City profile · Nebraska · Census ACS 2023

Howells, NE

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Howells - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

602
Residents
$72,188
Median income
$104,500
Median home
$1,094
Median rent (state)

Howells - the verdict

Howells ranks in the 53rd percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

53rd
percentile, household income
11th
percentile, home value
28th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Howells, NE

602 people live in Howells, Nebraska - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $72,188 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 1.4%. Typical homes in Howells are valued around $104,500, and the median resident age is 49.5 years. Educational attainment runs 29.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 63.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 2 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Low Activity). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 50.3°F with 28.8 inches of precipitation per year and 23.7 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Nebraska run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Nebraska scores 90.1 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,094 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $207 across Nebraska, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 28.6 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

602 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Nebraska

Median Household Income

$72,188 /yr

Poverty 1.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Nebraska average

How does Howells compare to other US cities?

Here's how Howells stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 53% higher than other cities
Home value 11% pricier than other cities
Median rent 28% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Howells's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Nebraska, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

53rdIncome percentile

53rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Howells's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$104,500 Among the most affordable more affordable than 89% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Howells $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Howells, NE Howells, NE's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Howells, NE-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Howells, NE median $72,188/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Howells, NE's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Howells, NE. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 29.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
602
Median Income
$72,188
Median Home Value
$104,500
Median Age
49.5
Poverty Rate
1.4%
Labor force participation
63.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
29.5%

Climate

Avg Temperature
50.3°F
Annual Precipitation
28.8"
Annual Snowfall
23.7"

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
540 residents550 residents560 residents570 residents580 residents 202020212022202320242025 558 residents 573 residents ▲ +2.7%
Howells's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Low Activity
Total Permits (2024)
2
housing units authorized
Single-Family
2
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 2
2022 3
2023 1
2024 2

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
79.9%
Carpool
8.7%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
4.7%
Work from Home
6.0%
Other
0.7%

Based on 298 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Nebraska - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$65
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$207
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Nebraska state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Nebraska state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Howells sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.1
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,094/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
28.6 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Nebraska

Mead
600 people
Ansley
605 people
Callaway
608 people
Clarkson
609 people
Edgar
591 people
Bancroft
590 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Howells's 602 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hammond, IL
602 people
North Salem, IN
602 people
Kasota, MN
602 people
Quogue, NY
602 people
Fallston, NC
602 people
Grover, NC
602 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Howells's $72,188 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Wainaku, HI
$72,188 median income
Parker, ID
$72,188 median income
Ladoga, IN
$72,188 median income
Santa Ana Pueblo, NM
$72,188 median income
Lisle, NY
$72,188 median income
Pamplin City, VA
$72,188 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Howells, NE Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Howells, NE - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 96.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.0% White 96.2% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.8% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.2% Two or more races 0.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Howells compares to nearby Nebraska cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Howells (this city) 602 $72,188
Mead 600 $73,500
Ansley 605 $70,694
Callaway 608 $50,938
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NE NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Howells, NE?

What is the population of Howells, NE? +

Howells, NE counts 602 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Howells, NE? +

The median household income in Howells is $72,188 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Howells? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Howells; the closest available measure is the Nebraska state average, a cost of living index of 90.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Nebraska vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Howells, NE? +

Howells's median home value sits at $104,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Howells? +

The average annual temperature in Howells runs 50.3°F, 28.8 inches of precipitation, and 23.7 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.