Howard County, Missouri: commercial real estate data.
Howard County, Missouri had an estimated 10,150 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.0 percent since the 2020 census base of 10,154, across 464 square miles. County output reached $295.1 m in 2024, 179 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 10 7(a) approvals worth $2.6 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Howard County
How many people live in Howard County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202410,147
- Households3,585
- Average household size2.83
- Median household income$65,938
- Median age39.0
- Median gross rent$832 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$159,400
- Home value to household income2.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher28.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree10.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over6,499
- Population under 182,155
- Share under 1821.2 percent
- Population 65 and over2,042
- Share 65 and over20.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 645,950
- Civilian labor force4,653
- Unemployment rate3.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over58.2 percent
- Rank by population among Missouri counties85th of 115
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2471st of 3,222
Howard County is the 85th largest of 115 Missouri counties by population. A median home costs 2.4 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.2 percent against 20.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Howard County
Is Howard County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202410,150
- Census 2020 base population10,154
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.04 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202434
- Births, 2024107
- Deaths, 2024112
- Natural change, 2024-5
- Net domestic migration, 202441
- Net international migration, 2024-2
- Total net migration, 202439
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 202464
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1842nd of 3,144
The county has lost 0.04 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Howard County
Where are people moving to Howard County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving235
- People arriving, from those returns411
- Tax returns filed by households leaving254
- Net household movement-19
- Adjusted gross income arriving$10.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$1.1 m
- Average income of an arriving household$45,264
- Average income of a leaving household$37,516
- Largest single originBoone County (77 households)
- Largest single destinationBoone County (79 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boone County | 77 | 130 | $3.2 m |
| Cooper County | 40 | 80 | $1.4 m |
| Randolph County | 21 | 41 | $948,000 |
Households arriving report $7,748 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Boone County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Howard County
What is the Howard County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$295.1 m
- County GDP, 2023$300.2 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-1.7 percent
- GDP change over five years24.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Missouri areas BEA publishes90th of 115
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2707th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$29,087
Output grew -1.7 percent in the latest year and 24.8 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Howard County
Employment by industry in Howard County
- Covered employment, annual average2,438
- Establishments reporting232
- Average annual pay$43,039
- Average weekly wage$828
- Manufacturing, employment294
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$53,164
- Retail trade, employment203
- Retail trade, average annual pay$23,559
- Accommodation and food services, employment158
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$13,391
- Finance and insurance, employment110
- Finance and insurance, average annual pay$70,195
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment63
- Wholesale trade, employment48
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 294 | 12 | $53,164 |
| Retail trade | 203 | 24 | $23,559 |
| Accommodation and food services | 158 | 14 | $13,391 |
| Finance and insurance | 110 | 17 | $70,195 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 63 | 12 | $48,105 |
| Wholesale trade | 48 | 9 | $49,693 |
| Construction | 44 | 19 | $45,492 |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 17 | 4 | $26,582 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 294 jobs, 12.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Howard County
How many businesses are in Howard County?
- Establishments, all industries179
- Employment at those establishments2,038
- Annual payroll$78.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents17.6
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Howard County
Building permits in Howard County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202411
- Declared construction value permitted$1.3 m
- Single family units authorized6
- Multifamily units authorized5
- Multifamily share of units45.5 percent
- Average declared value per unit$119,759
- Units authorized per 1,000 households3.1
Multifamily is 45.5 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Howard County
SBA loans in Howard County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded10
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$2.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$259,800
- Median 7(a) approval$154,200
- Largest single approval$860,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)80
- Jobs per approval8.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active5
- Distinct industries receiving approvals6
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer40.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter6
- Franchise loans3
- Franchise share of approvals30.0 percent
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Howard County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Howard County
Do SBA loans in Howard County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full5
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full5
- Status: Exempt from disclosure4
- Status: Cancelled1
Only 5 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Howard County
SBA lending by place in Howard County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Fayette, approvals6
- Glasgow, approvals4
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Fayette | 6 | $2,026,100 |
| Glasgow | 4 | $571,900 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Howard County
How large is Howard County?
- Land area464 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Missouri counties92nd of 115
- Width, east to west27.4 mi
- Height, north to south25.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land22
- Establishments per square mile0.39
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Howard County
Flood risk in Howard County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Howard County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 290162
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book7
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Howard County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Howard County (community 290162), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Howard County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Howard County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Howard County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202410,147
- Households3,585
- Average household size2.83
- Median household income$65,938
- Median age39.0
Common questions
Howard County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Howard County, Missouri?
The Census Bureau estimates 10,150 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 10,147, in 3,585 households, ranking 85th of 115 Missouri counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Howard County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.04 percent since the 2020 census base of 10,154, to 10,150 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 107 births against 112 deaths, with net migration of 39. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Howard County?
$65,938. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $159,400, which is 2.4 times income, and median gross rent is $832 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Howard County?
179 establishments, employing 2,038 people with an annual payroll of $78.4 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Howard County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 294 jobs, 12.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 2,438 jobs at an average annual pay of $43,039, or $828 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Howard County?
10 7(a) approvals totaling $2.6 m since FY2020, across 5 lenders, with a median approval of $154,200. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Howard County?
11 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $1.3 m. Multifamily was 45.5 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Howard County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Howard County come from?
The largest single origin is Boone County, with 77 households. Arriving households report an average income of $45,264 against $37,516 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Howard County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Howard County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Howard County
Cities and places in Howard.
5 Census places lie wholly or partly in Howard County. All 5 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayette | city | 2,801 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| New Franklin | city | 1,170 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Glasgow | city | 1,118 | 4 | 94.3 percent here, 5.7 percent Chariton County |
| Armstrong | city | 416 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Franklin | city | 66 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
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