Howard County, Maryland Housing Market Prices
Howard County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 66% above the Maryland median Among the 3 most expensive counties in Maryland$444,355
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Median rent 23% above the Maryland median Most expensive county in Maryland$2,099
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Howard County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $444,355 | $267,101 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 7.2% | 3.4% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $2,099 | $1,704 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.3% | 3.8% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Howard County is about 66% higher than in Maryland. Rent is about 23% higher than the Maryland average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Howard County, up about 7.2% and 3.3% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Howard County rose about 32.9% between 2015 and 2024, from $1,579 to $2,099. Over the same span, rent in Maryland rose about 38.7%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 3.0 yearly household incomes in Howard County.
Buying the median-priced home in Howard County costs roughly 17.6 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Howard County. The price-to-rent ratio in Maryland is about 13.1.
| Metric | Howard County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $444,355 | $267,101 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $149,813 | $103,916 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 3.0 | 2.6 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Howard County rose about 58.7%, while median household income rose about 43.4% between 2009 and 2025 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Howard County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 69.1% | 62.4% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 27.6% | 29.9% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 3.4% | 7.7% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 16.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2010 | 2011 | 2011 |
Howard County has a homeownership rate of 69.1%, higher than the Maryland average of 62.4%. Its housing vacancy rate is 3.4%, compared with 7.7% in Maryland.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Howard County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.77 people | 2.57 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1988 | 1977 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.8 | 6.2 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Howard County was built around 1988. On average, 2.8 people live in a home with about 6.8 rooms, staying for about 16.0 years on average.
Howard County, MD Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Howard County, MD is the 4th largest of the 5 counties compared here, 336,328 residents against a local median of 764,548. Howard County, MD's median rent, at $2,099, runs 17% above the $1,790 typical of the counties around it.
The counties themselves spread $642 on median rent, so Howard County, MD sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Howard County, MD has the highest median rent of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard County, MD | 336,328 | $444,355 #2/5 | $2,099 #1/5 | 71.5% #2/5 |
| Montgomery County, MD | 1,065,586 | $378,273 | $2,068 | 65.3% |
| Carroll County, MD | 175,325 | $443,848 | $1,426 | 84.3% |
| District of Columbia, DC | 678,314 | $597,276 | $1,953 | 41.5% |
| Baltimore County, MD | 850,783 | $326,717 | $1,627 | 66.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Howard County, Maryland.
What is the median home price in Howard County, Maryland?
The median home price in Howard County, Maryland is $444,355, higher than the Maryland average of $267,101.
What is the average home price in Howard County, Maryland?
The typical home price in Howard County, Maryland, reported as the median sale price, is $444,355. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Howard County, Maryland?
The median gross rent in Howard County, Maryland is $2,099 per month, higher than the Maryland average of $1,704.
What was the median gross rent in Howard County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Howard County, Maryland was $1,731 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Howard County, Maryland?
The price-to-rent ratio in Howard County, Maryland is about 17.6, meaning it would take roughly 17.6 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Howard County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Howard County, Maryland?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Howard County, up about 7.2% and 3.3% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Howard County, Maryland?
69.1% of households in Howard County, Maryland own their home, higher than the Maryland average of 62.4%.
What is the vacancy rate in Howard County, Maryland?
The housing vacancy rate in Howard County, Maryland is 3.4%, lower than the Maryland average of 7.7%.
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