Howard County, Maryland Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 6th-largest in Maryland

The population of Howard County, Maryland is 333,916 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 6th-largest county in Maryland. The median household income is $146,982, the median home value is $576,700, and the median age is 39.4.

The population of Howard County has grown 17.7% since 2010 (288,618 → 339,668), a +1.17% annualized rate.

Howard County within Maryland · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

333,916

Population

+1.17%

Annual growth

1331

People / sq mi

$146,982

Median Income

$576,700

Median Home Value

Howard County covers 251 sq mi of land at 1330.6 people per square mile.

About Howard County, MD

What sets Howard County apart is money: median household income runs $146,982, above the US median of $78,538. With 333,916 residents, Howard County is a county in Maryland. That makes it one of the ten largest counties in Maryland in the country, at #6 by population.

Income is a real outlier — the median household pulls in $146,982, putting Howard County near the top of US counties. Very few residents live in poverty — 3.3%, below the national 12.4%. Home prices are steep, with the typical property valued at $576,700, with typical rent around $2,038.

The population is unusually well-credentialed for US counties — 64.5% of adults have a four-year degree, above the national 35.0%. Remote work is widespread — 23.2% of workers stay home, above the national 14.0%, and the average commute runs about 29 minutes each way.

Taken together, the income and housing figures place Howard County firmly in the higher-cost, higher-earning tier of US counties — a profile that tends to track dense job markets and competitive housing.

Howard County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Howard County had a population of 288,618 in 2010 and 339,668 in 2024, a 17.7% growth over 14 years. The peak was 339,668 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 1.17%.

Howard County population, 2010–2024 · Source: U.S. Census Bureau — decennial census & Population Estimates

339,668

Population (2024)

288,618

Population (2010)

339,668

Peak (2024)

1.17%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	288,618	-	-	estimate
2011	293,596	+4,978	+1.72%	estimate
2012	299,223	+5,627	+1.92%	estimate
2013	303,590	+4,367	+1.46%	estimate
2014	306,989	+3,399	+1.12%	estimate
2015	311,417	+4,428	+1.44%	estimate
2016	315,581	+4,164	+1.34%	estimate
2017	319,409	+3,828	+1.21%	estimate
2018	322,895	+3,486	+1.09%	estimate
2019	325,951	+3,056	+0.95%	estimate
2020	332,821	+6,870	+2.11%	estimate
2021	335,370	+2,549	+0.77%	estimate
2022	336,439	+1,069	+0.32%	estimate
2023	337,341	+902	+0.27%	estimate
2024	339,668	+2,327	+0.69%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	48.9%
Black or African American	20.0%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.3%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

39.4

Median Age

50.7%

Female

49.3%

Male

14.8%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.5%

5–9

6.4%

10–14

7.6%

15–19

6.8%

20–24

5.6%

25–34

11.9%

35–44

14.6%

45–54

13.8%

55–59

7.0%

60–64

6.0%

65–74

8.8%

75–84

4.3%

85+

1.7%

Children (under 15): 19.5% · Seniors (65+): 14.8%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$146,982+$45,330 vs state
Mean household income	$180,793
Per-capita income	$65,860
Poverty rate	3.3%-3.0% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.5%
Employment-to-population	66.3%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

25.8%

Finance & real estate

21.2%

Public administration

11.4%

Education & health care

7.1%

Information

6.4%

Manufacturing

5.3%

Arts, entertainment & food

4.4%

Construction

4.1%

The largest employment sector in Howard County is professional & business services, accounting for 25.8% of workers.

How residents commute

1.9%

Drive alone

0.9%

Carpool

67.4%

Public transit

23.2%

Work from home

28.8 min

Avg commute

Housing

$576,700+$179,000 vs state

Median home value

$2,038

Median rent

71.7%

Homeownership rate

124,489

Total housing units

96.4%

Occupied

3.6%

Vacant

28.3%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

96.0%

With health insurance

98.5%

With broadband internet

35.3%

Foreign-born

6.2%

Veterans (18+)

8.4%

With a disability

73.2%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

95.3%

High School+

64.5%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Maryland

Baltimore (577,193)Columbia (105,871)Germantown (90,521)Waldorf (82,541)Silver Spring (82,129)Frederick (80,617)Ellicott City (73,737)Glen Burnie (72,772)Gaithersburg (69,225)Bethesda (67,403)All Maryland cities →

Other counties in Maryland

Montgomery County (1,057,586)Prince George's County (955,584)Baltimore County (849,586)Anne Arundel County (590,936)Baltimore city (577,193)Frederick County (280,341)Harford County (262,509)Carroll County (174,318)Charles County (168,710)Washington County (155,033)All Maryland counties →

Part of Maryland

Maryland demographic profile All Maryland data →

Metro areas in Maryland

Washington (6,263,796)Philadelphia (6,241,882)Baltimore (2,839,409)Hagerstown (298,525)Lexington Park (208,163)Salisbury (128,802)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Howard County, Maryland has a population of 333,916 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 6th-largest county in Maryland. Population density is 1331 people per square mile.

The population of Howard County has grown 17.7% since 2010 (288,618 → 339,668), a +1.17% annualized rate.

The median household income in Howard County, Maryland is $146,982, with mean (average) household income of $180,793 and per-capita income of $65,860. 3.3% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Howard County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (48.9%), Black or African American (20.0%), Hispanic or Latino (1.3%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Howard County, Maryland is 39.4 years. Residents are 50.7% female and 49.3% male.

The median home value in Howard County is $576,700 and median monthly rent is $2,038. 71.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 124,489 total housing units, 3.6% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Howard County, Maryland is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 25.8% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.5%.

Baltimore is among the largest cities associated with Howard County, Maryland, with a population of 577,193.