[Greater Baltimore]

Howard County

Fast Facts:

  • Howard was home to 339,668 people and had 126,788 housing units in 2024. Since 2010, Howard has added an average of 3,700 people and 1,200 housing units per year.
  • Twenty-nine percent of households were renters and 48 percent of renters had unaffordable housing costs.
  • Howard built 569 units in 2025; an estimated 1,714 units are needed annually to meet future housing demand. Cumulatively, Howard has produced at least 3,883 units since 2022, short of its 4-year target of 6,856.
  • Howard County's Housing Opportunities Master Plan (PDF) sets an affordability target of at least 3,000 units in a ten-year period.
Sources: Census Population and Housing Unit Estimates, Decennial Census, American Community Survey (2020-24), and the HIT survey of local jurisdictions.
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Howard County
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Policy Status

Solving the region's affordable housing crisis requires a portfolio of policies to preserve existing affordable housing, produce more housing, and protect people from discrimination and displacement.

Right of First Refusal

  • Adopted: Howard County

Preservation Inventory - Subsidized

  • Not adopted: Howard County

Preservation Inventory - Unsubsidized

  • Not adopted: Howard County

Rental Assistance Demonstration

  • Adopted: Howard County

Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Homeowners

  • Adopted: Howard County

Energy Efficiency Upgrades of Affordable Housing

  • Adopted: Howard County

Housing Outcomes

Local jurisdictions submitted data to enable the region to track housing production, preservation, and rental affordability.

Amount of Housing

Number of units built by type

01,0002,0003,0004,0005,000UnitsHoward County2019202020212022202320242025
Multifamily
Single-family

Note: The City of Baltimore did not report total units built in 2023.

Affordability of Housing

Share of units affordable to households with low incomes

020406080100Percent HowardCounty43%38%12%
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Note: The City of Baltimore did not report total units built in 2023.

Housing Cost: Lowest

Units built affordable to households with incomes 0-29.9% of area median

01020304050Units HowardCounty19
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Housing Cost: Low

Units built affordable to households with incomes 30-49.9% of area median

02004006008001,000Units HowardCounty
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Housing Cost: Low-Middle

Units built affordable to households with incomes 50-79.9% of area median

02004006008001,000Units HowardCounty52752750
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Building Permits for New Construction

Number of units permitted by type

01,0002,0003,0004,000UnitsHoward County20212022202320242025
Multifamily
Single-family

Affordable Housing in Development

Number of units

01,0002,0003,0004,0005,0006,000UnitsHoward County20212022202320242025
In the pipeline
Under construction

Affordable Housing Preservation

Number of units preserved as committed affordable by type

05001,0001,5002,000Units1,085Howard County2022202320242025
Units with existing subsidies
Units previously unsubsidized

Structural Racism

Discriminatory actions and racist public policies have produced inequitable outcomes for Black, Indigenous, and people of color in the Washington region, including lower incomes and wealth, lower homeownership rates, and higher rates of housing cost burden.

Income

Average household income by race and ethnicity, 2020-24

$0$50,000$100,000$150,000$200,000$ HowardCountyRace and ethnicity$201,700$147,000$149,700$158,400$197,100
Asian or Pacific Islander
Black
Hispanic/Latinx
Indigenous, Other or Multiple Race
White

Note: Categories are not mutually exclusive. People identifying as Hispanic may also be represented in other bars except white.

Source: American Community Survey

Homeownership

Homeownership rate by race and ethnicity, 2020-24

020406080100Percent HowardCountyRace and ethnicity78%51%56%57%80%
Asian or Pacific Islander
Black
Hispanic/Latinx
Indigenous, Other or Multiple Race
White

Note: Categories are not mutually exclusive. People identifying as Hispanic may also be represented in other bars except white.

Source: American Community Survey

Homebuying

Share of mortgage originations by race and ethnicity, 2024

For first-lien owner-occupied home purchases of 1-4 unit dwellings

020406080100Percent HowardCountyRace and ethnicity10%15%7%30%38%
Asian or Pacific Islander
Black
Hispanic/Latinx
Indigenous or Multiple race
White

Note: Categories are mutually exclusive, borrowers identifying as Hispanic are not also represented in a race category. For mortgages with an applicant and a co-applicant, if they identify the same way they are captured in that category, otherwise if they have different identities they would be included in the Indigenous or Multiple race category.

Source: Home Mortgage Disclosure Act

Credit Denials

Ratio of denial rates for mortgages between white borrowers and borrowers of color, 2024

For first-lien owner-occupied home purchases of 1-4 unit dwellings

00.20.40.60.81Ratio HowardCounty0.302

Note: If White borrowers and borrowers of Color were denied mortgages at the same rate we would expect to see a ratio equal to 1. Values under 1 indicate that borrowers of Color have higher denial rates than White borrowers.

Source: Home Mortgage Disclosure Act

Rental Housing Cost Burden

Renter households paying more than 30% of their monthly income in rent, 2020-24

020406080100Percent HowardCountyRace and ethnicity48%47%56%55%40%
Asian or Pacific Islander
Black
Hispanic/Latinx
Indigenous, Other or Multiple Race
White

Note: Categories are not mutually exclusive. People identifying as Hispanic may also be represented in other bars except white. Households paying more than 30 percent of their monthly income in housing costs are considered to be cost burdened.

Source: American Community Survey

Owner Housing Cost Burden

Owner households paying more than 30% of their monthly income in housing costs, 2020-24

020406080100Percent HowardCountyRace and ethnicity21%23%17%19%14%
Asian or Pacific Islander
Black
Hispanic/Latinx
Indigenous, Other or Multiple Race
White

Note: Categories are not mutually exclusive. People identifying as Hispanic may also be represented in other bars except white. Households paying more than 30 percent of their monthly income in housing costs are considered to be cost burdened.

Source: American Community Survey

Housing Context

Understanding how household incomes relate to the supply of affordable rental and homeownership units will inform jurisdictions' efforts to meet the current and future housing needs of residents.

Household Income

Distribution of households by income level relative to the area median income, 2020-24

020406080100Percent HowardCounty28%31%
Below 30%
30-49.9%
50-79.9%
80-119.9%
120-199.9%
200% and above

Note: Income categories reflect HUD Income Limits by household size for 2024.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS)

Change in Household Income

Change in households by income level relative to the area median income, 2008-12 to 2020-24

-5,00005,000Households HowardCountyIncome level3,0602309502,3403,2006,330
Below 30%
30-49.9%
50-79.9%
80-119.9%
120-199.9%
200% and above

Note: Incomes are in 2024 dollars. Income categories reflect HUD Income Limits by household size for 2024.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS)

Renter Housing Supply by Cost

Renter housing units by monthly housing cost, 2020-24

020406080100Percent HowardCounty52%18%
$0-$899
$900-$1,499
$1,500-$2,299
$2,300-$2,799
$2,800-$3,299
$3,300 and higher

Note: Rental costs include the contractual monthly rent payment plus any additional costs to the tenant for utilities and fees.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS)

Change in Renter Housing Supply by Cost

Change in renter housing units by monthly housing cost, 2008-12 to 2020-24

-5,00005,00010,00015,000Change in Units HowardCountyRent level640-2,3402,5803,6606601,450
$0-$899
$900-$1,499
$1,500-$2,299
$2,300-$2,799
$2,800-$3,299
$3,300 and higher

Note: Costs are in 2024 dollars. Rental costs include the contractual monthly rent payment plus any additional costs to the tenant for utilities and fees.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS)

Housing Cost Burden

Renter households paying more than 30% of their monthly income in rent, 2020-24

020406080100Percent HowardCounty48%

Note: Households paying more than 30 percent of their monthly income in housing costs are considered to be cost burdened.

Source: American Community Survey

Deeply Affordable Units

Estimated number of public housing units and vouchers relative to renter households with incomes below 30% of area median, 2020-24

020406080100Per 100 households HowardCounty15

Note: Estimated number of units and vouchers is for 2025. Vouchers include federally-funded Housing Choice Vouchers and locally-funded vouchers where information was available. Income is for 2020-24 and based on the 2024 HUD Income Limits by family size.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS); HUD Picture of Subsidized Households 2024; and HUD HCVP Power BI Dashboard

Need for Accessible Units

Number of households with one or more people with a disability by income level relative to the area median, 2020-24

02,0004,0006,0008,000Households HowardCountyIncome level2,7301,3201,9001,9702,4801,860
Below 30%
30-49.9%
50-79.9%
80-119.9%
120-199.9%
200% and above

Note: Income categories reflect HUD Income Limits by household size for 2024. People with a disability includes those with cognitive disabilities, physical or self-care disabilities, ambulatory disabilities, independent living difficulties, vision disabilities, or hearing disabilities.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS)

Homeowner Housing Supply by Cost

Owner housing units by monthly housing cost for a first-time homebuyer, 2020-24

020406080100Percent HowardCounty57%
$0-$1,499
$1,500-$2,299
$2,300-$2,799
$2,800-$3,299
$3,300-$3,799
$3,800 and higher

Note: Costs for owner housing were calculated as the monthly payment for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage for 90 percent of the market value to the unit, along with estimates of other monthly costs including mortgage insurance, taxes, utilities, and fees.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS)

Affordable Homebuying

Share of mortgage originations to households with moderate incomes and below, 2024

For first-lien owner-occupied home purchases of 1-4 unit dwellings

020406080100Percent HowardCounty24%
0-80% of area median
80-120% of area median income

Source: Home Mortgage Disclosure Act

Potential Homebuyers

Number of potential homebuyers with low or moderate incomes by race and ethnicity, 2020-24

For renter households with a head of household age 45 years or younger and incomes between 50-120% of AMI

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,000Households HowardCountyRace and ethnicity9003,2001,1003002,600
Asian or Pacific Islander
Black
Hispanic/Latinx
Indigenous, Other or Multiple Race
White

Note: Categories are mutually exclusive, borrowers identifying as Hispanic are not also represented in a race category. Income categories reflect HUD Income Limits by household size for 2024. Renter households with a head of household under age 22 were excluded.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS)

Elected Officials

  1. Calvin Ball

    Calvin Ball

    County Executive

  2. Liz Walsh

    Liz Walsh

    Council Member - District 1

  3. Opel Jones

    Opel Jones

    Council Member - District 2

  4. Christiana Rigby

    Christiana Rigby

    Council Member - District 3

  5. Deb Jung

    Deb Jung

    Council Member - District 4

  6. David Yungmann

    David Yungmann

    Council Member - District 5

Equity Officer

  1. Dr. Denise Boston

    Dr. Denise Boston

    Equity and Restorative Practices Manager

Housing Official

  1. Kelly A. Cimino

    Kelly A. Cimino

    Director, Department of Housing and Community Development