Key Housing Metrics
Snapshot of Howard County's housing market conditions
Median Listing Price
$619,900
+4.8% YoY
Realtor.com (October 2025)
2BR Voucher Payment Standard
$1,947–$3,069/mo
by ZIP code, county range
HCHC 2026 HCVP Payment Standards (Jan 2026)
Rental Vacancy Rate
2.8%
Very tight market
2024 HC Rental Survey
Median Home Prices by Community
Comparing prices across Howard County neighborhoods
Source: Realtor.com, Howard County Market Trends (October 2025).
Homeownership Rate by Community
Homeownership ranges from 96% in Lisbon to 66% in Columbia — a 30-point spread that closely tracks each community's housing stock and price tier.
Source: HCLS Racial Equity Data Report (October 2022) citing Census Reporter, 2016–2020. Howard County overall: 73%.
Howard County in Maryland: 2nd-Highest Median Home Price
At $520,000 in 2022, Howard County had the second-highest median home price among Maryland's 24 jurisdictions — behind only Montgomery County and ahead of Anne Arundel, Frederick, and Talbot.
Source: Maryland Comptroller, State of the Economy 2023, Appendix 3 (Figure 28), drawing on Maryland Realtors Housing Statistics (2022 data).
The Comptroller's view. Maryland's 2023 State of the Economy report repeatedly singles out Howard County as a case study in the state's affordability crunch. From the Central Maryland Regional Roundtable:
“Howard County, as opposed to Carroll County, offers much higher-paying jobs attractive to young professionals, but many are priced out of living in the area so they may search for jobs elsewhere.”
“In other parts of Central Maryland, like Howard County, the cost of living is high, and young people who want to live there cannot afford to.”The report also notes that both Anne Arundel and Howard counties have experienced negative net domestic migration within Maryland, with the region losing residents to Frederick, Carroll, and Harford Counties.
Source: Maryland Comptroller, State of the Economy 2023, Central Maryland Regional Roundtable findings.
What It Takes to Buy the Median-Priced Home
Scenario 1: Down payment of 20%
$124,000
Annual income required
$163,000
to afford the median Howard County listed home — assuming 20% down, a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.48%, and housing costs at 28% of gross income.
- Principal & interest$3,047
- Property tax (1.014%)$524
- Homeowners insurance$150
- Total monthly housing cost$3,721
Scenario 2: Down payment of 10%
$62,000
Annual income required
$190,750
to afford the median Howard County listed home — assuming 10% down, a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.48%, PMI of ~0.55% on the loan, and housing costs at 28% of gross income.
- Principal & interest$3,428
- Property tax (1.014%)$524
- Homeowners insurance$150
- PMI (~0.55% of loan)$256
- Total monthly housing cost$4,358
Methodology: 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.48% (week ending June 4, 2026), property tax 1.014%, ~$150/mo insurance, PMI estimated at 0.55% of loan annually for the 10%-down scenario, 28% front-end ratio. Does not include the Columbia Association (CA) annual charge on Columbia homes of $0.68 per $100 of 50% of the home’s assessed value. Sources: Realtor.com, Howard County (median listing price, $619,900, October 2025); Freddie Mac PMMS (30-year fixed rate, June 2026); Howard County FY2026 property tax rate.
Share of Howard County households able to afford the median-priced home, 2015–2024
Affordability has fallen roughly 20 percentage points since 2021, driven primarily by the doubling of mortgage rates from ~3% to ~7%, compounded by continued price growth.
Methodology: Required income calculated each year using that year's median home price (derived from FHFA House Price Index for Howard County anchored to $580K in 2024), average 30-year mortgage rate (Freddie Mac PMMS), 28% front-end ratio, 1.014% property tax, and $150/mo insurance. The 10%-down scenario adds PMI of 0.55% of loan. Share of households is estimated by scaling the Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year income distribution for Howard County by each year's nominal median household income (Census SAIPE). Sources: FRED series ATNHPIUS24027A, MORTGAGE30US, MHIMD24027A052NCEN; U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates.
Who rents and who owns in Howard County, by race & ethnicity
Black households are more than twice as likely to rent (50.6%) as White non-Hispanic households (19.9%).
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2019–2023 5-year, Table B25003 series for Howard County (FIPS 24027). AIAN and NHOPI groups excluded due to small sample sizes.
Rental Market Overview
Key metrics from the 2024 Howard County Rental Housing Survey
26,481
Total Multifamily Rental Units
$1,979/mo
Weighted Avg Market Rent
$2,468/mo
Upper Tier Avg Rent
$1,833/mo
Balance of Market Rent
2,650
Rent-Restricted Units
0.3%
Restricted Unit Vacancy
5.3%
Avg Annual Rent Growth (1BR–3BR)
35% of renters earn below 60% AMI, but only 12% of units serve that income level
Source: 2024 Howard County Rental Housing Survey (June 2024).
Rent Across Howard County
Rent varies sharply by ZIP code. We use the Housing Commission's 2BR voucher payment standard — pegged at 110% of HUD's Small Area FMR — as a consistent, county-wide proxy for market rent at the neighborhood level.
2BR Voucher Payment Standard by ZIP Code
A 2BR unit in Clarksville (21029) costs 58% more than the same-size unit in Woodstock (21163) — $3,069 vs $1,947 per month.
Affordability gap: A renter household earning the FY2026 50% AMI limit for a family of three ($73,500/yr) can afford about $1,838/mo at 30% of income. That falls short of the 2BR payment standard in every ZIP code in the county — even the lowest (Woodstock, $1,947).
Source: Howard County Housing Commission, 2026 HCVP Payment Standards (effective January 1, 2026), pegged at 110% of HUD FY2026 Small Area FMR — the maximum of the HCV basic range. AMI limit from HUD FY2026 Income Limits for the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson MSA.
Gap in Affordable Rental Housing by Income Level
Is the rental market producing enough units for each income band?
AMI = area median income
Income bands
The market provides only 36% of the affordable rental units needed for households earning below 60% of area median income — 4,518 units serving 12,627 qualifying renter households.
Source: 2024 Howard County Rental Housing Survey, Table 64. The 36% figure is the household-weighted penetration rate across the three bands below 60% AMI (Extremely Low, Very Low, and Low Rent), as reported on page 92 of the survey.
Housing Cost Burdens for Renters and Homeowners
A household is cost-burdened if it spends more than 30% of gross income for housing costs.
Renter Cost Burden
47.7% of renters are cost-burdened (~15,981 households)
Source: Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year (B25070). Universe: 33,503 renter households paying rent.
Owner Cost Burden (w/ Mortgage)
21.7% of owners with mortgages are cost-burdened (~13,510 households)
Source: Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year (B25091). Universe: 62,295 owner households with a mortgage.
Housing Cost Burdens by Race & Ethnicity
Renter Cost Burden by Race & Ethnicity
57% of Hispanic/Latino renters and 46% of Black renters are cost-burdened (paying >30% of income for housing), compared to 35% of White non-Hispanic renters.
Source: HUD CHAS Table 9, 2018–2022 ACS release, Howard County (FIPS 24027). Bars show moderate (30–50% of income) and severe (>50%) cost burden separately. Renter-occupied households only.
Homeowner Cost Burden by Race & Ethnicity
Among homeowners, 24% of Black households are cost-burdened — 1.6× the White non-Hispanic rate (14.8%). The owner-side gap is smaller than the renter-side gap.
Source: HUD CHAS Table 9, 2018–2022 ACS release, Howard County (FIPS 24027). Bars show moderate (30–50% of income) and severe (>50%) cost burden separately. Owner-occupied households only.
Note on small populations: American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander estimates are excluded from the charts above because sample sizes are too small for reliable rates (n=85 owner / n=4 renter for AIAN; n=55 owner / n=10 renter for NHOPI). Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity that can include any race; "White," "Black," and "Asian" categories above are non-Hispanic where available.
Cost-Burden Disparities by Income Level
At 50–80% AMI, 76% of Black households face housing problems vs. 48% of White non-Hispanic — a 28-point gap that persists despite identical income range.
Source: HUD CHAS Tables 1 & 2, 2018–2022 ACS release, Howard County (FIPS 24027). Shows share of households with any housing problem (cost burden >30%, overcrowding, or inadequate kitchen/plumbing — cost burden dominates at every income level in Howard County). Includes both owner and renter households. AMI bands use HUD's HAMFI (HUD Area Median Family Income), household-size adjusted.
Mortgage Lending Disparities
Home Loan Denial Rate by Race & Ethnicity
Black applicants are denied home loans at 3.0× the White rate; Hispanic applicants at 2.6×.
Source: HCLS Racial Equity Data Report (October 2022) citing PolicyMap, Howard County Home Mortgage Report, 2020.
High-Cost Loan Share by Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic borrowers receive high-cost loans at 2.5× the White rate; Black borrowers at 2.2×.
Source: HCLS Racial Equity Data Report (October 2022) citing PolicyMap, Howard County Home Mortgage Report, 2020. High-cost loans are those with an APR at least 1.5 percentage points above the average prime offer rate.
Moderate Income Housing Units
Howard County offers two Moderate Income Housing Unit (MIHU) programs: a homeownership program for purchasers earning up to 80% of area median income, and a rental program for renters earning up to 60% of area median income. Outcomes from the most recent MIHU report year are shown below.
MIHU Homeownership Program
For purchasers earning up to 80% of area median income
$302,405
Average price paid for newly constructed home
$282,022
Avg resale price
$78,156
Avg buyer income
$117,586
Max income, 4-person household (FY2026)
471
Total applicants
426
Eligible applicants
45
Units awarded
9.6%
Award rate (45 of 471)
Only ~1 in 10 applicants received an MIHU home in 2024 — a clear signal of unmet demand for affordable ownership.
MIHU Rental Program
For renters earning up to 60% of area median income
$1,488/mo
Avg MIHU rent (all sizes)
$54K–$103K
Renter HH income range
$88,189
Max income, 4-person household (FY2026)
First-come, first-serve
Renters apply directly to participating communities (not via DHCD lottery), so there is no annual award/applicant ratio comparable to the homeownership program.
The avg MIHU rent ($1,488) is roughly half the countywide market rate ($2,900) — a savings of ~$1,400/mo for eligible renters.
For Fiscal Year 2026, Howard County's MIHU program uses a median income of $146,982 for a family of four.
Sources: Howard County DHCD MIHU Annual Analysis (2024); DHCD MIHU Homeownership Program (FY2026 income limits, effective July 2025); DHCD MIHU Rental Program (FY2026 income limits, effective July 2025).
Disability & Housing
Affordable, accessible housing for people with disabilities is a critical, growing need in Howard County.
29,922
People with disabilities in Howard County (~9% of residents)
11%
of Howard County public school students have a disability (2024)
12%
SSI as a share of 1-person area median income ($11,604/yr in 2025)
1
Disability Income Housing Unit (DIHU) created under MIHU to date
Sources: ACS 2019–2023 5-yr (B18101); SSA 2025 SSI federal benefit rate (January 2025); HCPSS Operating Budget (FY2024, adopted May 2023); Howard County DHCD MIHU Annual Analysis (2024).
SSI Income vs. Market Rent in Howard County
The average market rent is 205% of total SSI income — a person on SSI alone cannot afford a market-rate apartment without subsidy.
Sources: SSA 2025 SSI federal benefit rate ($967/mo); 2024 Howard County Rental Housing Survey (weighted average market rent $1,979/mo).
Poverty Rate by Age & Disability Status
Working-age residents with a disability are 4× more likely to live in poverty than peers without disabilities.
Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2019–2023 release (S1810/B18130), Howard County.
Employment & Median Earnings
Median earnings for residents with a disability are $48,657 — 33% lower than the $73,021 earned by non-disabled residents.
Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2019–2023 release, Howard County (employment and earnings by disability status).
Section 811 Waitlist — Howard County Residents
76 of the 564 statewide applicants on the Maryland Department of Disabilities' Section 811 waitlist (March 2025) are current Howard County residents at or below 30% AMI.
56 of the 76 want one-bedroom units and 20 need physically accessible units.
Source: Maryland Department of Disabilities, Section 811 PRA Program waitlist (March 2025).
About Section 811: A federal HUD program that funds rental housing with project-based rental assistance for extremely low-income adults (at or below 30% AMI) with significant disabilities. An “811 unit” is an apartment set aside under this program where the tenant pays roughly 30% of their income toward rent and federal funds cover the difference between that contribution and the unit’s operating cost.
Section 811 & Disability-Set-Aside Pipeline
Howard County communities providing units restricted for people with disabilities through Section 811 or developer set-asides.
Now leasing
Patuxent Commons
19 disability units
76-unit community near Hickory Ridge Village Center; ribbon-cut November 2025.
Fully leased
Robinson Overlook
8 Section 811 units
Plus 1 Weinberg Apartment — all fully leased; no current vacancies.
Fully leased
Ellicott Gardens II
3 Section 811 units
All units leased through the MDOD waitlist.
Under construction
Artists Flats
21 disability units
10 fully accessible. Phase 2 housing anticipated Fall 2028.
The Howard County Housing Commission also administers 96 disability-targeted vouchers: 61 Mainstream + 25 NED Category I + 10 NED Category II.
Sources: Maryland Department of Disabilities (accessed May 2026); Howard County DHCD (accessed May 2026); Howard County Housing Commission (accessed May 2026); HOMP & Appendices (April 2021); HoCo By Design (adopted 2024).
Our Housing Shortage - WORK IN PROCESS
Howard County's 2023 General Plan set targets of 1,700 new homes and 340 affordable homes per year from 2023–2034. Current and projected output falls well short.
All new homes — The Gap
−5,568
Target: 20,400 homes | Actual/Planned: 14,832 homes (73%)
Affordable homes — The Gap
−2,920
Target: 4,080 homes | Actual/Planned: 1,160 homes (28%)
All New Homes Produced vs. Goal
Affordable Homes Produced vs. Goal
Sources: Targets — Howard County 2023 General Plan (adopted June 2023). Actuals (2023–2024) and planned/projected output (2025–2034) — Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning (data accessed May 2026). Bars from 2025 onward represent planned/projected output, not realized construction.
Low-Income Renter Shortage: Today and Projected 2034
Howard County already has 6,100 too few affordable rental units for renter households earning less than $60,000 (roughly ≤60% AMI). If affordable housing continues to be produced at the current pace, that shortage will grow by another 2,920 units by 2034 — reaching 9,020 units.
Today (2024)
6,100
Affordable units short for renters <$60K income
53% of these renters are unserved
53% of these renters are unserved
Added by 2034
+2,920
Cumulative affordable shortfall
340/yr target − 97/yr average pace
340/yr target − 97/yr average pace
Projected 2034 shortage
9,020
Total affordable units needed for ≤60% AMI
if current pace continues
if current pace continues
From Today's Shortage to 2034 (units)
Sources: Current shortage — 2024 Howard County Rental Survey, Figure 1 / Section F (9,496 renters <$50K need housing, gap of 4,164 units; 11,445 renters <$60K, gap of 6,100 units). 2034 projection assumes the affordable-home production pace shown in the chart above continues unchanged through 2034.
Statewide Context
How Howard County fits into Maryland's broader housing picture, per the Maryland Comptroller's 2023 State of the Economy report.
−66%
Howard County housing inventory drop, 2019–2022 (606 → 205 listings) — steeper than the −57% statewide decline
+24%
Howard County median home-price growth, 2019–2022 ($418K → $520K)
42nd
Maryland's rank among U.S. states for new housing units permitted per capita
Sources: Maryland Comptroller, State of the Economy 2023 (Figure 28/29 county tables; Census Bureau Building Permits Survey ranking).
Housing as economic policy. The Maryland Comptroller's roundtable findings tie the housing shortage directly to economic competitiveness:
“Roundtable participants shared specific stories of prospective businesses turning down potential location plans to Maryland due to insufficient workforce housing.”
“Housing availability and affordability was the top concern in every roundtable discussion across the state.”