Howell County, Missouri: commercial real estate data.
Howell County, Missouri has a population of 40,383 across 927 square miles, up 2.5 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $1.76 bn in 2024, 1,076 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 20 7(a) approvals worth $5.6 m.
118 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Howell County
How many people live in Howell County
- Population40,383
- Households15,965
- Average household size2.53
- Median household income$50,993
- Median age40.3
- Median gross rent$733 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$173,000
- Home value to household income3.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher17.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over27,491
- Population under 189,741
- Share under 1824.1 percent
- Population 65 and over8,046
- Share 65 and over19.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6422,596
- Civilian labor force17,705
- Unemployment rate5.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over57.8 percent
- Rank by population among Missouri counties29th of 115
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents1198th
Howell County is the 29th largest of 115 Missouri counties by population. A median home costs 3.4 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 24.1 percent against 19.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Howell County
Is Howell County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.54 percent
- Census 2020 base population39,754
- Births, 2024450
- Deaths, 2024645
- Natural change, 2024-195
- Net domestic migration, 2024254
- Net international migration, 2024-5
- Total net migration, 2024249
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,730
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents998th
The county has grown 2.54 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration alone is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Howell County
Where people moving to Howell County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving988
- People arriving, from those returns2,103
- Adjusted gross income arriving$48.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$49,234
- Largest single originHowell County Non-migrants (13,568 households)
- Largest single destination (13,568 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howell County Non-migrants | 13,568 | 29,476 | $774.1 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 496 | 1,136 | $29.5 m |
| Other flows - West | 191 | 445 | $13.0 m |
| Other flows - South | 176 | 367 | $9.2 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 158 | 320 | $6.8 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 105 | 268 | $5.9 m |
| Oregon County | 77 | 163 | $2.5 m |
| Texas County | 51 | 94 | $1.9 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Howell County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Howell County
What the Howell County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$1.76 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.67 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.5 percent
- GDP change over five years32.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among Missouri counties31st
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1385th
- GDP per resident$43,605
Output grew 5.5 percent in the latest year and 32.1 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Howell County
Who employs people in Howell County
- Covered employment, annual average15,361
- Establishments reporting1,383
- Average annual pay$44,674
- Average weekly wage$859
- Sector 62, employment3,580
- Sector 62, average annual pay$50,900
- Sector 31-33, employment2,167
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$49,235
- Sector 44-45, employment1,992
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$32,906
- Sector 72, employment1,322
- Sector 72, average annual pay$19,424
- Sector 42, employment736
- Sector 54, employment584
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 3,580 | 396 | $50,900 |
| Sector 31-33 | 2,167 | 74 | $49,235 |
| Sector 44-45 | 1,992 | 188 | $32,906 |
| Sector 72 | 1,322 | 78 | $19,424 |
| Sector 42 | 736 | 55 | $52,780 |
| Sector 54 | 584 | 74 | $52,390 |
| Sector 56 | 393 | 36 | $31,065 |
| Sector 81 | 377 | 85 | $38,876 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 3,580 jobs, 23.3 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Howell County
What businesses operate in Howell County
- Establishments, all industries1,076
- Employment at those establishments15,374
- Annual payroll$647.6 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents26.6
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Howell County
What is being built in Howell County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 202453
- Declared construction value permitted$9.8 m
- Single family units authorised28
- Multifamily units authorised25
- Multifamily share of units47.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$185,839
- Units authorised per 1,000 households3.3
Multifamily is 47.2 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Howell County
How much SBA lending happens in Howell County
- 7(a) approvals recorded20
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$5.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$280,445
- Median 7(a) approval$170,600
- 10th percentile approval$40,000
- 90th percentile approval$740,000
- Largest single approval$900,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)114
- Jobs per approval5.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active12
- Distinct industries receiving approvals19
- Median 7(a) term180 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer40.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms8
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter9
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countCoin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners (2)
- Most active lenderSouthern Bank (3)
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.4 m
- Average 504 approval$678,000
- Median 504 approval$1,162,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval1.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved1.5
- Most active CDCRural Missouri, Inc. (2)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals90.9 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$7.0 m
The average approval of $280,445 sits well above the median of $170,600, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. 40.0 percent of approvals run on real estate terms of 240 months or more, so this is a market where SBA credit is buying buildings, not just funding operations.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Howell County
Do SBA loans in Howell County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded6
- Paid in full6
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure13
- Status: Paid in full6
- Status: Cancelled1
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 6 resolved loans, too few to publish a rate. A rate computed on a handful of loans is noise, so none is shown.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Howell County
Which parts of Howell County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending4
- West Plains, approvals17
- WILLOW SPRINGS, approvals1
- Mountain View, approvals1
- KOSHKONONG, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| West Plains | 17 | $5,209,900 |
| WILLOW SPRINGS | 1 | $40,000 |
| Mountain View | 1 | $297,000 |
| KOSHKONONG | 1 | $62,000 |
West Plains accounts for 17 approvals against 1 in WILLOW SPRINGS. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Howell County
How big is Howell County
- Land area927 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Missouri counties3rd of 115
- Width, east to west25.8 mi
- Height, north to south38.5 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land44
- Establishments per square mile1.16
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Howell County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Howell County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population40,383
- Households15,965
- Average household size2.53
- Median household income$50,993
- Median age40.3
Common questions
Howell County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Howell County, Missouri?
40,383, in 15,965 households, ranking 29th of 115 Missouri counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Howell County growing?
The population has grown 2.54 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 450 births against 645 deaths, with net migration of 249. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Howell County?
$50,993. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $173,000, which is 3.4 times income, and median gross rent is $733 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Howell County?
1,076 establishments, employing 15,374 people with an annual payroll of $647.6 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Howell County?
Average annual pay is $44,674, or $859 a week, across 15,361 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Howell County?
20 7(a) approvals totalling $5.6 m since FY2020, across 12 lenders, with a median approval of $170,600, plus 2 504 approvals worth $1.4 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Howell County?
53 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $9.8 m. Multifamily was 47.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Howell County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Howell County come from?
The largest single origin is Howell County Non-migrants, with 13,568 households. Arriving households report an average income of $49,234 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Howell County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Howell County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.