Howard County, Iowa
Located in Iowa, Howard County has a population of 9,445 residents and a median age of 39.2 years, making it the #2,533 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 8.9%. The median home value is $147,800, and the median household income is $67,446, which is 10% below the national median.
Demographics
Howard County has a population of 9,445, making it the #2,533 most populous county in the US. The median age is 39.2 years, which is 0.8% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Howard County is $67,446, ranking #1,389 out of 3,222 counties — 10.3% below the national median. The poverty rate is 8.9% and unemployment stands at 1.9%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Howard County is $147,800 (-47.6% vs national). Renters pay a median of $713/mo and the homeownership rate is 77.4%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Howard County, 19.5% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 42.1% below the national average, ranking #2,083 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Howard County is 77.7 years. 15.8% of adults report poor or fair health and 6.8% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
16.9% of adults in Howard County smoke , 37.3% are obese , and 24.8% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
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Families & Children
12.3% of children in Howard County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 7.9 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Howard County is 72.8%. The mean commute time is 25.1 min, which is 8.9% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Howard County voted Republican with a margin of 31.8%. The vote was 33.5% Dem / 65.3% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 4.4 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Howard County, Iowa
Howard County, Iowa has a total population of 9,445, making it the 2,533rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Howard County is 39.2 years, which is 0.8% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Howard County is $67,446, which ranks #1,389 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 10.3% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 8.9%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 1.9%.
The median home value in Howard County is $147,800, 47.6% below the national median. Renters in Howard County pay a median gross rent of $713 per month. The homeownership rate is 77.4%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Howard County, 19.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 42.1% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 89.8% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 25.1 min.
Howard County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 93.0% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
All data for Howard County, Iowa comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.