City profile · Wisconsin · Census ACS 2023

Howard, WI

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

20,261
Residents
$84,896
Median income
$286,200
Median home
$1,164
Median rent (state)

Howard - the verdict

Nationally, Howard sits in the 66th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

66th
percentile, household income
63rd
percentile, home value
33rd
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: Howard, WI

20,261 people live in Howard, Wisconsin - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Howard brings in $84,896 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 3.7%. Howard's housing stock carries a median value of $286,200, and the median resident age is 41.9 years. Educational attainment runs 34.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 68.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 184 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 39% from five years earlier.

Living costs in Wisconsin run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Wisconsin at 94.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,164 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Wisconsin's average monthly utility costs around $225 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 90.0 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

20,261 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wisconsin

Median Household Income

$84,896 /yr

Poverty 3.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.1 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wisconsin average

How does Howard compare to other US cities?

Where Howard sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 66% higher than other cities
Home value 63% pricier than other cities
Median rent 33% 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

Each percentile compares Howard against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Wisconsin only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Wisconsin-relative analysis

Median Home Value places Howard toward the top of Wisconsin's cities

Among the 754 Wisconsin cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Howard ranks #129 - the 83rd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Howard only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#188 of 753
75th percentile in Wisconsin
Median Gross Rent
#286 of 761
60th percentile in Wisconsin
Median Home Value
#129 of 754
83rd percentile in Wisconsin
Poverty Rate
#468 of 761
38th percentile in Wisconsin
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#150 of 761
80th percentile in Wisconsin

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Wisconsin only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

66thIncome percentile

66th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Howard's home value compares nationally

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

$286,200 37th percentile more affordable than 37% 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%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Howard $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 - Howard, WI Howard, WI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Howard, WI-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 Howard, WI median $84,896/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%
Howard, WI'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 Howard, WI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 34.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 68.9%

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

Population
20,261
Median Income
$84,896
Median Home Value
$286,200
Median Age
41.9
Poverty Rate
3.7%
Labor force participation
68.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
34.9%

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
19,000 residents20,000 residents21,000 residents22,000 residents23,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 19,994 residents 22,233 residents ▲ +11.2%
Howard's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
184
housing units authorized
Single-Family
30
detached homes
Multifamily
154
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
9.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 132
2020 146
2021 171
2022 172
2023 193
2024 184

Permit volume increased 39% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
80.3%
Carpool
8.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
11.1%

Based on 11,138 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Howard sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.1
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,164/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
90.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Wisconsin

South Milwaukee
20,547 people
Germantown
20,940 people
Pleasant Prairie
21,515 people
Fox Crossing
18,960 people
Onalaska
18,909 people
Wisconsin Rapids
18,756 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Howard's 20,261 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Westminster, MD
20,257 people
Morristown, NJ
20,256 people
Lynbrook, NY
20,251 people
Lennox, CA
20,289 people
East Hemet, CA
20,292 people
Sherwood, OR
20,227 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Howard's $84,896 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Indian Head, MD
$84,898 median income
Calistoga, CA
$84,892 median income
Cudjoe Key, FL
$84,890 median income
Bemiss, GA
$84,886 median income
Okawville, IL
$84,881 median income
Odell, OR
$84,911 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Howard, WI 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 Howard, WI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 92.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.3% White 92.1% Black or African American 3.0% Asian 1.6% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.5% Two or more races 2.7% 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 Howard compares to nearby Wisconsin cities

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

City Population Median Household Income
Howard (this city) 20,261 $84,896
South Milwaukee 20,547 $70,146
Germantown 20,940 $104,337
Pleasant Prairie 21,515 $103,903
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WI Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Howard, WI?

What is the population of Howard, WI? +

20,261 people live in Howard, WI according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Howard, WI? +

In Howard, the typical household earns $84,896 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Howard? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Howard; the closest available measure is the Wisconsin state average, a cost of living index of 94.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Wisconsin vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Howard, WI? +

Homes in Howard carry a median value of $286,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.