Howard County, Iowa
Among the top 7% of US counties for safety & wellbeing.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 70% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 59% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade A, better than 93% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 63% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 50% of US counties
- top 4% for unemployment
- top 14% for violent crime
- bottom 13% for income tax
Howard County is a county in Iowa with about 9,479 residents. It grades A for safety & wellbeing and C for lifestyle & connectivity. Standout strengths include unemployment, violent crime, and property crime. It rates lower on annual snowfall and income tax.
Official websitehoward-county.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freezing
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warm
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77%52%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.1 in1.2 in
humid 88%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$64k60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$45kbetter than 51% of US counties
Home Value$125k29th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$708better than 77% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 77% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.31%better than 22% of US counties
Income Tax6.71%better than 13% of US counties
Sales Tax6.94%better than 70% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden11.56%better than 20% of US counties
Unemployment1.5%better than 96% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)17°F8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation37.9 in38th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall41.1 inbetter than 19% of US counties
Sunny Days234 daysbetter than 47% of US counties
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 67% of US counties
Comfortable Days88 daysbetter than 73% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk15.6better than 82% of US counties
School Quality64.7better than 68% of US counties
Violent Crime243/100kbetter than 86% of US counties
Property Crime285/100kbetter than 84% of US counties
Community
Population9,47921st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age39.532nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.085th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0265th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2838th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)95.1%95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.2%10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)1.8%13th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.3%30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.6%28th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time21 minbetter than 72% of US counties
Walkability6.4/20better than 61% of US counties
Airport Distance115 mibetter than 40% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access81.8%better than 41% of US counties
Amenities Nearby1.05better than 37% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 77% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Howard County an affordable place to live?
- Howard County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $45k, better than 51% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Howard County?
- The median home value in Howard County is $125k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Howard County?
- Median household income in Howard County is $64k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Howard County?
- Median gross rent in Howard County is $708 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Howard County safe?
- Howard County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 243/100k (better than 86%). Property crime is 285/100k.
- What is the weather like in Howard County?
- Howard County averages 72°F in July and 17°F in January, with 37.9 in of annual precipitation and about 234 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Howard County?
- Public-school quality in Howard County is above average, scoring better than 68% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Howard County?
- The average one-way commute in Howard County is 21 min.
Other counties in Iowa
Explore Iowa
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)