Howard County, MD Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in Howard County, Maryland is about $797,000 (the 2026 median across 19 ZIP codes, at ~$264/sq ft) — 81% more expensive than the Maryland median and 176% more expensive than the typical U.S. home.
How Howard County compares
Howard County is relatively expensive for housing nationally: its typical home costs $797,000 against $441,000 for Maryland and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $476,000 to $1,193,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Howard County | $797,000 | $264 |
| Maryland | $441,000 | $233 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Cities in Howard County
Cities with their own home-value page, largest first:
Howard County home prices by ZIP code
The 15 most valuable ZIP codes in Howard County (of 19 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21737 Glenwood | $1,193,000 | $227 | +50% |
| 21029 Clarksville | $1,046,000 | $295 | +31% |
| 21794 West Friendship | $1,028,000 | $275 | +29% |
| 21036 Dayton | $1,008,000 | $302 | +26% |
| 20759 Fulton | $994,000 | $264 | +25% |
| 20777 Highland | $985,000 | $293 | +24% |
| 21738 Glenwood | $977,000 | $256 | +23% |
| 21723 Cooksville | $910,000 | $270 | +14% |
| 21797 Woodbine | $800,000 | $266 | +0% |
| 21042 Ellicott City | $797,000 | $267 | +0% |
| 21104 Marriottsville | $716,000 | $260 | -10% |
| 21043 Ellicott City | $627,000 | $285 | -21% |
| 20723 Laurel | $578,000 | $257 | -27% |
| 21044 Columbia | $537,000 | $249 | -33% |
| 21046 Columbia | $515,000 | $257 | -35% |
Home value appreciation in Howard County
Home prices in Howard County have risen about 53% over the last 10 years (≈4.3% a year) and +45.6% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +2.0% — still rising. A home worth $797,000 today was worth roughly $521,938 ten years ago.
See where that trend takes a specific home with the home appreciation calculator — statewide, Maryland is +59.8% over the same 10 years. Past appreciation is a track record, not a forecast; local prices can fall.
Calculators for Howard County
Run the numbers for Howard County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in Howard County
To buy the typical $797,000 home in Howard County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $217,000 a year (about $5,060 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $258,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $39,900 | $6,290/mo | $270,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $79,700 | $6,010/mo | $258,000/yr |
| 20% | $159,400 | $5,060/mo | $217,000/yr |
Assumes a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.5%, property tax at 1.1% and insurance at 0.45% of value per year, PMI of 0.75% on loans with less than 20% down, and the standard 28% housing-to-income rule. Your rate, taxes, and HOA will move these — run your own numbers in the mortgage calculator.
What your budget buys in Howard County
At about $264 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Howard County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $400k | 1520 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $500k | 1890 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $600k | 2270 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $750k | 2840 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $1.00M | 3790 sq ft | around the typical home here |
Wondering where that budget goes further? The relocation calculator ranks hundreds of U.S. cities by what the same money buys — it opens filtered to Maryland.
Estimate a specific home in Howard County
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Howard County home prices: frequently asked
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Browse all Maryland cities and counties, or look up price per square foot by ZIP code nationwide.
Directional estimates from public market data (Realtor.com & Zillow research; FHFA house price index; Census ZIP-to-county relationships), not appraisals.