For the number crunchers among you, here’s a very cool and easy to understand sheet comparing the housing and population numbers in Howard County to the rest of the state.

Howard County Quick Facts – click here

Executive Summary

1. From 2000 to 2008, the state’s population increased by 6.4%. Howard County nearly doubled the statewide rate of growth, with an 11.0% increase in population in the same 8 year period.

2. HoCo’s mean travel time to work (commute, people!) is only 30.2 minutes, under the state average! I find this fascinating, given the location of Howard County in the Greater Washington, DC / Baltimore metropolitan area. A commuter’s paradise!

3. Median household income in the county is over $100,000, compared to $68,000 for the state. Admittedly, we need this additional income to pay for item #4.

4. Howard County’s housing prices are 1.4 times the state’s average for home values. In fact, Howard has some of the most pricey neighborhoods in the state of Maryland. Move over, Potomac!

5. Howard County’s poverty level is about half the state’s poverty level, 4.5% for HoCo versus 8.3% for the state.

As a quant myself, I find these numbers very interesting. Howard is a fast-growing, diverse county with a solid income base and a relatively unclogged transportation system. A great place to live!