Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Howard’s average trip to work is 39 minutes, where Kansas’ towns sit at 20 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Of the 152 Kansas towns we compare, none has a higher share of residents 65 or older than Howard. Its National Register listings include Elk County Courthouse and Howard National Bank. Howard has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Howard beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 683 in 1880, a peak of 1,207 in 1900, 570 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 4 maps from 1885 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Howard, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Howard.
At $514 a month, Howard’s median rent is below both Kansas’ towns ($975 a month) and U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). Typical home values rose 15% in the year to September 2026.
| Howard | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $514 a month | $975 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 75% | 72% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Howard’s FEMA risk score is 85 of 100.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Howard has chilly winters and warm summers. The July high in Howard is 91°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most working residents leave Howard for work: only 10% work in town. 18% of residents live below the poverty line in Howard. Jobs based in Howard fell to 186 in 2023, 205 fewer than in 2013.
| Howard | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 18% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $66,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 9.8% | 15% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Howard beats the Kansas average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 14. 46% of Howard adults have high blood pressure. Of the 151 Kansas towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Howard.
| Howard | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 34% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 11% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 26% | 25% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 16% | 16% |
| What stands out | Howard | KS |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 12.3% | 16.3% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 84.4% | 77.6% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 24.5% | 11.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Jackson Park | 0.3 mi | 6 |
| 2. West Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Howard; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Howard residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Kansas.
City in Elk County, Kansas
Howard is a city in and the county seat of Elk County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 570.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Howard has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real. Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
2 notable people were born here, including Isaiahh Loudermilk and Claude Albright.