Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,923, settled in 1870.
The best of Howard City’s subject grades is an A for cost of living; the weakest is a C− for incomes. Howard City has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Howard City beats most towns.
Where Howard City’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2021
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Howard City is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 924 in 1880, a low of 791 in 1950, 1,835 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1959 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Howard City, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Howard City.
Most working residents leave Howard City for work: only 4% work in town. 24% of Howard City residents live below the poverty line, against 8.9% in Michigan’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. In Howard City, the income of the median household is $55,000. Jobs locally fell by 28 from 2011 to 2021, to 464.
| Howard City | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 24% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $55,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.8% | 5.9% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
30% of Howard City adults have been diagnosed with depression, where Michigan’s towns sit at 27% and U.S. towns at 23%. This Michigan town does better than the Michigan average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and worse on 8. Among adults here, 21% report frequent mental distress.
| Howard City | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 18% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 27% | 23% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 37% | 35% |
| What stands out | Howard City | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 8% | 8.9% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 15.2% | 10.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
For Howard City, the typical July afternoon high is 82°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected losses in Howard City break down as 65% from inland flooding and 11% from tornadoes. Compared with 60% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage locally is lower. One declared disaster, in 2026, has brought federal aid to Howard City households.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The typical home value in Howard City is about $280,000, up 6.8% in a year, 6% above the Michigan typical home. Howard City: 78% of households live in a home they own.
| Howard City | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $609 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 78% | 84% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The trail network density in Howard City is 0.1 miles per square mile. Count the trails in 3 parks and preserves and they come to 0.2 miles.
| Howard City | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.3% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ensley Park | — | 4 |
| 2. Herbert J. Peck Park | — | 2 |
| 3. Minnie Farmer Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Howard City; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Howard City residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
Village in Michigan, United States
Howard City is a village in Montcalm County, Michigan, United States. The population was 1,835 at the 2020 census. The village is within Reynolds Township.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.