Howard County, Maryland
Among the top 13% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 6% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 3% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 45% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 87% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 80% of US counties
- top 1% for broadband access
- top 3% for airport distance
- bottom 1% for monthly rent
Howard County is a county in Maryland with about 332,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and F for weather. Standout strengths include broadband access, airport distance, and walkability. It rates lower on monthly owner costs and monthly rent.
Official websitehowardcountymd.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
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57%46%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.4 in3.3 in
muggy 79%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$141k100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$68kbetter than 2% of US counties
Home Value$551k98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 1% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 1% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.21%better than 27% of US counties
Income Tax9.00%better than 9% of US counties
State 5.80% + Local 3.20%
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden15.70%better than 7% of US counties
Unemployment3.8%better than 69% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)36°F55th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation47.8 in65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall23.8 inbetter than 35% of US counties
Sunny Days178 daysbetter than 5% of US counties
Summer Humidity66°Fbetter than 47% of US counties
Comfortable Days76 daysbetter than 41% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk72.4better than 27% of US counties
Air Quality38 AQIbetter than 74% of US counties
School Quality79.5better than 82% of US counties
Violent Crime1298/100kbetter than 21% of US counties
Property Crime1315/100kbetter than 32% of US counties
Community
Population332,01193rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age39.229th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6698th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9830th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+462nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)48.4%14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)19.7%85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)7.5%65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)18.8%99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.6%83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time30 minbetter than 19% of US counties
Walkability10.3/20better than 94% of US counties
Airport Distance15 mibetter than 97% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access95.8%better than 99% of US counties
Amenities Nearby3.61better than 59% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 43% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Howard County an affordable place to live?
- Howard County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $68k, better than 2% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Howard County?
- The median home value in Howard County is $551k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Howard County?
- Median household income in Howard County is $141k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Howard County?
- Median gross rent in Howard County is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Howard County safe?
- Howard County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1298/100k (better than 21%). Property crime is 1315/100k.
- What is the weather like in Howard County?
- Howard County averages 80°F in July and 36°F in January, with 47.8 in of annual precipitation and about 178 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Howard County?
- Public-school quality in Howard County is above average, scoring better than 82% 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 30 min.
Other counties in Maryland
Explore Maryland
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- 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)