Howard County, Maryland

Howard County is a successful melding of old and new, urban and rural, where the rolling green hills of the Piedmont meet the rocky fall line of the glaciers. From the small town flavor of historic mill towns to the thriving model city of Columbia, Howard County makes everyone feel at home. Conveniently located in the heart of central Maryland between Baltimore and Washington, Howard County offers the charm of a historic past mixed with the excitement of a cosmopolitan community. The County is continually ranked among the most affluent, advanced and educated communities in the United States. There is immediate access to leading educational and health care institutions, upscale retail, and outstanding recreation and entertainment. It is currently is home to 110,370 households and boasts a thriving, vibrant economy and welcoming business environment, with proximity to 50 federal agencies, universities, Fortune 500 companies, technology, defense and health care companies.

With a total land area of 160,640 acres, Howard is the second smallest county in Maryland. According to the Maryland Extension Service, 90% of the county is in the Piedmont Plateau (gently rolling hills) and 10% is in the Atlantic Coastal Plain (sandy soils). altitude ranges from 20 feet to 875 feet above sea level. Precipitation averages 43.4 inches per year.