Howard County vs Washington County
A side-by-side comparison of Howard County and Washington County: population, income, housing, and more.
Howard County and Washington County are counties in Maryland. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Howard County has the higher population (333,916 vs 155,033 in Washington County). Howard County has the higher median household income ($146,982 vs $74,157 in Washington County). Howard County has the higher median home value ($576,700 vs $275,900 in Washington County).
Population, income & housing
| Howard County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 333,916 | 155,033 |
| Median age | 39.4 yrs | 41.0 yrs |
| Median household income | $146,982 | $74,157 |
| Median home value | $576,700 | $275,900 |
| Median gross rent | $2,038 | $1,100 |
| Housing units | 124,489 | 63,965 |
| Homeownership rate | 71.7% | 65.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 64.5% | 23.5% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 4.9% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Howard County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 318,855 → 333,916 (+4.7%) | 150,109 → 155,033 (+3.3%) |
| Median household income | $121,160 → $146,982 (+21.3%) | $60,860 → $74,157 (+21.8%) |
| Median home value | $455,700 → $576,700 (+26.6%) | $210,300 → $275,900 (+31.2%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,716 → $2,038 (+18.8%) | $921 → $1,100 (+19.4%) |
Howard County
318,855333,916
$121,160$146,982
$455,700$576,700
$1,716$2,038
Washington County
150,109155,033
$60,860$74,157
$210,300$275,900
$921$1,100
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Howard County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.5% | 5.5% |
| 5 to 17 | 18.5% | 16.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.9% | 12.8% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.6% | 12.8% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.8% | 13.1% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.0% | 13.6% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.8% | 10.3% |
| 75 and over | 6.0% | 7.5% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Howard County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 47.0% | 74.5% |
| Black or African American | 19.6% | 11.3% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 18.8% | 1.6% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Two or more races | 5.4% | 4.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.4% | 7.3% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Howard County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 4.7% | 11.3% |
| High school graduate | 12.4% | 36.4% |
| Some college or associate's | 18.4% | 28.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 30.7% | 13.7% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 33.8% | 9.8% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Howard County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 67.4% | 75.3% |
| Carpooled | 5.4% | 9.6% |
| Public transit | 1.9% | 1.0% |
| Walked | 0.9% | 1.2% |
| Bicycle | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Worked from home | 23.2% | 11.0% |
| Other means | 1.2% | 1.5% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Howard County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 50.5% | 62.2% |
| 1-unit, attached | 22.3% | 15.2% |
| 2 to 4 units | 1.7% | 6.9% |
| 5 to 19 units | 15.3% | 9.7% |
| 20 or more units | 9.2% | 3.8% |
| Mobile home & other | 1.0% | 2.2% |
Poverty & households
| Howard County | Washington County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.1% | 12.5% |
| Average household size | 2.76 | 2.48 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 29 | 29 |
| Median year structure built | 1989 | 1974 |
Full profiles
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