Cost of Living in Howard County, Indiana
At a Glance
Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)
These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.
How Howard County Compares
Median monthly rent comparison
Detailed Housing Stats
National Ranking
Affordability Rank
Howard County ranks #1,814 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 42%)
Sourced county brief
Howard County Median Rent Percentage Exceeds State County Mean
Howard County's median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) was 30.7%, which is 3.8 percentage points above the Indiana unweighted county mean of 26.9%. This official B25071 estimate matches the canonical rentToIncomePct for the county. The median gross rent was $937 per month, exceeding the state unweighted county mean of $911. In contrast, the median selected monthly owner cost for all units was $853, which is below the unweighted state county mean of $951. The median home value in the county was estimated at $165,000, while the median renter-household income was $36,732. These data points provide a demographic overview of the local housing landscape during the five-year ACS estimation period. The reported figures do not account for external economic factors or future market adjustments. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.
Source record
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25064 Median Gross Rent
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25071 GRAPI
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25077 Median Home Value
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25088 Selected Monthly Owner Costs
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25119 Household Income by Tenure
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-brief-v1
Cost of Living Advisory: Howard County
Affordability Verdict
ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 30.7% of renter household income in Howard County, which is between the 30% and 50% rent-burden benchmarks. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.
Rent vs. Own
Median gross rent is $937 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $853. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.
Income Needed
Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $37,480 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.
Regional Context
The Indiana unweighted mean of county median rents is $911 per month. Howard County's $937 median is 2.9% above that comparison value.
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2
Affordability Calculator
See how your income compares to housing costs in Howard County
Rent Burden
17.6%
of gross income
Max Housing (28% Rule)
$1,494
per month
Owner Cost Burden
16.0%
of gross income
You can likely afford the median home in Howard County
Median home value is $165,000. Estimated monthly cost: $1,317 vs. your max of $1,494.
Rent Affordability Guide
Income Needed Calculator
See how much you need to earn to comfortably afford housing
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Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.
Frequently Asked Questions
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See Today's RatesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.
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