Howard County, Missouri Demographics 2026

Name: Howard County, Missouri Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Howard County, Missouri has a population of 10,141, the 85th most populous county in Missouri. The median household income is $62,628 and the median home value is $145,300. The poverty rate is 12.8%.

Howard County Quick Facts

Population 10,141

Median Household Income $62,628

Median Home Value $145,300

Poverty Rate 12.8%

Unemployment Rate 4.1%

Median Age 38.3 years

Homeownership Rate 80.3%

Affordability Ratio 2.3x

Bachelor's Degree+ 28.0%

High School Graduation 89.6%

Cities/Places 5

Population 10,141 85th of 115

Median Income $62,628 9% lower than state

Poverty Rate 12.8%

Unemployment 4.1%

Median Household Income

Howard

$62,628

$68,920

National

$78,538

Median Home Value

Howard

$145,300

$215,600

National

$303,400

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 18.2%

$25K-$50K 21.4%

$50K-$100K 28.9%

$100K+ 31.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.1%

$10K-$15K

6.3%

$15K-$20K

3.9%

$20K-$25K

4.0%

$25K-$30K

3.7%

$30K-$35K

3.1%

$35K-$40K

3.6%

$40K-$45K

7.6%

$45K-$50K

3.5%

$50K-$60K

8.4%

$60K-$75K

9.8%

$75K-$100K

10.7%

$100K-$125K

10.9%

$125K-$150K

9.3%

$150K-$200K

5.1%

$200K+

6.3%

Employment

4.1% Unemployment Rate State: 4.1%|National: 5.2%

57.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 80.3%

Renter 19.7%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.3x home value to income ratio

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

22.1%

18-34

23.8%

35-54

21.0%

55-74

25.1%

75+

8.0%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 39 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Howard County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Fayette	2,800	$58,750	15.8%	$128,700
Glasgow	1,054	$45,703	11.8%	$115,400
New Franklin	1,015	$53,056	18.5%	$117,700
Armstrong	340	$39,667	10.3%	N/A
Franklin	155	N/A	36.1%	$83,300

Explore Missouri Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Howard County is located in Missouri with a total population of 10,141. It is the 85th most populous county out of 115 in Missouri. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Howard County is 38.3 years. This is 2% lower than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Howard County is $62,628. This is 9% lower than the state median of $68,920. It is also 20% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 12.8%. This is 2% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate is 4.1%. This is 1% lower than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $145,300. Housing costs are 33% lower than the state median of $215,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Howard County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 80.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 18% higher than the state average of 67.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Howard County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 87.0% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 5.2%. The Black or African American population (5.2%) is well below the state average of 11.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.1%) is well below the state average of 5.1%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 2.1%.

Education

28.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 12% lower than the state rate of 31.9%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 89.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Howard County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), with comparisons drawn against Missouri and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Howard County, Missouri?

Howard County has a population of 10,141, making it the 85th most populous county in Missouri.

What is the median income in Howard County?

The median household income in Howard County is $62,628 with a poverty rate of 12.8%.

How many cities are in Howard County, Missouri?

Howard County contains 5 Census-designated places.