Howard County, Maryland

County Distress Index: Healthy · 26.1 | 336,001 people · 24th most distressed in Maryland
American Default Research

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Howard County, MD ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 26.1 — 3010th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Maryland, it ranks 24th of 24 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Howard County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 63.4 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 63.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 82
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 78
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 88
Homeownership Rate 63
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Employment & Wages 31.4
Unemployment Rate 27
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 56
Business Formation Rate 12
Debt & Delinquency 28.9
Debt in Collections 14
Medical Debt 21
Student Loan Delinquency 36
Auto Loan Delinquency 35
Credit Card Delinquency 19
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 50
Community Vulnerability 4.8
Uninsured Rate 8
Disability Rate 2
Income & Poverty 1.9
Poverty Rate 1
Income vs. State Median 3
Child Poverty Rate 2

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Howard County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Howard County
Howard County, MD 26.1 Healthy —
Prince George's County, MD 58.1 Elevated +32.0
Baltimore County, MD 48.6 Normal +22.5
Montgomery County, MD 34.8 Healthy +8.7
Frederick County, MD 32.9 Healthy +6.8
Anne Arundel County, MD 31.2 Healthy +5.1
Carroll County, MD 30.0 Healthy +3.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Howard County
Morris County, NJ 26.4 Healthy +0.4
Montgomery County, PA 26.9 Healthy +0.8
Benton County, AR 27.0 Healthy +0.9
Forsyth County, GA 24.8 Healthy -1.3
Washington County, MN 27.5 Healthy +1.4

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Howard County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Howard County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Howard County.

MAKING CHANGE CENTER
Columbia
443-518-7647 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair HousingPre-Lease/Pre-Purchase

See all counselors in Maryland →

Find an Attorney

Maryland State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Maryland State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 410-685-7878

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Howard County residents at no cost.

Maryland Legal Aid 410-539-5340
Community Law Center (Baltimore) 410-366-0922
Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) 410-539-6800
Civil Justice (Baltimore) 410-706-0900

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Maryland →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Howard County, Maryland?

    Howard County has a County Distress Index score of 26.1 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,010th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 24th in Maryland out of 24 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Howard County?

    The primary driver of distress in Howard County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 63.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Howard County compare to neighboring counties?

    Howard County (26.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Prince George's County, MD (58.1); Baltimore County, MD (48.6); Montgomery County, MD (34.8).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • What is the population of Howard County?

    Howard County, Maryland has a population of approximately 336,001 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.