Howard, Colorado, 2018
Howard’s story
144 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2018.
- 1882Howard is settled
HowardCO
The town, settled in 1882, counts 966 residents.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 4.0
Population
966
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$501K
+0.6% in a year
Household income
$60K
median
Median age
48.1
years
Jobs based here
31
A commuter town
Is Howard a good place to live?
Howard’s mean commuting time is 36 minutes, above both Colorado’s towns (25 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). 26% of the land in Howard is conserved, above both Colorado’s towns (6.9%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). Sangre de Cristo Wilderness, at 1,584 acres with 3.9 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Howard has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
966 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
CoaldaleHoward
Getting set up
Moving to Howard: who provides what
Howard is unincorporated, so Fremont County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerSangre De Cristo Elec AssnEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterMountain Vista Village water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesFremont CountyFremont County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Colorado you can register online until 8 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 8 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereFremont County Clerk and RecorderFremont County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code8123381233 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Howard.
Natural hazards
Howard has a very high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
Only 7 of the 160 Colorado towns we compare have a higher risk rating from FEMA than Howard. FEMA puts 69% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 19% to wildfires. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 91% of U.S. communities.
91risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfire
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Outdoors
Conserved land covers nearly a quarter of Howard
The density of trails in Howard is 0.5 miles per square mile. 7.6 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
26.4%conserved
26.4%
conserved · 2,819 of 10,662 acres
7.6 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sangre de Cristo Wilderness | 3.9 mi | 1,584 |
| 2. Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area | — | 34 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commute
With 0.1 jobs for every working resident, most of Howard’s workers commute out
The top destinations are Salida (18%), Cañon City (8%) and Colorado Springs (5%). For most workers, Howard is a place to come home to: only 2% work in town. The town’s typical household income stands at $60,000. The median commute is under 45 miles.
2%work in town
| Howard | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.8% | 7.7% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Howard2%
Salida18%
Cañon City8%
Colorado Springs5%
Denver5%
45 mi
median commute distance
31
jobs based in Howard
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Howard: four seasons and pleasant summers
The range runs from 12° on a January night to 81° on a July afternoon, with about 37 inches of snow a winter.
37″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–40°
Spring30–58°
Summer48–79°
Fall31–61°
Sep 20
typical first frost
May 29
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
A smaller share of adults binge drink in Howard than in most of Colorado or the rest of the country
For adults in Howard, the share who have obesity is 31%. Only 2 of the 160 Colorado towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Howard. Of 26 CDC measures, Howard beats the Colorado average on 5 and trails it on 14.
| Howard | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 12% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 18% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 8.4% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 27% | 35% |
26 measures vs. Colorado
5 better7 too close to call14 worse
| What stands out | Howard | CO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 13.5% | 19% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80% | 69.5% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 22.4% | 9.2% |
Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center
15.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
A home in Howard is worth about $501K, on Zillow’s estimate
Among households in Howard, 68% own their home.
$501KZillow home value
Typical home value
Howard$501K
Colorado$529K
+0.6%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Howard
16pages on Howard
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Howard; the nearest are
Western Colorado UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Gunnison59 mi$11,318 in-state tuitionCommunity College of AuroraCommunity college · Public · Aurora106.2 mi$4,470 in-state tuition
About 8 of every 100 Howard residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Colorado.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Howard for work
Where Howard’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
31jobs based in Howard
2%of working residents work in town
45 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Howard
Census-designated place in Fremont County, CO, USA
Howard is a census-designated place (CDP) and post office in and governed by Fremont County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Cañon City, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area. The Howard post office has the ZIP Code 81233. At the United States Census 2020, the population of the Howard CDP was 852.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 17 sq mi
- Elevation
- 6,716 ft
- ZIP code
- 81233
Questions about Howard
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Howard, CO a good place to live?
Howard has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.