Maryland · GEOID 24027

Howard County

2024 ACS 5-year estimates · population 336,328 · 125,286 housing units

Median household income

$149,763

State $106,179

Median home value

$597,900

State $433,476

Median gross rent

$2,099

State $1,696

Homeownership rate

71.5%

State 67.6%

Renter cost-burden rate

47.7%

≥30% of income

Owner cost-burden rate

18.3%

≥30% of income

Homeowner vacancy

0.3%

Of owner-occupied + for-sale units

Rental vacancy

5.3%

Of renter-occupied + for-rent units

Overall vacancy

3.4%

All housing units

Price-to-income ratio

3.99

Affordable: 2.0–3.0

Section 1

Community Profile

Population, demographics, household composition, and income.

Community Data Summary

	Howard County	Maryland
Population	336,328	6,206,011
Population density (per sq. mi.)	1,340.22	—
Median household income	$149,763	$106,179
HUD Area Median Income (4-person, 100%)	$134,000	—
Households	121,065	—
Average household size	2.76 people	—
Owner-occupied	71.5%	67.6%
Renter-occupied	28.5%	32.4%
Race	46.8% White · 20.0% Black	0.0% White · 0.0% Black

Source: ACS 5-year 2024 (Tables DP05, S1101, DP04, S1901) and Census Gazetteer (land area); HUD FY2026 Income Limits.

Racial composition

Howard County compared with Maryland.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP05.

Educational attainment (population 25+)

64.5% hold a bachelor's degree or higher (state: 43.4%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1501.

Median Household Income by Tenure

Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied household income, county and state.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25119.

Median Household Income by Age of Householder

Median household income by age group of householder.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B19049.

Median Household Income by Number of Earners

Median household income for families with each earner count.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903.

Household Size

Distribution of households by number of people.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2501.

Income by Number of Earners

Earners	Share	Median income	Attainable monthly housing cost	Attainable home
0 earners	9.8%	$102,948	$2,574	$352,188
1 earner	27.2%	$122,445	$3,061	$424,762
2 earners	49.0%	$213,172	$5,329	$762,479
3+ earners	14.0%	$236,250	$5,906	$848,383

Attainable monthly housing cost = 30% of gross income ÷ 12. Attainable home price assumes 30% housing budget, 30-yr mortgage at 7%, 5% down.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903; affordability formula derived.

Households

121,065

Average size: 2.76 people

Households with children

40,923

33.8% of households

Per-capita income

$67,501

Poverty rate: 5.0%

Section 2

Residential Market Analysis

Housing stock characteristics — tenure, type, age, size, vacancy, rents.

Tenure

71.5% owner-occupied vs. state average 67.6%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Structure type

Single-family share 72.5% · Missing middle (2–19 units) 17.3%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25024.

Housing stock by decade

28.9% built before 1980 · Median structure age 1,989.00 yrs.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2504.

Housing size mismatch

Compares the share of housing units by bedroom count against the share of households by size — a common diagnostic of housing supply/demand alignment.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Tables B25041 (bedrooms) and S2501 (household size).

Home value distribution

Owner-occupied homes by value bracket. Median: $597,900.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Monthly Housing Costs

Distribution of monthly housing costs across all occupied units.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25104.

Number of Bedrooms

Housing units by number of bedrooms.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25041.

Median rent by bedroom

Overall median gross rent: $2,099.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25031.

Renters by age

Number of renter householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Owners by age

Number of owner householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Vacancy composition

All 4,221 vacant units split into Census's seven categories. Frictional vacancy (units actively on the market) reflects healthy churn. Structural vacancy (seasonal, migrant, other) sits outside the market for year-round residents — high values change how the headline vacancy rate should be read.

Vacant units by type

For sale 6.6% · For rent 45.8% · Seasonal 6.4% · Other 33.3%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Frictional vs structural

60.3% of vacancy is frictional (for sale + for rent + rented/sold not yet occupied); 39.7% is structural (seasonal + migrant + other).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Seasonal / recreational share of all housing

0.2%

269 units of 125,286 total

Housing units held for seasonal or recreational use.

"Other vacant" share of all housing

1.1%

1,406 units of 125,286 total

Census "Other vacant" — units off the market for reasons other than seasonal, migrant, sale, or rental.

Section 3

Workforce Housing Needs Assessment

Affordability, cost burden, and the housing options for households in the workforce income range.

Workforce range — ACS median household income

80% MHI$119,810

100% MHI$149,763

120% MHI$179,716

County-wide median from ACS 5-year estimates. A household at 100% MHI in Howard County should be able to afford a home up to roughly — (30% housing budget, default mortgage terms).

Workforce range — HUD Area Median Income

	1-person	2-person	4-person
80% AMI	$74,800	$85,450	$106,800
100% AMI	$93,800	$107,200	$134,000
120% AMI	$112,550	$128,650	$160,800

HUD FMR Area: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA. 80% AMI uses HUD's published Section 8 Low Income Limits; 100% is HUD MFI; 120% is the standard workforce convention.

Affordability calculator

Follows the standard 30%-of-gross-income affordability rule.

Income basis Household income Interest rate % Down payment % Taxes & insurance / yr

Affordable monthly—

Affordable home price—

Renter cost burden

47.7% of renter households spend ≥30% of income on rent (22.9% spend ≥50%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25070.

Owner cost burden by income

18.3% of homeowners spend ≥30% of income on housing. Bars show counts of cost-burdened owners by income bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25106.

Household income — owners vs renters

Distribution of household income for owner-occupied (navy) and renter-occupied (gold) households.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25118.

Section 4

Industry & Workforce Wages

Employment, average wages, and the housing each industry's typical earner can afford in Howard County.

Covered employment

148,954

Across 18 sectors

Establishments

10,325

QCEW 2024

Avg annual pay (workforce)

$86,894

Employment-weighted across sectors

Top 10 sectors by employment

Annual average employment by NAICS 2-digit sector. Counties with fewer than five covered establishments in a sector may show suppressed totals.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024.

Attainable housing by industry

Industry	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 54 Professional, scientific, and technical services NAICS 54	33,176	$141,134	$494,329	−$103,571	$3,528
NAICS 62 Health care and social assistance NAICS 62	18,693	$62,122	$200,220	−$397,680	$1,553
NAICS 44-45 Retail trade NAICS 44-45	16,088	$46,343	$141,485	−$456,415	$1,159
NAICS 42 Wholesale trade NAICS 42	13,487	$105,495	$361,669	−$236,231	$2,637
NAICS 72 Accommodation and food services NAICS 72	12,736	$28,312	$74,367	−$523,533	$708
NAICS 56 Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services NAICS 56	11,778	$61,925	$199,486	−$398,414	$1,548
NAICS 23 Construction NAICS 23	11,299	$92,776	$314,324	−$283,576	$2,319
NAICS 31-33 Manufacturing NAICS 31-33	6,904	$88,493	$298,381	−$299,519	$2,212
NAICS 52 Finance and insurance NAICS 52	5,258	$127,596	$443,936	−$153,964	$3,190
NAICS 48-49 Transportation and warehousing NAICS 48-49	4,818	$62,900	$203,116	−$394,784	$1,573
NAICS 71 Arts, entertainment, and recreation NAICS 71	3,256	$30,367	$82,017	−$515,883	$759
NAICS 61 Educational services NAICS 61	3,142	$54,549	$172,030	−$425,870	$1,364
NAICS 55 Management of companies and enterprises NAICS 55	3,105	$117,204	$405,254	−$192,646	$2,930
NAICS 53 Real estate and rental and leasing NAICS 53	2,876	$89,349	$301,568	−$296,332	$2,234
NAICS 92 Public administration NAICS 92	1,848	$148,612	$522,165	−$75,735	$3,715
NAICS 51 Information NAICS 51	306	$52,409	$164,065	−$433,835	$1,310
NAICS 22 Utilities NAICS 22	183	$143,270	$502,280	−$95,620	$3,582
NAICS 99 Unclassified NAICS 99	1	$116,804	$403,765	−$194,135	$2,920

Subsector	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 541 Professional, scientific, and technical services NAICS 541	33,176	$141,134	$494,329	−$103,571	$3,528
NAICS 722 Food services and drinking places NAICS 722	11,942	$27,605	$71,736	−$526,164	$690
NAICS 561 Administrative and support services NAICS 561	10,976	$61,935	$199,524	−$398,376	$1,548
NAICS 621 Ambulatory health care services NAICS 621	9,922	$68,741	$224,858	−$373,042	$1,719
NAICS 238 Specialty trade contractors NAICS 238	7,614	$86,908	$292,482	−$305,418	$2,173
NAICS 423 Merchant wholesalers, durable goods NAICS 423	6,268	$130,902	$456,242	−$141,658	$3,273
NAICS 424 Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods NAICS 424	6,235	$81,048	$270,669	−$327,231	$2,026
NAICS 445 Food and beverage retailers NAICS 445	4,737	$37,993	$110,403	−$487,497	$950
NAICS 624 Social assistance NAICS 624	3,595	$44,002	$132,771	−$465,129	$1,100
NAICS 611 Educational services NAICS 611	3,142	$54,549	$172,030	−$425,870	$1,364
NAICS 551 Management of companies and enterprises NAICS 551	3,105	$117,204	$405,254	−$192,646	$2,930
NAICS 236 Construction of buildings NAICS 236	2,916	$110,356	$379,763	−$218,137	$2,759
NAICS 623 Nursing and residential care facilities NAICS 623	2,637	$45,794	$139,441	−$458,459	$1,145
NAICS 455 General merchandise retailers NAICS 455	2,545	$33,617	$94,114	−$503,786	$840
NAICS 622 Hospitals NAICS 622	2,540	$78,841	$262,453	−$335,447	$1,971
NAICS 311 Food manufacturing NAICS 311	2,350	$67,796	$221,340	−$376,560	$1,695
NAICS 713 Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries NAICS 713	2,174	$23,490	$56,418	−$541,482	$587
NAICS 441 Motor vehicle and parts dealers NAICS 441	2,110	$70,232	$230,408	−$367,492	$1,756
NAICS 531 Real estate NAICS 531	2,020	$94,953	$322,428	−$275,472	$2,374
NAICS 524 Insurance carriers and related activities NAICS 524	2,018	$121,448	$421,051	−$176,849	$3,036
NAICS 522 Credit intermediation and related activities NAICS 522	1,876	$122,702	$425,719	−$172,181	$3,068
NAICS 459 Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, book, and miscellaneous retailers NAICS 459	1,815	$37,953	$110,254	−$487,646	$949
NAICS 812 Personal and laundry services NAICS 812	1,713	$43,015	$129,097	−$468,803	$1,075
NAICS 513 Publishing industries NAICS 513	1,461	$231,440	$830,479	+$232,579	$5,786
NAICS 484 Truck transportation NAICS 484	1,425	$72,350	$238,292	−$359,608	$1,809
NAICS 813 Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations NAICS 813	1,401	$72,689	$239,554	−$358,346	$1,817
NAICS 523 Securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investments and related activities NAICS 523	1,322	$143,904	$504,640	−$93,260	$3,598
NAICS 458 Clothing, clothing accessories, shoe, and jewelry retailers NAICS 458	1,245	$39,464	$115,879	−$482,021	$987
NAICS 493 Warehousing and storage NAICS 493	1,210	$56,503	$179,304	−$418,596	$1,413
NAICS 926 Administration of economic programs NAICS 926	1,195	$156,108	$550,067	−$47,833	$3,903
NAICS 444 Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers NAICS 444	1,187	$53,807	$169,268	−$428,632	$1,345
NAICS 811 Repair and maintenance NAICS 811	1,181	$67,428	$219,970	−$377,930	$1,686
NAICS 449 Furniture, home furnishings, electronics, and appliance retailers NAICS 449	995	$88,545	$298,575	−$299,325	$2,214
NAICS 425 Wholesale trade agents and brokers NAICS 425	983	$98,654	$336,204	−$261,696	$2,466
NAICS 456 Health and personal care retailers NAICS 456	947	$44,771	$135,633	−$462,267	$1,119
NAICS 333 Machinery manufacturing NAICS 333	944	$141,730	$496,548	−$101,352	$3,543
NAICS 517 Telecommunications NAICS 517	940	$150,481	$529,122	−$68,778	$3,762
NAICS 485 Transit and ground passenger transportation NAICS 485	888	$51,135	$159,322	−$438,578	$1,278
NAICS 334 Computer and electronic product manufacturing NAICS 334	886	$108,811	$374,012	−$223,888	$2,720
NAICS 562 Waste management and remediation services NAICS 562	802	$61,796	$199,006	−$398,894	$1,545
NAICS 721 Accommodation NAICS 721	795	$38,894	$113,757	−$484,143	$972
NAICS 237 Heavy and civil engineering construction NAICS 237	769	$84,217	$282,465	−$315,435	$2,105
NAICS 922 Justice, public order, and safety activities NAICS 922	641	$97,893	$333,371	−$264,529	$2,447
NAICS 518 Computing infrastructure providers, data processing, web hosting, and related services NAICS 518	605	$138,221	$483,486	−$114,414	$3,456
NAICS 312 Beverage and tobacco product manufacturing NAICS 312	601	$75,473	$249,917	−$347,983	$1,887
NAICS 492 Couriers and messengers NAICS 492	569	$53,058	$166,480	−$431,420	$1,326
NAICS 457 Gasoline stations and fuel dealers NAICS 457	507	$38,373	$111,818	−$486,082	$959
NAICS 332 Fabricated metal product manufacturing NAICS 332	462	$106,052	$363,742	−$234,158	$2,651
NAICS 326 Plastics and rubber products manufacturing NAICS 326	453	$57,920	$184,578	−$413,322	$1,448
NAICS 488 Support activities for transportation NAICS 488	358	$80,701	$269,377	−$328,523	$2,018
NAICS 519 Web search portals, libraries, archives, and other information services NAICS 519	344	$62,280	$200,808	−$397,092	$1,557
NAICS 491 Postal service NAICS 491	336	$71,600	$235,500	−$362,400	$1,790
NAICS 928 National security and international affairs NAICS 928	284	$93,692	$317,734	−$280,166	$2,342
NAICS 323 Printing and related support activities NAICS 323	275	$74,409	$245,956	−$351,944	$1,860
NAICS 923 Administration of human resource programs NAICS 923	254	$148,713	$522,541	−$75,359	$3,718
NAICS 339 Miscellaneous manufacturing NAICS 339	193	$77,645	$258,002	−$339,898	$1,941
NAICS 111 Crop production NAICS 111	187	$52,107	$162,940	−$434,960	$1,303
NAICS 221 Utilities NAICS 221	183	$143,270	$502,280	−$95,620	$3,582
NAICS 336 Transportation equipment manufacturing NAICS 336	163	$85,602	$287,620	−$310,280	$2,140
NAICS 921 Executive, legislative, and other general government support NAICS 921	131	$162,375	$573,395	−$24,505	$4,059
NAICS 325 Chemical manufacturing NAICS 325	129	$79,279	$264,084	−$333,816	$1,982
NAICS 112 Animal production and aquaculture NAICS 112	81	$29,523	$78,875	−$519,025	$738
NAICS 512 Motion picture and sound recording industries NAICS 512	80	$86,678	$291,625	−$306,275	$2,167
NAICS 327 Nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing NAICS 327	75	$66,340	$215,920	−$381,980	$1,659
NAICS 314 Textile product mills NAICS 314	68	$64,191	$207,921	−$389,979	$1,605
NAICS 315 Apparel manufacturing NAICS 315	49	$252,518	$908,938	+$311,038	$6,313
NAICS 337 Furniture and related product manufacturing NAICS 337	43	$86,665	$291,577	−$306,323	$2,167
NAICS 924 Administration of environmental quality programs NAICS 924	33	$134,982	$471,429	−$126,471	$3,375
NAICS 335 Electrical equipment, appliance, and component manufacturing NAICS 335	31	$89,430	$301,869	−$296,031	$2,236
NAICS 525 Funds, trusts, and other financial vehicles NAICS 525	31	$120,291	$416,744	−$181,156	$3,007
NAICS 927 Space research and technology NAICS 927	21	$175,619	$622,694	+$24,794	$4,390
NAICS 115 Support activities for agriculture and forestry NAICS 115	20	$40,887	$121,176	−$476,724	$1,022
NAICS 521 Monetary authorities-central bank NAICS 521	11	$150,684	$529,877	−$68,023	$3,767
NAICS 999 Unclassified NAICS 999	1	$116,804	$403,765	−$194,135	$2,920

Affordable home price assumes the industry's average earner uses 30% of gross income for housing, with a 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr taxes & insurance, and 0.5% PMI. Adjust the Section 3 calculator for other terms. Affordable rent is 30% of monthly gross pay.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024; ACS 5-year 2024 (median home value).

Section 5

Wages by Occupation

Selected essential-worker occupations for the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county — jobs, the 10-year change, wages, and the housing each typical earner can afford. Both jobs counts and wages are reported at the MSA / nonmetropolitan-area level (BLS does not publish OEWS at the county level), so every county inside the same area shows the same numbers. For county-accurate employment totals, see Section 4 above.

Occupational wages and affordable housing

Occupation	2025 jobs	2015–2025 change	% change	Hourly wage	Annual wage	Affordable home price	Affordable monthly rent
Fast Food and Counter Workers SOC 35-3023 · prior-year code differs	21,090	(2,620)	(11%)	$16.26	$33,820	$94,870	$846
Cashiers SOC 41-2011	22,300	(16,910)	(43%)	$16.67	$34,670	$98,034	$867
Childcare Workers SOC 39-9011	3,630	(900)	(20%)	$17.64	$36,700	$105,590	$918
Retail Salespersons SOC 41-2031	39,920	4,580	13%	$17.94	$37,320	$107,898	$933
Janitors and Cleaners SOC 37-2011	19,050	(1,900)	(9%)	$18.67	$38,830	$113,519	$971
Home Health and Personal Care Aides SOC 31-1131 · prior-year code differs	13,580	(6,230)	(31%)	$20.49	$42,630	$127,664	$1,066
Waiters and Waitresses SOC 35-3031	19,590	(2,470)	(11%)	$20.69	$43,030	$129,153	$1,076
Tellers SOC 43-3071	1,640	(2,570)	(61%)	$22.61	$47,030	$144,042	$1,176
Construction Laborers SOC 47-2061	10,520	330	3%	$22.90	$47,640	$146,313	$1,191
Office Clerks, General SOC 43-9061	10,880	(10,160)	(48%)	$23.14	$48,130	$148,137	$1,203
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General SOC 49-9071	11,250	510	5%	$26.22	$54,550	$172,034	$1,364
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers SOC 53-3032	15,580	4,190	37%	$29.22	$60,770	$195,187	$1,519
Carpenters SOC 47-2031	3,870	(1,630)	(30%)	$31.04	$64,560	$209,295	$1,614
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters SOC 47-2152	5,220	380	8%	$34.03	$70,780	$232,448	$1,770
Electricians SOC 47-2111	6,930	1,380	25%	$35.00	$72,790	$239,930	$1,820
Paramedics SOC 29-2043 · prior-year code differs	1,000	(1,940)	(66%)	$35.18	$73,170	$241,344	$1,829
Firefighters SOC 33-2011	2,510	620	33%	$35.41	$73,660	$243,168	$1,842
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education SOC 25-2021	13,150	2,940	29%	—	$76,570	$254,000	$1,914
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers SOC 33-3051	4,600	(2,540)	(36%)	$38.85	$80,810	$269,783	$2,020
Registered Nurses SOC 29-1141	30,930	0	0%	$47.64	$99,100	$337,864	$2,478

Affordable home price uses the same Section 3 formula (30% housing budget, 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr T&I, 0.5% PMI). Affordable rent is 30% of monthly wages. Negative job-change values are shown in red parentheses. A "prior-year code differs" note flags occupations whose SOC code changed between the two vintages (2010 SOC → 2018 SOC) — the change estimate is best-effort.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (10-year change vs. May 2015). Jobs counts and wages reflect the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county, not the county alone — OEWS is not published at the county level.

Methodology & sources

All figures derive from the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. State and national comparisons are population-weighted aggregates of county-level estimates (an approximation; ACS publishes its own state and national medians which can differ slightly).

The affordability calculator uses a 30% housing-budget rule with a 30-year mortgage. Defaults are 7% interest, 5% down, $2,500/year taxes and insurance, and 0.5% PMI — adjustable above.

Variables: 24027 · pulled from Full Housing Data Table.xlsx.