Howell County, Missouri Demographics 2026

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

Howell County, Missouri has a population of 40,168, the 28th most populous county in Missouri. The median household income is $49,814 and the median home value is $161,000. The poverty rate is 21.4%.

Howell County Quick Facts

Population 40,168

Median Household Income $49,814

Median Home Value $161,000

Poverty Rate 21.4%

Unemployment Rate 5.1%

Median Age 40.1 years

Homeownership Rate 68.7%

Affordability Ratio 3.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 17.5%

High School Graduation 85.9%

Cities/Places 6

Population 40,168 28th of 115

Median Income $49,814 28% lower than state

Poverty Rate 21.4%

Unemployment 5.1%

Median Household Income

Howell

$49,814

$68,920

National

$78,538

Median Home Value

Howell

$161,000

$215,600

National

$303,400

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 26.4%

$25K-$50K 23.7%

$50K-$100K 32.4%

$100K+ 17.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.3%

$10K-$15K

8.6%

$15K-$20K

6.8%

$20K-$25K

4.7%

$25K-$30K

5.1%

$30K-$35K

5.6%

$35K-$40K

5.5%

$40K-$45K

3.3%

$45K-$50K

4.2%

$50K-$60K

9.4%

$60K-$75K

11.2%

$75K-$100K

11.8%

$100K-$125K

6.2%

$125K-$150K

4.8%

$150K-$200K

3.1%

$200K+

3.4%

Employment

5.1% Unemployment Rate State: 4.1%|National: 5.2%

54.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 68.7%

Renter 31.4%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.2x home value to income ratio

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

24.3%

18-34

19.1%

35-54

23.6%

55-74

24.6%

75+

8.5%

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 Howell County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
West Plains	12,341	$39,897	31.0%	$158,700
Mountain View	2,648	$51,005	28.8%	$114,900
Willow Springs	2,015	$43,125	18.7%	$108,300
Pomona	243	$28,693	36.2%	$77,100
Brandsville	181	N/A	19.5%	N/A
South Fork	67	$63,750	0.0%	N/A

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

Howell County is located in Missouri with a total population of 40,168. It is the 28th most populous county out of 115 in Missouri. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Howell County is 40.1 years. This is 3% higher than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Howell County is $49,814. This is 28% lower than the state median of $68,920. It is also 37% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 21.4%. This is 69% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 5.1%. This is 23% higher than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $161,000. Housing costs are 25% lower than the state median of $215,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.2x. 68.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 1% higher than the state average of 67.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Howell County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 92.4% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.4%. The Black or African American population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 11.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.4%) is well below the state average of 5.1%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 2.1%.

Education

17.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 45% 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 85.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Howell 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 Howell County, Missouri?

Howell County has a population of 40,168, making it the 28th most populous county in Missouri.

What is the median income in Howell County?

The median household income in Howell County is $49,814 with a poverty rate of 21.4%.

How many cities are in Howell County, Missouri?

Howell County contains 6 Census-designated places.