Howard County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Howard County
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Howard County Court House in downtown Big Spring
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Location within the U.S. state of Texas
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 Texas's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| Founded | 1882 |
| Named for | Volney E. Howard |
| Seat | Big Spring |
| Largest city | Big Spring |
| Area | |
| • Total | 904 sq mi (2,340 km2) |
| • Land | 901 sq mi (2,330 km2) |
| • Water | 3 sq mi (8 km2) 0.4% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 34,860 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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30,554  |
| • Density | 33.9/sq mi (13.10/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 19th |
Howard County is a county located in the state of Texas. It's like a smaller region within the state. In 2020, about 34,860 people lived there. The main town and county seat is Big Spring.
Howard County was officially created in 1876 and started operating in 1882. It is named after Volney E. Howard, who was a U.S. Congressman from Texas. Howard County is also part of the Big Spring micropolitan statistical area, which means it's a small city area that's important for jobs and services in the region.
Contents
Exploring Howard County's Geography
Howard County covers about 904 square miles (2,342 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part covered by water.
Howard County is located where two major land regions meet. To the north is the Llano Estacado, which is a large, flat plateau. To the south is the Edwards Plateau, known for its hills and canyons. Beals Creek, a small river that flows into the Colorado River, runs through the middle of Big Spring. This creek helps divide these two different land areas.
Main Roads in Howard County
These are some of the important roads that go through Howard County:
Interstate 20
Interstate 20 Business
U.S. Highway 87
State Highway 176
State Highway 350
Farm to Market Road 669
Farm to Market Road 700
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Neighboring Counties
Howard County shares borders with these other counties:
- Borden County (to the north)
- Mitchell County (to the east)
- Sterling County (to the southeast)
- Glasscock County (to the south)
- Martin County (to the west)
- Dawson County (to the northwest)
- Scurry County (to the northeast)
Howard County's Population Story
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 50 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,210 | 2,320.0% | |
| 1900 | 2,528 | 108.9% | |
| 1910 | 8,881 | 251.3% | |
| 1920 | 6,962 | −21.6% | |
| 1930 | 22,888 | 228.8% | |
| 1940 | 20,990 | −8.3% | |
| 1950 | 26,722 | 27.3% | |
| 1960 | 40,139 | 50.2% | |
| 1970 | 37,796 | −5.8% | |
| 1980 | 33,142 | −12.3% | |
| 1990 | 32,343 | −2.4% | |
| 2000 | 33,627 | 4.0% | |
| 2010 | 35,012 | 4.1% | |
| 2020 | 34,860 | −0.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 30,554 | −12.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010–2020 |
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The population of Howard County has changed a lot over the years. In 1880, only 50 people lived there. By 1960, the population grew to over 40,000! In 2020, the county had 34,860 residents.
Who Lives in Howard County? (2020 Census)
According to the 2020 census, there were 34,860 people living in Howard County. About 11,674 households and 7,739 families called the county home.
The population density was about 33.9 people per square mile. This means that, on average, about 34 people lived in every square mile of land.
Here's a look at the different groups of people living in Howard County in 2020:
- About 45% of the population was White (not Hispanic or Latino).
- About 4.4% were Black or African American (not Hispanic or Latino).
- About 0.6% were Native American (not Hispanic or Latino).
- About 1.1% were Asian (not Hispanic or Latino).
- About 0.03% were Pacific Islander (not Hispanic or Latino).
- About 0.2% were of another race (not Hispanic or Latino).
- About 2.3% were of two or more races (not Hispanic or Latino).
- A large group, about 46.4%, were Hispanic or Latino (they can be of any race).
Looking at age groups, about 23.1% of residents were under 18 years old. About 5.8% were under 5 years old. And about 13.9% of the population was 65 years old or older.
Local Media
Howard County has its own daily newspaper. There are also several local radio stations like KBST (AM), KBST-FM, KBTS (FM), and KBYG (AM). You can also listen to nearby stations like KBXJ (FM), KPET (AM), and KWDC (FM). People in the county can also tune into various radio and TV stations from the bigger cities of Midland and Odessa.
Communities in Howard County
Howard County is home to several towns and communities.
Cities
- Big Spring (This is the main town and county seat)
- Forsan
Towns
Census-Designated Place
- Sand Springs (These are areas identified by the census for statistics, but they are not officially incorporated as cities or towns.)
Unincorporated Communities
Ghost Town
- Soash (A ghost town is a place where most people have left, and it's no longer a lively community.)
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Howard (Texas) para niños
