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Howard County, MD

Howard County, Maryland
County
Howard County
1Howard co. circuit.jpg
The Howard County Courthouse in May 2008
Flag of Howard County, Maryland
Flag
Seal of Howard County, Maryland
Seal
Nickname(s): Hoco
Map of Maryland highlighting Howard County
Location in the U.S. state of Maryland
Map of the United States highlighting Maryland
Maryland's location in the U.S.
Founded May 13, 1838
Named for John Eager Howard
Seat Ellicott City
Largest community Columbia
Area
 • Total 253 sq mi (655 km2)
 • Land 251 sq mi (650 km2)
 • Water 2.7 sq mi (7 km2), 1.0%
Population (est.)
 • (2015) 313,414
 • Density 1,239/sq mi (478/km²)
Congressional districts 2nd, 3rd, 7th
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.howardcountymd.gov

Howard County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2010 census, the population was 287,085. Its county seat is Ellicott City.

Howard County is included in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA Combined Statistical Area. However, recent development in the south of the county has led to some realignment towards the Washington, D.C. media and employment markets. The county is home to Columbia, a major planned community of approximately 100,000 founded by developer James Rouse in 1967.

Howard County is frequently cited for its affluence, quality of life, and excellent schools. With an estimated median household income of $108,844 in 2012, Howard County had the third-highest median household income of any U.S. county in 2013. Many of the most affluent communities in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area, such as Clarksville, Dayton, Glenelg, Glenwood, and West Friendship, are located along the Route 32 corridor in Howard County. The main population center of Columbia/Ellicott City was named second among Money magazine's 2010 survey of "America's Best Places to Live."Howard County's schools frequently rank first in Maryland as measured by standardized test scores and graduation rates.


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