Howard County, Maryland Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Howard County, MD 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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A+
Health Top gradeAmong the top 3 healthiest counties in Maryland
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A+
Income Top gradeWealthiest county in Maryland
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A+
Education Top gradeBest educated county in Maryland
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Howard County | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 336,328 | 6,204,886 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1327.4 | 500.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.08% | 0.51% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.5 | 38.0 | 37.3 |
| Households | 121,065 | 2,362,551 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Howard County grew by 22.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 336,328 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Howard County is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 22.7% of residents. That is 0.4 points above Maryland as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 69,123 20.6% +0.3 pts
- Millennials 29–44 76,263 22.7% +0.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 74,564 22.2% +1.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 49,538 14.7% -1.8 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 Maryland, 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 50.7% of the people living in Howard County and men 49.3%.
- Women 50.7% Maryland 51.5%
- Men 49.3% Maryland 48.5%
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 A+, which means it is exceptionally prosperous.
| Metric | Howard County | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $149,813 | $103,916 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.45% | 3.98% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Howard County is about 44% higher than in Maryland.
Housing
| Metric | Howard County | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $444,355 | $267,101 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $2,099 | $1,704 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 71.5% | 67.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Howard County is about 17.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $2,099 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Howard County spend about 52 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 215 hours, about 9.0 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Howard County | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 25.8 | 28.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 51.7 | 56.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 215 | 236 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $6,677 | $7,301 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 26.0% | 19.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 21,567 | 16,437 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,006 | 2,353 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Maryland:
Talbot County (17.8 min), Allegany County (17.8 min), Wicomico County (18.1 min).
Slowest:
Charles County (40.0 min), Calvert County (33.6 min), Prince George's County (32.5 min).
The average commute time in Howard County is 26 minutes, shorter than the 28 minutes in Maryland.
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 A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Howard County | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.8% | 39.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.77 | 2.57 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Maryland:
Howard County (0.5), Montgomery County (0.5), Talbot County (0.4).
Lowest:
Somerset County (0.2), Caroline County (0.2), Allegany County (0.2).
Health
Howard County has a health index of A+, which means it is exceptionally healthy.
| Metric | Howard County | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.7 | 78.4 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 8.2% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 9.5% | 15.9% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Maryland:
Montgomery County (0.8), Howard County (0.8), Frederick County (0.8).
Lowest:
Baltimore city (0.8), Somerset County (0.8), Dorchester County (0.8).
Howard County, MD 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 household income, at $149,813, runs 31% above the $114,475 typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Commute tells the same story from another angle: 25.8 min against a local median of 30.6 min, 15% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Howard County, MD is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread $39,811 on median household income, 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 household income of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard County, MD | 336,328 | $149,813 #1/5 | $444,355 #2/5 | 25.8 min #1/5 |
| Montgomery County, MD | 1,065,586 | $132,324 | $378,273 | 30.9 min |
| Carroll County, MD | 175,325 | $118,379 | $443,848 | 32.3 min |
| District of Columbia, DC | 678,314 | $110,571 | $597,276 | 30.3 min |
| Baltimore County, MD | 850,783 | $92,513 | $326,717 | 25.9 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Howard County, Maryland.
What is the population of Howard County, Maryland?
About 336,328 people live in Howard County, Maryland, in 121,065 households of 2.8 people on average. The median age is 38.5, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Howard County, Maryland?
Averaged over its land area, Howard County, Maryland has 1,327 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 15 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Howard County, Maryland?
The median home costs 3.0 times the median household income ($444,355 against $149,813), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $2,099 a month takes about 17% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Howard County, Maryland?
Unemployment in Howard County, Maryland is only 3.4%, 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, Maryland have a college degree?
59.8% of adults in Howard County, Maryland hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 6 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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