Howard County, Missouri
Among the top 10% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 53% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 39% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 63% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 32% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 90% of US counties
- top 12% for park & nature access
- top 16% for natural disaster risk
- bottom 2% for school quality
Howard County is a county in Missouri with about 10,000 residents. It grades A for lifestyle & connectivity and C for getting around. Standout strengths include park & nature access, natural disaster risk, and amenities nearby. It rates lower on sales tax and school quality.
Official websitemocounties.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
very cold
cold
comfortable
warm
hot
warm
comf.
cold
v.cold
78%54%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.4 in1.9 in
muggy 99%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$59k46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$44kbetter than 68% of US counties
Home Value$141k39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$823better than 49% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 62% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.81%better than 53% of US counties
Income Tax4.80%better than 54% of US counties
Sales Tax8.39%better than 25% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.51%better than 49% of US counties
Unemployment4.5%better than 55% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)29°F36th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)78°F53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation41.9 in47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall10.6 inbetter than 53% of US counties
Sunny Days243 daysbetter than 57% of US counties
Summer Humidity67°Fbetter than 38% of US counties
Comfortable Days75 daysbetter than 38% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk13.8better than 84% of US counties
School Quality28.8better than 2% of US counties
Violent Crime471/100kbetter than 72% of US counties
Property Crime480/100kbetter than 74% of US counties
Community
Population10,14223rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age38.323rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2242nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0474th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+4355th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)87.3%63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)5.8%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.0%16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.3%28th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.7%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time27 minbetter than 32% of US counties
Walkability6.0/20better than 48% of US counties
Airport Distance109 mibetter than 43% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access84.2%better than 56% of US counties
Amenities Nearby6.90better than 76% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 88% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Howard County an affordable place to live?
- Howard County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $44k, better than 68% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Howard County?
- The median home value in Howard County is $141k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Howard County?
- Median household income in Howard County is $59k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Howard County?
- Median gross rent in Howard County is $823 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 471/100k (better than 72%). Property crime is 480/100k.
- What is the weather like in Howard County?
- Howard County averages 78°F in July and 29°F in January, with 41.9 in of annual precipitation and about 243 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Howard County?
- Public-school quality in Howard County is below average, scoring better than 2% 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 27 min.
Other counties in Missouri
Explore Missouri
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)