Howard Wisconsin Village Hall · Jandtali / Public domainHowardWisconsinTownHall1874 · Village Hall / Public domainHowardWisconsinSignUS41 · Royalbroil / CC BY-SA 3.0HowardWisconsinSignWIS29 · Royalbroil / CC BY-SA 3.0
Howard is a small city of 20,022 in Wisconsin, with a median household income of $77,118
and a 2.4% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 92 (US average = 100), which is
8% below the national average.
Strengths:
Howard stands out for an affordable cost of living, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Howard is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Howard city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 92.1
Howard's overall cost of living index is 92.1,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Howard costs roughly 8% less than the average American city.
Metric
Howard, WI
National Avg
Median Home Value
$273,700
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$998
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
62.3%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$77,118
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Howard's violent crime rate is 256.7 per 100,000 residents
— 32% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
256.7 /100k
Property Crime
1035.4 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Howard, WI
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
34.7%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
97.4%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Howard sees average highs of 24.5°F in January
and 79.8°F in July,
with 32.4 inches of annual precipitation
and 55.6 inches of snow per year.
Howard's cost of living index is 92, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Howard roughly 8% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $273,700 and median rent is $998/month.
Howard's violent crime rate is 256.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1035.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Howard, WI has a population of 20,022, a median household income of $77,118, and an unemployment rate of 2.4%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Howard averages 24.5°F in January and 79.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 32.4 inches
with about 55.6 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Howard, Wisconsin is 20,022 with a median age of 42.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Howard: cost of living index 92 (100 = US average), median home $273,700, median household income $77,118, crime index 60 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Howard side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
