CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

44.57° N · 88.07° W · GEOID 5535950

Howard

Brown County, Wisconsin · part of the Green Bay, WI metro

WisconsinHoward, WIHowardHoward

The short answer

Howard is home to 21,087 people. Median household income is $85,477 a year and median rent is $1,102 a month, 15.5% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $315,700, about 3.7x annual median household income.

Howard is defined by its growth. The population grew 11.4% since 2020, faster than in 86% of places its size. The growth shows signs of strain: rent is outrunning pay, home prices are pulling away from incomes and few homes stand empty. Also notable: Rent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 90 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings.

93OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Exceptional

Howard scores better than 93% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 46th of 158 in Wisconsin.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%70
Economy 20%75
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%60
Education 10%58
Commute 10%79
Growth 5%67

Not rated: safety, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$1,102
19% below the median place
Median household income
$85,477
6% above the median place
Median home value
$315,700
1% below the median place
Unemployment
2.5%
48% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Howard

  • How it is changingPopulation change slowed in the latest estimate: +1.2% from 2024 to 2025, against +2.4% a year before that.
  • Life nearbyAbout 15 km of named paths and bike trails are mapped in and around the city, more than in 90% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.
01

Moving to Howard

Brown County gains about 0.7 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in9,053
Moved out8,878
Net+175

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Outagamie County, WI9901,108−118
Oconto County, WI571677−106
Kewaunee County, WI318301+17

Within Wisconsin, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within WisconsinOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$70K
Leavers$65K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Brown County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
3.5% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 1.5% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Brown County report $70,200 a year in income on average; those leaving, $65,400, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$44,100 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,102 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,787 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $315,700.
Getting to work
20 minutes each way on average; 14.2% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Odessa, MO matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
3.5%
40% below the median place
Moved from another state1
1.5%
26% below the median place
Income of households moving out7
$65,406
7% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureHowardAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year13.5%40% below
Moved from another state1County figure1.5%26% below
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure0.7above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$70,1681% below
Income of households moving out7County figure$65,4067% below
02

What it costs to live here

Vacant homes is 3.3%, 54% below the median place.

Howard15.5%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$44,080
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
15.5%
24% below the median place
Home price to income
3.7x
3% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
16%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$74,100
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Howard, $1,102 a month, and local prices for everything else (96.9 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Howard, but easier on the budget

Places that match Howard on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Odessa, MO8612.8% vs 15.5%$18,500Compare
Waterloo, IL8510.8% vs 15.5%$14,900Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Howard.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Howard? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Vacant homes1
3.3%
54% below the median place
Renters paying 30%+1
36.8%
27% below the median place
Median year built1
1995
1% above the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasureHowardAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,10219% below
Rent to income115.5%24% below
Property tax rate11.3%37% above
Home price to income13.7x3% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure93.18% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,28720% below
Property tax paid (median)1$3,94821% above
Median home value1$315,7001% below
Home prices, 1-year change4County figure6.6%108% above
Home prices, 5-year change4County figure66.1%28% above
Homeownership163.9%4% below
Renters paying 30%+136.8%27% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,7875% below
Vacant homes13.3%54% below
Median year built119951% above
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Unemployment1
2.5%
48% below the median place
Poverty rate1
5.2%
52% below the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Mean commute20 min −18%
Income per person$48,608 +21%
Works from home14.2% +14%
Median household income$85,477 +6%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureHowardAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$85,4776% above
Income per person1$48,60821% above
Unemployment12.5%48% below
Average annual pay5County figure$66,2960% above
Pay growth, 1 year5County figure4.7%27% above
Jobs5County figure160,3296% above
Poverty rate15.2%52% below
Mean commute120 min18% below
Works from home114.2%14% above
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Born abroad is 2.3%, 74% below the median place.

Born abroad1
2.3%
74% below the median place
High school or higher1
97.0%
5% above the median place
Population change since 20206
11.4%
above the median place (median 1.1%)

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Median age41.2 +6%
Household size2.4 −5%
Homes with broadband90.7% −2%
Bachelor's or higher35.8% +12%
All 9 people measures
MeasureHowardAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population121,0872208th largest
Population change since 2020611.4%above (median 1.1%)
Median age141.26% above
Bachelor's or higher135.8%12% above
High school or higher197.0%5% above
Household size12.45% below
Born abroad12.3%74% below
No health insurance1County figure5.1%20% below
Homes with broadband190.7%2% below
05

Life in Howard

OpenStreetMap shows 25.6 parks per 10,000 residents, more than in 91% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.

Founded or incorporated in 1835. 1 site is on the National Register of Historic Places. Its history on Wikipedia

  • Rioux, Angeline Champeau, House listed 1994

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents25.6 2.5×
Playgrounds per 10k8.1 −14%
Grocery stores per 10k2.4 +12%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k6.2 −45%
Libraries per 10k0.9 +9%
Named paths and bike trails15 km 7.3×
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.1 −76%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore 105 miles
  • Ice Age Trail 113 miles
  • Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore 162 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars21.5 +3%
Shops30.4 +0%
Arts, recreation and fitness5.2 +27%
Doctors' offices and clinics17.6 −13%
Child care centers2.0 −13%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site10
104.5
239% above the median place
Public schools12
82
above the median place (median 9)
Public school students12
41,831
above the median place (median 4,897)
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureHowardAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools12County figure82above (median 9)
Public school students12County figure41,831above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher12County figure14.09% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure21.53% above
Shops per 10k8County figure30.40% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure5.227% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure17.613% below
Child care centers per 10k8County figure2.013% below
Parks per 10k925.6152% above
Playgrounds per 10k98.114% below
Grocery stores per 10k92.412% above
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k96.245% below
Libraries per 10k90.99% above
Named paths and bike trails914.6above (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi90.176% below
Nearest National Park Service site10104.5239% above
National Park Service sites within 60 miles100below (median 2)
National Register listings11192% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

Average temperature is 45°F, 18% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Howard. Larger places are fetched first.

Average temperature13
45°F
18% below the median place
January average low13
11°F
58% below the median place
July average high13
80°F
8% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureHowardAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high13County figure80°F8% below
January average low13County figure11°F58% below
Average temperature13County figure45°F18% below
Annual precipitation13County figure32.8 in25% below
Natural hazard risk14County figure90.03% below
Hurricane risk14County figure26.163% below
Tornado risk14County figure93.415% above
Wildfire risk14County figure33.845% below
Heat wave risk14County figure76.016% below
Median air quality index15County figure3714% below
Good air days15County figure73.2%7% above
08

Howard in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 16% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 15% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Howard does better than 69% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 45%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,102/mo (2024)$1,420/mo$1,160 to $1,730/mo+4.3%
Median household income$85,477 (2024)$108,500$91,500 to $128,000+4.0%
Median home value$315,700 (2024)$451,000$328,000 to $622,000+6.1%
Population22,233 (2025)23,56022,600 to 24,560+1.2%

The median home would be worth 4.2 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.7 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Howard

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Maryville, TN$1,157$81,963Compare
Westfield, MA$1,117$87,753Compare
Powdersville, SC$1,232$84,910Compare
Harwood Heights, IL$1,236$81,086Compare
Harwood Heights, ILPowdersville, SCWestfield, MAMaryville, TNHoward, WIHowardMaryvilleWestfieldPowdersvilleHarwood HeightsHowardMaryvilleWestfieldPowdersvilleHarwood Heights

Places built like Howard

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Howard performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Howard, WI15.5%4.0%/yr11.4%
Hartford, WI16.2%7.6%/yr2.3%Compare
Bellevue, WI16.4%8.7%/yr5.3%Compare
Shiloh, IL14.3%3.0%/yr3.5%Compare
Holt, MI18.3%5.5%/yrn/aCompare
Medina, OH16.7%3.2%/yr-1.5%Compare
Greenfield, IN18.6%7.4%/yr13.2%Compare

Common questions

Is Howard a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 93 out of 100, better than 93% of the places we rate and 46th of 158 in Wisconsin. Population change slowed in the latest estimate: +1.2% from 2024 to 2025, against +2.4% a year before that. About 15 km of named paths and bike trails are mapped in and around the city, more than in 90% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 73 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Howard expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 15.5% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $315,700.

What salary do you need to live in Howard?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $44,080 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Howard?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Maryville, TN, Westfield, MA, Powdersville, SC and Harwood Heights, IL.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  5. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  6. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  11. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  12. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  13. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  14. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  15. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Howard with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Howard itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/howard-wisconsin

Citytistics. “Howard, Wisconsin.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/howard-wisconsin/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.