Howard County, Texas Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Howard County, Texas, 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 County, Texas. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Howard County, Texas. The estimated population of Howard County, Texas is 34,620 people, with a median age of 37.1.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
34,620
 -4.4% -5.13%
2020
36,213
 -0.37% -
2019
36,349
 -0.87% -
2018
36,667
+0.48%
-
2017
36,491
 - -

Population of Howard County, Texas 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
46.6%
50%
 -6.80%
Black/African American
5.2%
5.2%
 0.00%
Native
0.5%
0.7%
 -28.57%
Hispanic
44%
41.2%
 +6.80%
Asian
0.9%
0.8%
 +12.50%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0.1%
 -100.00%
Two Or More Races
2.7%
2%
 +35.00%
Other
0.1%
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 County, Texas 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 37.1 -1.07% 37.5 -0.79% 36.3 -1.09%
2020 37.5 +2.74% 37.8 +2.44% 36.7 +1.66%
2019 36.5 -0.27% 36.9 -0.54% 36.1 +0.28%
2018 36.6 -0.27% 37.1 +0.27% 36 -1.1%
2017 36.7 - 37 - 36.4 -

The median age of Howard County, Texas 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 2,360 -17.48% 2,052 +1.59% 1,970 2,075
10 to 19 2,400 +13.9% 2,171 +1.76% 2,747 2,206
20 to 29 3,324 -24.56% 2,256 -17% 2,576 1,888
30 to 39 3,331 +3.47% 2,204 -8.49% 3,443 1,997
40 to 49 2,847 -0.67% 1,830 +5.21% 2,783 1,898
50 to 59 3,135 -5.76% 2,106 -17.63% 2,944 1,754
60 to 69 1,774 +1.85% 1,509 +8.53% 1,802 1,637
70+ 1,417 -3.32% 1,775 -14.07% 1,369 1,531

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Howard County, Texas is $60,260.00.

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 County.

  • Under 25
    $42,002.00
  • 25 to 44
    $72,960.00
  • 45 to 64
    $61,576.00
  • 65 and over
    $42,854.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Howard County, 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 County, Texas is currently $74,352.00.

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.

4.01% of households in Howard County 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 County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    18.99%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    22.79%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    20.48%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    14.14%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    14.67%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    4.93%
  • $200,000 or more
    4.01%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Howard County is $27,504.00.

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

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

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Howard County 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
    6.15%
  • Bachelor's degree
    18.77%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    19.72%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    51.10%
  • Less than high school diploma
    4.26%

Employment

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

The total population of Howard County over the age of 16 is 27,853.

Of those people, a total of 53.30% 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 County is 50.30%.

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 2,231 38.90% 23.60%
20 to 24 years 1,947 66.90% 3.10%
25 to 29 years 2,517 69.10% 11.10%
30 to 34 years 2,736 62.00% 5.70%
35 to 44 years 4,922 57.70% 1.60%
45 to 54 years 5,105 65.80% 5.20%
55 to 59 years 2,056 58.90% 3.40%
60 to 64 years 1,933 50.80% 0.50%
65 to 74 years 2,528 26.80% 0.00%
75 years and over 1,878 8.90% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Howard County. 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 21,515 56.10% 5.20%
Black or African American 1,710 42.30% 2.90%
American Indian and Alaska Native 251 32.70% 25.60%
Asian 246 60.60% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 8 0.00% 0.00%
Other 2,162 50.80% 9.60%
Two or more races 1,961 36.50% 3.60%
Hispanic or Latino 11,559 49.60% 7.60%
Not Hispanic or Latino 13,584 59.00% 4.20%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Howard County 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 County is 14,007, with median earnings of $39,779.00.

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

Population Earnings
Total 14,007 $39,779.00
Male 8,449 $53,901.00
Female 5,558 $26,473.00

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 1,167 $67,254.00
Business and Financial 534 $44,244.00
Computer and Mathematical 78 $59,333.00
Architecture and Engineering 90 $77,000.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 67 $59,948.00
Community and Social Service 254 $39,125.00
Legal 69 $108,568.00
Educational and Library 868 $42,300.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 316 $30,530.00
Healthcare Practitioners 730 $74,063.00
Healthcare Support 561 $24,539.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 82 $11,515.00
Law Enforcement 273 $48,750.00
Food Preparation and Serving 836 $15,479.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 799 $21,088.00
Personal Care and Service 220 $13,281.00
Sales 1,007 $24,583.00
Office and Administrative Support 1,462 $31,014.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 95 $44,028.00
Construction and Extraction 1,574 $53,125.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 797 $48,897.00
Production 730 $60,455.00
Transportation and Material Moving 760 $52,902.00

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 782 $75,588.00 385 $42,393.00
Business and Financial 242 $44,622.00 292 $35,588.00
Computer and Mathematical 78 $59,333.00 0 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 90 $77,000.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 67 $59,948.00 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 117 $14,693.00 137 $62,747.00
Legal 55 $0.00 14 $0.00
Educational and Library 162 $56,983.00 706 $38,939.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 184 $125,370.00 132 $19,500.00
Healthcare Practitioners 270 $98,140.00 460 $57,727.00
Healthcare Support 69 $50,927.00 492 $21,313.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 47 $11,402.00 35 $47,875.00
Law Enforcement 204 $52,019.00 69 $6,725.00
Food Preparation and Serving 476 $13,636.00 360 $17,803.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 523 $30,320.00 276 $20,047.00
Personal Care and Service 54 $30,769.00 166 $7,237.00
Sales 479 $55,243.00 528 $18,272.00
Office and Administrative Support 346 $39,922.00 1,116 $30,197.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 95 $44,028.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 1,557 $52,674.00 17 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 795 $49,044.00 2 $0.00
Production 650 $63,033.00 80 $31,029.00
Transportation and Material Moving 601 $56,313.00 159 $35,402.00

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 12,062 households in Howard County, with an average household size of 2.53 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 7,891 families in Howard County with an average family size of 3.12 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 5,710 815 1,366 4,171
Average Household Size 3.19 2.87 3.72 1.17
Total Families 5,710 815 1,366 0
Average Household Size 3.14 2.53 3.4 0

Poverty

Of the 7,891 families in Howard County, 11.20% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Howard County:

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 13,887 housing units in Howard County, Texas.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 12,062 86.86%
Vacant 1,825 13.14%

25.75% of the total 13,887 housing units in Howard County are rental units. This is approximately 3,576 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 8,146 are occupied by the owner - or 58.66% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Howard County is $891.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Howard County 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
    340
  • Less than $500
    332
  • $500 to $999
    1,830
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    1,230
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    141
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    12
  • $3,000 or more
    31

Property Value

The median value of a property in Howard County is $121,200.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    1,594
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    1,705
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    1,625
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    1,666
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    818
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    626
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    112
  • $1,000,000 or more
    0

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    609
  • 1940 to 1949
    1,021
  • 1950 to 1959
    3,332
  • 1960 to 1969
    3,225
  • 1970 to 1979
    2,163
  • 1980 to 1989
    1,103
  • 1990 to 1999
    918
  • 2000 to 2009
    760
  • 2010 to 2013
    756
  • 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 County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    608
  • 1 vehicle available
    4,422
  • 2 vehicles available
    4,391
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    2,641

Commuting to Work

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

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

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
    797
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    2,492
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    3,559
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    2,191
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    804
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    274
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    983
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    244
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    225
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    1,095
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    720
  • 90 or more minutes
    248

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Howard County, Texas 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.

Places in Howard County, Texas

We have data for 7 places in Howard County, Texas. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.