Howard County, Texas
Among the top 4% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 35% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 96% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 4% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 51% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 39% of US counties
- top 3% for sunny days
- top 9% for income tax
- bottom 3% for violent crime
Howard County is a county in Texas with about 34,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include sunny days, income tax, and estimated total tax burden. It rates lower on airport distance and violent crime.
Official websiteco.howard.tx.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot summers · Cool winters · Dry · Light snow
cool
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warm
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86%74%clearovercast
Precipitation 2.1 in0.7 in
humid 51%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$67k68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$44kbetter than 66% of US counties
Home Value$133k34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$981better than 25% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 40% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.24%better than 25% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax8.20%better than 32% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden5.16%better than 91% of US counties
Unemployment5.2%better than 42% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)45°F78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)84°F95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation19.0 in11th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall2.1 inbetter than 72% of US counties
Sunny Days301 daysbetter than 97% of US counties
Summer Humidity60°Fbetter than 77% of US counties
Comfortable Days74 daysbetter than 35% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk54.8better than 44% of US counties
School Quality40.0better than 15% of US counties
Violent Crime2417/100kbetter than 3% of US counties
Property Crime2426/100kbetter than 8% of US counties
Community
Population34,48858th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age37.619th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4370th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.3298th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+5978th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)46.0%13th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)5.5%67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)44.6%94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.1%70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.8%35th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time21 minbetter than 72% of US counties
Walkability6.9/20better than 73% of US counties
Airport Distance259 mibetter than 8% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access84.7%better than 59% of US counties
Amenities Nearby4.06better than 62% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 16% 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 66% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Howard County?
- The median home value in Howard County is $133k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Howard County?
- Median household income in Howard County is $67k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Howard County?
- Median gross rent in Howard County is $981 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 2417/100k (better than 3%). Property crime is 2426/100k.
- What is the weather like in Howard County?
- Howard County averages 84°F in July and 45°F in January, with 19.0 in of annual precipitation and about 301 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Howard County?
- Public-school quality in Howard County is below average, scoring better than 15% 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 Texas
Explore Texas
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)