country (3.5k people).

In 2023, there were 1.73 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (14.6k people) in Howard County, TX than any other race or ethnicity. There were 8.42k White (Hispanic) and 4.4k Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

91.6%

2023 Citizenship

92.3%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 91.6% of Howard County, TX residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Howard County, TX was 92.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Howard County, TX

White (Non-Hispanic)
14.6k ± 168
White (Hispanic)
8.42k ± 908
Two+ (Hispanic)
4.4k ± 815

46.9%

Hispanic Population

15.5k people

46.9% of the people in Howard County, TX are hispanic (15.5k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Howard County, TX 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 Texas.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
2,430,315 ± 36,649 people
India
305,649 ± 13,502 people
El Salvador
224,600 ± 11,591 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Texas was Mexico, the natal country of 2,430,315 Texas residents, followed by India with 305,649 and El Salvador with 224,600.

Foreign-Born Population

10.6%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

3.5k people

9.83%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

3.39k people

As of 2023, 10.6% of Howard County, TX residents (3.5k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Howard County, TX was 9.83%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
480 ± 200
Vietnam
451 ± 140
Gulf War (1990s)
382 ± 162

Howard County, TX has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.06 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Howard County, TX employs 13.7k people. The largest industries in Howard County, TX are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,140 people), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction (1,604 people), and Educational Services (1,383 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($78,431), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($77,640), and Utilities ($77,074).

Males in Texas have an average income that is 1.38 times higher than the average income of females, which is $58,213. The income inequality in Texas (measured using the Gini index) is 0.476, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

13.7k

2023 Value

± 914

−4.27%

1 Year decline

± 9.93%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Howard County, TX declined at a rate of −4.27%, from 14.3k employees to 13.7k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Howard County, TX, are Management Occupations (1,432 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,287 people), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (1,001 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Howard County, TX.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Texas (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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

13.7k

2023 Value

± 914

−4.27%

1 Year decline

± 9.93%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Howard County, TX declined at a rate of −4.27%, from 14.3k employees to 13.7k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Howard County, TX, are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,140 people), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction (1,604 people), and Educational Services (1,383 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Howard County, TX, though some of these residents may live in Howard County, TX and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$62,642

Median earning men ± $4,647

$35,021

Median earning women ± $3,683

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($132,571), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($77,889), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($76,949).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($66,463), Construction ($63,229), and Public Administration ($62,269).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

4.59%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 13.8M people employed in Texas. This represents a 4.59% 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 9.63%.

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

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

43
Retail Trade
39
Other Services (except Public Administration)
39
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

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

$133k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$67.4k
Manufacturing
$47k
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction

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, TX went to Donald J. Trump with 78.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (20.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.869%).

John Cornyn and Ted Cruz are the senators currently representing the state of Texas. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Texas is currently represented by 38 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

Donald J. Trump (78.6%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (20.2%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.869%)
Libertarian Party

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

Senator Elections

US Senators from Texas

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

John Cornyn

Senator from Texas

Assumed office on December 2, 2002
Phil Gramm resigned (effective November 30, 2002) a few weeks before the expiration of his term in hopes that his successor, fellow Republican John Cornyn, could gain seniority over other newly elected senators. However, Cornyn did not gain additional seniority due to a 1980 Rules Committee policy.

Ted Cruz

Senator from Texas

Assumed office on January 3, 2013

John Cornyn and Ted Cruz are the senators currently representing Texas.

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 Texas over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Texas

Texas is currently represented by 38 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 Texas have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Howard County, TX awarded 638 degrees. The student population of Howard County, TX in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 1,750 male students and 2,568 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Howard County, TX are Hispanic or Latino (315 and 50.4%), followed by White (258 and 41.3%), Two or More Races (22 and 3.52%), and Black or African American (21 and 3.36%).

The largest universities in Howard County, TX by number of degrees awarded are Howard College (225520) (625 and 98%) and Southwest College for the Deaf (13 and 2.04%).

The most popular majors in Howard County, TX are General Studies (110 and 17.2%), Registered Nursing (71 and 11.1%), and General Cosmetology (64 and 10%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2022 there were 4,318 students enrolled in Howard County, TX, 40.5% men and 59.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 2,148 records, of which 61.9% were women and 38.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Studies
110 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
71 degrees awarded
Pre-Medical Studies
57 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Howard County, TX was General Studies with 110 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Howard College (225520)
625 degrees awarded
Southwest College for the Deaf
13 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Howard College (225520) with 625 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2022, 178 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Howard County, TX, which is 0.387 times less than the 460 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 315 degrees mean that there were 1.22 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 258 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 ($4,320) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($260) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($1,690) 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 Texas.

Measure

In 2022, 1.59% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.53% 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 Texas.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (5.7M), Some college (4.97M), and Bachelors Degree (4.2M).

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, TX was $150,300 in 2023, which is 0.495 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $132,900 to $150,300, a 13.1% increase. The homeownership rate in Howard County, TX is 68.6%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Howard County, TX have an average commute time of 20.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Howard County, TX is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Howard County, TX is $71,457. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Howard County, TX was Census Tract 9506 with a value of $95,503, followed by Census Tract 9508.02 and Census Tract 9508.01, with respective values of $90,787 and $90,755.

In 2023, 15.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Howard County, TX. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 2.91%.

Housing

Property

$150,300

Median Property Value 2023

±$12,878

$8,186

Median Property Taxes

±$683

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, TX the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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

Rent vs Own

68.6%

Homeownership

2023

67.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 68.6% of the housing units in Howard County, TX were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 66.8%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Howard County, TX 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 9506
Census Tract 9508.02
Census Tract 9508.01

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Howard County, TX was Census Tract 9506 with a value of $95,503, followed by Census Tract 9508.02 and Census Tract 9508.01, with respective values of $90,787 and $90,755.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Howard County, TX 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.

$71,457

Median Household Income

± $3,000

11.9k

Number of Households

± 848

In 2023, the median household income of the 11.9k households in Howard County, TX grew to $71,457 from the previous year's value of $67,243.

The following chart displays the households in Howard County, TX 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 $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Howard County, TX is from Texas.

0.476

2022 Wage GINI in Texas

0.476

2021 Wage GINI in Texas

In 2022, the income inequality in Texas was 0.476 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0231% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Texas was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Texas in comparison to the national average.

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

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (79.8%)
Carpooled (15%)
Worked At Home (3.84%)

In 2023, 79.8% of workers in Howard County, TX drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (15%) and those who worked at home (3.84%).

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

20.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Howard County, TX have a shorter commute time (20.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.42% of the workforce in Howard County, TX have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Howard County, TX 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, TX distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Howard County, TX have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 15.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Howard County, TX. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 2.91%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

15.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Howard County, TX (4.45k out of 29.5k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher 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, TX is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

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, 19.4% of the children was living in poverty in Howard County, TX. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 8.1%.

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

85.8% of the population of Howard County, TX has health coverage, with 46.6% on employee plans, 15.6% on Medicaid, 10.2% on Medicare, 12.5% on non-group plans, and 0.951% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Howard County, TX see 3654 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.327% decrease from the previous year (3666 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1796 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 525 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 51.3% were men and 48.7% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

3,654 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Howard County, TX

Primary care physicians in Howard County, TX see an average of 3,654 patients per year. This represents a 0.327% decrease from the previous year (3,666 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 27.2% under 18 years, 21.1% between 18 and 34 years, 38.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 13.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 51.3% were men and 48.7% were women.

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

Uninsured People

14.2%

Uninsured

46.6%

Employer Coverage

15.6%

Medicaid

10.2%

Medicare

12.5%

Non-Group

0.951%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Howard County, TX declined by 14.5% from 16.6% to 14.2%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Howard County, TX 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 69.9 in Howard County, TX.

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

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 39% in Howard County, TX.

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