Howard County, Iowa Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Howard County, IA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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B
Income Around averageWealthier than 70% of counties in Iowa
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D
Education Well below averageLess educated than 86% of counties in Iowa
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Howard County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,445 | 3,204,793 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 20.0 | 57.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.03% | 0.41% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 37.9 | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 3,773 | 1,308,457 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Howard County declined by 0.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 9,445 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Howard County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 21.0% of residents. That is 2.1 points above Iowa as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,752 18.6% -3.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,681 17.8% -2.7 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,980 21.0% +2.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,726 18.3% +0.6 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Iowa, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.2% of the people living in Howard County and men 49.8%.
- Women 50.2% Iowa 50.0%
- Men 49.8% Iowa 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Howard County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Howard County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Howard County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,882 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.29% | 3.99% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.9% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Howard County is about 8% lower than in Iowa.
Housing
| Metric | Howard County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $109,318 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $713 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 77.4% | 71.7% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Howard County is about 12.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $713 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Howard County spend about 31 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 129 hours, about 5.4 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Howard County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 15.5 | 17.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 31.0 | 33.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 129 | 141 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,003 | $4,382 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 10.0% | 11.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,346 | 4,993 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 216 | 606 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Iowa:
Sioux County (10.1 min), Union County (10.4 min), Cass County (10.6 min).
Slowest:
Monroe County (30.4 min), Madison County (30.1 min), Mills County (26.7 min).
The average commute time in Howard County is 15 minutes, shorter than the 17 minutes in Iowa.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Howard County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Howard County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.9% | 27.9% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.45 | 2.37 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Iowa:
Johnson County (0.4), Dallas County (0.4), Story County (0.4).
Lowest:
Crawford County (0.2), Wayne County (0.2), Louisa County (0.2).
Health
Howard County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Howard County | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.6 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.8% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 17.8% | 17.6% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Iowa:
Johnson County (0.8), Story County (0.8), Winneshiek County (0.8).
Lowest:
Davis County (0.8), Wayne County (0.8), Appanoose County (0.8).
Howard County, IA Compared With Nearby Counties
How Howard County, IA compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard County, IA | 9,445 | $68,882 #3/3 | $109,318 #2/3 | 15.5 min #2/3 |
| Fillmore County, MN | 21,414 | $78,803 | $208,333 | 25.1 min |
| Mower County, MN | 40,341 | $72,820 | $103,820 | 13.7 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Howard County, Iowa.
How big is Howard County, Iowa by population?
About 9,445 people live in Howard County, Iowa, in 3,773 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 37.9, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Howard County, Iowa?
Averaged over its land area, Howard County, Iowa has 20 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 23% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Howard County, Iowa?
The median home costs 1.6 times the median household income ($109,318 against $68,882), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $713 a month takes about 12% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Howard County, Iowa?
Unemployment in Howard County, Iowa is only 1.9%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in Howard County, Iowa have a college degree?
17.9% of adults in Howard County, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 6), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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