Howard, Cass County, Michigan Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Howard, Michigan, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Howard, Michigan. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Howard, Michigan. The estimated population of Howard, Michigan is 6,288 people, with a median age of 50.3.

We can look at the total population in Howard over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
6,288
+3.37%
+3.22%
2020
6,083
-0.13% -
2019
6,091
-0.05% -
2018
6,094
+0.03%
-
2017
6,092
- -

Population of Howard, Michigan by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
88.6%
96.3%
-8.00%
Black/African American
5.3%
1.8%
+194.44%
Native
1%
0%
0.00%
Hispanic
2%
1.3%
+53.85%
Asian
0.7%
0.5%
+40.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
0.00%
Two Or More Races
2.4%
0.2%
+1,100.00%
Other
0%
0%
0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Howard, Michigan by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 50.3 +0.4% 50.3 -0.2% 50.3 +4.14%
2020 50.1 +10.11% 50.4 +16.13% 48.3 0%
2019 45.5 +1.56% 43.4 +0.7% 48.3 +6.15%
2018 44.8 -1.97% 43.1 -0.92% 45.5 -1.94%
2017 45.7 - 43.5 - 46.4 -

The median age of Howard, Michigan gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 323 -89.29% 242 -42.05% 105 148
10 to 19 402 +38.5% 361 +75.87% 555 673
20 to 29 288 -1.82% 262 -33.78% 271 177
30 to 39 357 -10.04% 336 -38.07% 307 220
40 to 49 331 -8.21% 452 -30.74% 297 322
50 to 59 401 +15.6% 527 +22.67% 455 648
60 to 69 556 +13.22% 420 +8.66% 606 450
70+ 384 +39.67% 450 +11.87% 552 502

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Howard, Michigan is $67,928.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Howard.

  • Under 25
    $40,962.00
  • 25 to 44
    $80,020.00
  • 45 to 64
    $97,121.00
  • 65 and over
    $52,712.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Howard, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Howard, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Howard, Michigan is currently $89,927.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

5.21% of households in Howard are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Howard against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    20.03%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    14.90%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    18.85%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    14.60%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    18.64%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    7.78%
  • $200,000 or more
    5.21%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Howard is $33,031.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Howard by the total population of Howard.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Howard, Michigan, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Howard to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    11.67%
  • Bachelor's degree
    17.47%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    12.01%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    55.87%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.99%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Howard that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Howard over the age of 16 is 5,211.

Of those people, a total of 55.10% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Howard is 51.90%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 404 31.90% 27.90%
20 to 24 years 372 97.80% 10.70%
25 to 29 years 76 80.30% 0.00%
30 to 34 years 257 89.90% 17.70%
35 to 44 years 723 73.90% 1.70%
45 to 54 years 775 75.20% 2.10%
55 to 59 years 494 72.70% 0.00%
60 to 64 years 726 56.70% 4.60%
65 to 74 years 676 19.70% 0.00%
75 years and over 708 9.00% 18.80%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Howard. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 4,679 54.40% 6.60%
Black or African American 276 50.70% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 64 26.60% 0.00%
Asian 38 63.20% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 6 100.00% 0.00%
Two or more races 148 93.20% 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino 46 100.00% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 4,639 54.00% 6.70%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Howard as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Howard is 2,702, with median earnings of $42,514.00.

Women in Howard, Michigan earning approximately 49.10% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 2,702 $42,514.00
Male 1,437 $51,929.00
Female 1,265 $25,477.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 329 $69,375.00
Business and Financial 75 $41,010.00
Computer and Mathematical 38 $56,875.00
Architecture and Engineering 50 $68,333.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 77 $0.00
Community and Social Service 48 $0.00
Legal 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 270 $60,208.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 0 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 101 $70,313.00
Healthcare Support 32 $32,857.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 8 $0.00
Law Enforcement 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 186 $9,313.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 98 $23,833.00
Personal Care and Service 27 $0.00
Sales 111 $27,171.00
Office and Administrative Support 227 $26,438.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 25 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 253 $35,972.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 135 $58,906.00
Production 402 $44,479.00
Transportation and Material Moving 113 $25,057.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 240 $69,722.00 89 $68,807.00
Business and Financial 16 $0.00 59 $41,106.00
Computer and Mathematical 22 $0.00 16 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 37 $100,250.00 13 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 77 $0.00 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 0 $0.00 48 $0.00
Legal 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 80 $57,500.00 190 $60,385.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 6 $0.00 95 $70,938.00
Healthcare Support 17 $0.00 15 $0.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 8 $0.00 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 60 $0.00 126 $4,961.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 44 $27,167.00 54 $21,000.00
Personal Care and Service 0 $0.00 27 $0.00
Sales 41 $107,560.00 70 $14,375.00
Office and Administrative Support 32 $0.00 195 $22,083.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 0 $0.00 25 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 183 $38,229.00 70 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 135 $58,906.00 0 $0.00
Production 304 $49,196.00 98 $24,605.00
Transportation and Material Moving 73 $27,330.00 40 $0.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 2,302 households in Howard, with an average household size of 2.73 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 1,650 families in Howard with an average family size of 3.23 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 1,268 123 259 652
Average Household Size 3.37 2.89 3.21 1.26
Total Families 1,268 123 259 0
Average Household Size 3.36 2.8 2.78 0

Poverty

Of the 1,650 families in Howard, 10.40% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Howard:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 2,571 housing units in Howard, Michigan.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 2,302 89.54%
Vacant 269 10.46%

2.96% of the total 2,571 housing units in Howard are rental units. This is approximately 76 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 2,134 are occupied by the owner - or 83.00% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Howard is $865.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Howard that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    92
  • Less than $500
    0
  • $500 to $999
    54
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    22
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    0
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Howard is $147,700.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Howard that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    69
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    508
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    519
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    302
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    329
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    226
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    172
  • $1,000,000 or more
    9

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Howard. The chart below shows the number of properties in Howard that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    196
  • 1940 to 1949
    189
  • 1950 to 1959
    424
  • 1960 to 1969
    474
  • 1970 to 1979
    522
  • 1980 to 1989
    150
  • 1990 to 1999
    219
  • 2000 to 2009
    300
  • 2010 to 2013
    97
  • 2014 or later
    0

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Howard that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    35
  • 1 vehicle available
    699
  • 2 vehicles available
    925
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    643

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Howard get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Howard that commute to work in a particular way.

23.8 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Howard.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    91
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    138
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    261
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    595
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    368
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    140
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    303
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    51
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    141
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    224
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    99
  • 90 or more minutes
    6

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Howard, Michigan in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.