County profile · Nebraska
Howard County, NE market data
How Howard County compares with other counties for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 6,538
- +0.8% since 2020
- Households
- 2,504
- Median household income
- $76,767
- Median home value
- $209,100
- Jobs located here
- 1,618
- 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
Howard County has an estimated 6,538 people and 2,504 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of Howard County grew 0.8%, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in Howard County is $76,767, 5% below the U.S. median of $80,734.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in Howard County runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 145, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (68).
Counties under 10,000 people aren’t given a market score, since a few businesses can swing their figures.
Howard County is part of the Grand Island metro area. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for grocery and convenience stores (2.1 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for sit-down restaurants (28% 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 | 29 | 115.8 | $334K | 90 | 7 |
| Auto repair and car care | 13 | 51.9 | $267K | 99 | 6 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 11 | 43.9 | $881K | 133 | 5 |
| Auto repair shops | 10 | 39.9 | $347K | 78 | 4 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 10 | 39.9 | $1.5M | 45 | 3 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 8 | 31.9 | $443K | 291 | Under 3 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 7 | 28.0 | $703K | 80 | Under 3 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 6 | 24.0 | $821K | 65 | Under 3 |
| Convenience stores | 5 | 20.0 | $3M | 38 | Under 3 |
| Insurance agencies | 4 | 16.0 | $1.3M | 106 | 6 |
| Real estate | 4 | 16.0 | Index only | 203 | Under 3 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 4 | 16.0 | $620K | 292 | Under 3 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 3 | 12.0 | $3.2M | 78 | Under 3 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 3 | 12.0 | $1.2M | 120 | Under 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 3 | 12.0 | $3.2M | 106 | Under 3 |
| Gas stations | 3 | 12.0 | $2.9M | 122 | 6 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 3 | 12.0 | $740K | 112 | Under 3 |
| Hair salons | 3 | 12.0 | $827K | 192 | Under 3 |
| Home repair trades | 3 | 12.0 | $2.3M | 94 | 9 |
| Pizza | 3 | 12.0 | $3.2M | 64 | Under 3 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 3 | 12.0 | Index only | 215 | Under 3 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 2 | 8.0 | $4.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Electricians | 2 | 8.0 | $3.4M | Too few | 6 |
| Funeral homes | 2 | 8.0 | $242K | Too few | Under 3 |
| Grocery stores | 2 | 8.0 | $7.6M | Too few | 3 |
| Gyms | 2 | 8.0 | $1.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 2 | 8.0 | $1.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Barbershops | 1 | 4.0 | $2.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Chiropractors | 1 | 4.0 | $3.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 1 | 4.0 | $3.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 1 | 4.0 | $6.8M | Too few | 3 |
| Laundromats | 1 | 4.0 | $4.9M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet businesses | 1 | 4.0 | $2.1M | Too few | 3 |
| Property management | 1 | 4.0 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Veterinarians | 1 | 4.0 | $2.1M | Too few | 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 1 | 4.0 | $2.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Child care and preschools | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 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 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 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 |
| Pest control | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Physical therapy | 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 |
| Spas and skin care | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Tire shops | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 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 | $3.5M | $1,386 | 145 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $8.8M | $3,496 | 135 |
| Food away from home | $9.7M | $3,871 | 95 |
| Groceries | $15.1M | $6,043 | 96 |
| Personal care products and services | $2.5M | $991 | 99 |
| Child care and other personal services | $990K | $395 | 68 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $2.2M | $887 | 90 |
| Medical and dental services | $3.5M | $1,416 | 110 |
| Pets | $2.1M | $844 | 93 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $4.9M | $1,966 | 96 |
| Vehicle insurance | $5.3M | $2,130 | 109 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $6.8M | $2,729 | 90 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $3.1M | $1,235 | 87 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $35.1M | $14,035 | 84 |
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
- 6,538+0.8% since 2020
- Households
- 2,504
- Median age
- 41.8
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 78%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.4
- Land area
- 569 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 11
- Median household income
- $76,767
- Average household income
- $96,174
- Median home value
- $209,100
- Jobs located here
- 1,618
- Daytime population
- 4,828Residents 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 Nebraska 8
- Hall County, NE62,536 people
- Merrick County, NE7,724 people
- Greeley County, NE2,202 people
- Sherman County, NE2,967 people
- Hamilton County, NE9,464 people
- Nance County, NE3,324 people
- Valley County, NE4,066 people
- Boone County, NE5,356 people
Questions
How fast is Howard County, NE growing?
Population estimates put Howard County at 6,538 people in 2025, up 0.8% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 2,504 households.
How much do households in Howard County, NE spend?
Households in Howard County spend about $35.1M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $15.1M on groceries and $9.7M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in Howard County spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 145, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (68).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Howard County, NE?
The score leaves out counties under 10,000 people, where a handful of businesses would swing it.
How does Howard County, NE compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in Howard County is $76,767 a year, 5% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 0.8% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $209,100, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, Howard County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for grocery and convenience stores (2.1 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for sit-down restaurants (28% 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 Nebraska · 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.