County profile · Iowa
Howard County, IA market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Howard County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 9,415
- −0.8% since 2020
- Households
- 3,773
- Median household income
- $67,446
- Median home value
- $147,800
- Jobs located here
- 4,105
- Market scores
- Not scored
- Counties under 10,000 people aren’t given a market score, since a few businesses can swing their figures.
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Howard County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Howard County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 9,415 people live in Howard County, in 3,773 households. Population estimates put the population change in Howard County from 2020 to 2025 at −0.8%, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in Howard County is $67,446 a year, 16% below the U.S. median of $80,734.
Set against the U.S., households in Howard County spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 128, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (56).
Counties under 10,000 people aren’t given a market score, since a few businesses can swing their figures.
For its number of households, Howard County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for insurance agencies (87% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for salons, barbers and spas (38% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Howard County
Counties under 10,000 people aren’t given a market score, since a few businesses can swing their figures. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurants and cafes | 30 | 79.5 | $446K | 120 | 12 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 21 | 55.7 | $236K | 155 | 4 |
| Auto repair and car care | 17 | 45.1 | $273K | 102 | 8 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 17 | 45.1 | $787K | 119 | 7 |
| Auto repair shops | 12 | 31.8 | $387K | 87 | 5 |
| Insurance agencies | 11 | 29.2 | $670K | 53 | 10 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 11 | 29.2 | $315K | 148 | Under 3 |
| Hair salons | 10 | 26.5 | $347K | 81 | Under 3 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 9 | 23.9 | $2.4M | 71 | Under 3 |
| Real estate | 9 | 23.9 | Index only | 128 | 3 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 7 | 18.6 | Index only | 131 | Under 3 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 6 | 15.9 | $1.1M | 129 | Under 3 |
| Chiropractors | 5 | 13.3 | $991K | 41 | 4 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 5 | 13.3 | $1.4M | 107 | Under 3 |
| Home repair trades | 5 | 13.3 | $1.9M | 80 | 8 |
| Convenience stores | 4 | 10.6 | $5.4M | 69 | Under 3 |
| Gas stations | 4 | 10.6 | $3M | 126 | 8 |
| Grocery stores | 4 | 10.6 | $5.4M | 59 | Under 3 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 4 | 10.6 | $705K | 106 | Under 3 |
| Pet businesses | 4 | 10.6 | $715K | 81 | Under 3 |
| Pizza | 4 | 10.6 | $3.3M | 66 | 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 3 | 8.0 | $4.5M | 146 | 3 |
| Gyms | 3 | 8.0 | $940K | 72 | Under 3 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 3 | 8.0 | $3.2M | 68 | 5 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 2 | 5.3 | $6.7M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 2 | 5.3 | $2.3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 2 | 5.3 | $2.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Electricians | 2 | 5.3 | $4.8M | Too few | 3 |
| Funeral homes | 2 | 5.3 | $315K | Too few | Under 3 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 2 | 5.3 | $2.2M | Too few | 4 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 2 | 5.3 | $2.2M | Too few | 4 |
| Physical therapy | 2 | 5.3 | $2.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Property management | 2 | 5.3 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Tire shops | 2 | 5.3 | $2.3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 1 | 2.7 | $13.4M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | 1 | 2.7 | $4.6M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Child care and preschools | 1 | 2.7 | $1.2M | Too few | 4 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 1 | 2.7 | $2.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 1 | 2.7 | $2.9M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | 1 | 2.7 | $2.9M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Spas and skin care | 1 | 2.7 | $3.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 1 | 2.7 | $5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Veterinarians | 1 | 2.7 | $2.9M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Barbershops | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| House cleaning | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Laundromats | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Nail salons | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pest control | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in Howard County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $4.6M | $1,230 | 128 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $12M | $3,190 | 123 |
| Food away from home | $13.4M | $3,548 | 87 |
| Groceries | $21.8M | $5,772 | 91 |
| Personal care products and services | $3.5M | $919 | 91 |
| Child care and other personal services | $1.2M | $327 | 56 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $2.8M | $747 | 76 |
| Medical and dental services | $5M | $1,314 | 102 |
| Pets | $2.9M | $758 | 83 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $6.8M | $1,803 | 88 |
| Vehicle insurance | $7.4M | $1,954 | 100 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $9.7M | $2,561 | 85 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $4.3M | $1,146 | 81 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $50M | $13,261 | 80 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Howard County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 9,415−0.8% since 2020
- Households
- 3,773
- Median age
- 40.5
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 77%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.2
- Land area
- 473 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 20
- Median household income
- $67,446
- Average household income
- $87,621
- Median home value
- $147,800
- Jobs located here
- 4,105
- Daytime population
- 9,049Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Howard County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Howard County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in Iowa 8
- Winneshiek County, IA19,873 people
- Chickasaw County, IA11,807 people
- Mitchell County, IA10,575 people
- Floyd County, IA15,328 people
- Allamakee County, IA14,092 people
- Fayette County, IA19,288 people
- Bremer County, IA25,204 people
- Worth County, IA7,350 people
Questions
How fast is Howard County, IA growing?
Population estimates put Howard County at 9,415 people in 2025, down 0.8% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 3,773 households.
How much do households in Howard County, IA spend?
Households in Howard County spend about $50M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $21.8M on groceries and $13.4M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Howard County runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 128, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (56).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Howard County, IA?
The score leaves out counties under 10,000 people, where a handful of businesses would swing it.
How does Howard County, IA compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Howard County is $67,446, 16% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 0.8% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $147,800, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for insurance agencies (87% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for salons, barbers and spas (38% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. Markets with fewer than 5 map listings of the type, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored, since a few businesses can swing their figures.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Howard County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in Iowa · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in Howard County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Howard County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.