Howard County | |
---|---|
Clockwise: Main Street in Ellicott City, Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, McKeldin Rapids in Patapsco Valley State Park, Howard County Conservatory, Savage Mill, Town Center in Columbia. | |
Nickname: "HoCo" | |
Coordinates: 39°15′N76°56′W / 39.25°N 76.93°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Maryland |
Founded | May 13, 1838 |
Named for | John Eager Howard |
Seat | Ellicott City |
Largest community | Columbia |
Area | |
• Total | 253 sq mi (660 km2) |
• Land | 251 sq mi (650 km2) |
• Water | 2.7 sq mi (7 km2) 1.0% |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 328,200 |
• Density | 1,300/sq mi (500/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
Congressional districts | 3rd |
Website | www |
Howard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 334,529. Since there are no incorporated municipalities, there is no incorporated county seat either. Therefore, its county seat is the unincorporated community of Ellicott City. [1] Howard County is part of the larger Washington–Baltimore combined statistical area. The county is part of the Central Maryland region of the state.
Recent county development 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 in 1967.
Howard County is frequently cited for its affluence, quality of life, and excellent schools. Its estimated 2020 median household income of $124,042 (~$143,882 in 2023) makes it one of the wealthiest counties in the US. [2] Many of the most affluent communities in the 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 is regularly ranked in Money magazine's Top 10 "Best Places to Live". [3] [4] [5] According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Howard County ranks fourth in the nation for educational attainment, with an estimated 63.6% of residents 25 and over holding a bachelor's degree or higher. [6] [7] [8] In 2022, the Howard County Public School System was ranked the best school district in Maryland. [9]
In 2010, the center of population of Maryland was located in the Howard County town of Jessup. [10]
The name of the county honors Colonel John Eager Howard, [11] an officer in the "Maryland Line" of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War, commander notably at the Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina in 1781, among others. He was the fifth governor of Maryland, serving from 1788 to 1791. [12]
Prior to the European colonization of what is now Howard County in the 1600s, the area served as farming and hunting grounds for Indigenous peoples including the Piscataway and Susquehannock peoples. [13] [14] The Maryland Historical Trust has documented Indigenous sites along the Patapsco, Patuxent, Middle and Little Patuxent River valleys. [15] In 1652, the Susquehannock tribes signed a peace treaty with Maryland, giving up their provenance over the territory that is now Howard County. [16] In 1800, the mean center of U.S. population as calculated by the US Census Bureau was found in what is now Howard County. [17]
In 1838, Dr. William Watkins of Richland Manor proposed the "Howard District" of Anne Arundel County. [18] After several adjournments, the area of western Anne Arundel County was designated the Howard District in 1839. [19] The district had the same status as a county except that it was not separately represented in the Maryland General Assembly. In 1841, the county built its first courthouse in Ellicott City. [20] At the January 1851 constitutional convention, Thomas Beale Dorsey submitted a petition led by James Sykes. A committee was formed with Dorsey, Bowie, Smith, Harbine and Ricaud. After several postponements, the district was erected officially as Howard County on July 4, 1851, after the approval of the new constitution at the election held June 4, 1851.
The plantations of modern Howard County used slave labor as early as 1690. At the time of the Underground Railroad, some Howard County residents assisted slaves who were escaping to freedom. This was particularly risky, as many prominent plantation families were Confederate sympathizers during the Civil War, contributing militiamen to the South to protect local interests. [21] Maryland was exempt from the Emancipation Proclamation, later abolishing slavery in the update of the Maryland Constitution in November 1864. [22]
On May 1, 1883, Howard County joined Anne Arundel County and Harford County in liquor prohibition. [23]
By 1899, Howard County contained 400 miles (640 km) of dirt and 48 miles (77 km) of stone roads, including three paid turnpikes maintained by 118 men. Most traffic consisted of loads delivered to rail crossings. [24] In 1909, County Commissioners Hess, Werner and O'Neil were charged with malfeasance regarding contract bids. [25]
In 1918, a deadly flu pandemic swept the county starting with an early outbreak in Camp Meade in adjacent Anne Arundel County. [26] [27] The 1930s saw a shift from one-room schoolhouses to centralized schools with bus service. By 1939 wheat harvesting fell to just 18,800 acres (7,600 ha). [28] In 1940, local newspaper owner Paul Griffith Stromberg led a five-county commission to study a superhighway between Baltimore and Washington through Howard County. [29] The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 eventually led to the construction of Interstate 70 across northern Howard County and Interstate 95 across the eastern part of the county. [30] The sparsely populated county hosted population centers in Ellicott City, Elkridge, Savage, North Laurel and Lisbon with W.R. Grace and Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab as the largest new employers. Residents elected officials that campaigned to keep the county rural while planners prepared public works to support a quarter million residents by the year 2000. Race relations and desegregation became major issues of the time. [31]
From 1963 to 1966 the Rouse Company bought 14,000 acres (5,700 ha) of land and rezoned it for the Columbia Development. In 1972, the Marriott company proposed to build a regional theme park on Rouse-owned land but was denied zoning. [32]
The county has a number of properties on the National Register of Historic Places. [33]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 253 square miles (660 km2), of which 251 square miles (650 km2) is land and 2.7 square miles (7.0 km2) (1.0%) is water. [34] It is the second-smallest county in Maryland by land area and smallest by total area.
Howard County is located in the Piedmont Plateau region of Maryland, with rolling hills making up most of the landscape. It is bounded on the north and northeast by the Patapsco River, on the southwest by the Patuxent River, and on the southeast by a land border with Anne Arundel County. Both the Patapsco and Patuxent run largely through publicly accessible parkland along the county borders. The Patuxent border includes the Triadelphia and Rocky Gorge reservoirs.
Howard County lies in the humid subtropical climate zone. As one travels west in the county away from the Baltimore area, the winter temperatures get lower and winter snow is more common. Annual rainfall is about 45 inches (1,100 mm) throughout the county. [36] Over a 60-year period from 1950 to 2010, there were 394 National Climatic Data Center reportable events causing 617 injuries, and 99 fatalities. There were 9 reported tornadoes, reaching a maximum of F2, with no recorded fatalities. [37]
For much of the 1800s and 1900s, Howard County was a predominantly white and mainly rural county with a small population. In 1950, the population was only 23,000. Since the 1950s, the county's population has increased tenfold and has diversified into a majority minority county. Almost half of Howard County's population identified as non-Hispanic and/or non-white by 2017. Much of the racial diversification of Howard County came after 1967, when The Rouse Company designed Columbia to be a planned community that included people from diverse socioeconomic and racial backgrounds. African-Americans have lived in Howard County for centuries, with the African-American population increasing greatly after the 1960s. Immigration from Asia, particularly Korea, India, and China, as well as Latin America, has also contributed to Howard County's diversity. While historically primarily Christian, Howard County now has sizable Jewish, Muslim, and Hindu populations. [38] As of 2019, 18,700 Jewish people lived in the county, making up 5.8% of the total population. More than 6,000 non-Jewish people in the county have Jewish people in their households. [39] As of 2010, only 1% of Jews in the county were Orthodox, while one-third each were Conservative and Reform and one-quarter were secular or non-denominational. In the same year, one-quarter of the Jewish community were poor or financially insecure, 17% made less than $50,000 per year, and half made annual incomes of $100,000 or more. [40]
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1860 | 13,338 | — | |
1870 | 14,150 | 6.1% | |
1880 | 16,140 | 14.1% | |
1890 | 16,269 | 0.8% | |
1900 | 16,715 | 2.7% | |
1910 | 16,106 | −3.6% | |
1920 | 15,826 | −1.7% | |
1930 | 16,169 | 2.2% | |
1940 | 17,175 | 6.2% | |
1950 | 23,119 | 34.6% | |
1960 | 36,152 | 56.4% | |
1970 | 61,911 | 71.3% | |
1980 | 118,572 | 91.5% | |
1990 | 187,328 | 58.0% | |
2000 | 247,842 | 32.3% | |
2010 | 287,085 | 15.8% | |
2020 | 328,200 | 14.3% | |
2023 (est.) | 336,001 | [41] | 2.4% |
U.S. Decennial Census [42] 1790-1960 [43] 1900-1990 [44] 1990-2000 [45] 2010–2018 [46] 2010-2020 [47] |
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000 [48] | Pop 2010 [49] | Pop 2020 [50] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
White alone (NH) | 180,010 | 169,972 | 155,236 | 72.63% | 59.21% | 46.71% |
Black or African American alone (NH) | 35,353 | 49,150 | 64,018 | 14.26% | 17.12% | 19.26% |
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 515 | 511 | 461 | 0.21% | 0.18% | 0.14% |
Asian alone (NH) | 18,977 | 41,101 | 66,073 | 7.66% | 14.32% | 19.88% |
Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 80 | 105 | 114 | 0.03% | 0.04% | 0.03% |
Other Race alone (NH) | 656 | 746 | 2,213 | 0.26% | 0.26% | 0.67% |
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) | 4,761 | 8,771 | 16,840 | 1.92% | 3.06% | 5.07% |
Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7,490 | 16,729 | 27,362 | 3.02% | 5.83% | 8.23% |
Total | 247,842 | 287,085 | 332,317 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 328,200 people by June 1, 2020 [47] The population density was 1,300 inhabitants per square mile (500/km2)
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 287,085 people, 104,749 households, and 76,333 families residing in the county. [51] The population density was 1,144.9 inhabitants per square mile (442.0/km2). There were 109,282 housing units at an average density of 435.8 per square mile (168.3/km2). [52] The racial makeup of the county was 62.2% white, 17.5% Black or African American, 14.4% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 2.0% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 5.8% of the population. [51] In terms of ancestry, 17.7% were German, 13.9% were Irish, 10.6% were English, 7.0% were Italian, and 4.6% were American. [53]
Of the 104,749 households, 39.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.9% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 27.1% were non-families, and 21.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.72, and the average family size was 3.20. The median age was 38.4 years. [51]
The median income for a household in the county was $103,273, and the median income for a family was $119,810. Males had a median income of $82,307 versus $59,128 for females. The per capita income for the county was $45,294. About 2.8% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over. [54]
As of the census [55] of 2000, there were 247,842 people, 90,043 households, and 65,821 families residing in the county. The population density was 983 inhabitants per square mile (380/km2). There were 92,818 housing units at an average density of 368 per square mile (142/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 74.33% White, 14.42% Black, 0.24% Native American, 7.68% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.11% from other races, and 2.19% from two or more races. 3.02% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 15.1% were of German, 11.0% Irish, 9.3% English, 6.6% Italian and 5.7% American ancestry.
There were 90,043 households, out of which 40.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.50% were married couples living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.90% were non-families. 20.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71, and the average family size was 3.18.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.10% under the age of 18, 6.30% from 18 to 24, 34.40% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 7.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $101,003, and the median income for a family was $117,186 in 2009. The per capita income was $44,120. About 2.70% of families and 4.00% of the population were below the poverty line.
The Howard County Public School System, the school district for the entire county, [56] manages 71 schools and serves approximately 49,000 students. The graduation rate from this school district was 90.4% in 2009, [57] and the county's schools are ranked among the best in the state. Student test scores consistently top the list for all Maryland school districts. Reservoir High School is currently the largest school in the county with over 1,900 students.
In 2013 Howard County Library System was selected as the Library of the Year by Library Journal [58] and cited by editor-at-large, John N. Berry, as "a 21st-century library model, with a position, doctrine, purpose, and curriculum worthy of study and consideration by every library in America, if not the world." In 2015 the Howard County Library System was designated the top Star Library in its class. [59]
Howard County has voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election from 1992 on. In the 2020 presidential election, Democratic Party candidate Joe Biden received the highest percentage of Howard County's votes of any presidential candidate in the history of the county. [60] The less populated western and northern parts of Howard County lean Republican. The more heavily populated southern and eastern parts are heavily Democratic.
Howard County has a record of acting as a bellwether in state-wide elections since the late 20th century: Since at least the 1950s, Howard County has voted for the successful senatorial candidate in both Maryland's Class I and Class III seats, and since 1998 the county has voted for the successful gubernatorial candidate, voting for Republican Bob Ehrlich in the 2002 gubernatorial election, Democrat Martin O'Malley in 2006 and 2010, Republican Larry Hogan in 2014 and 2018, and Democrat Wes Moore in 2022. Since 1984, the county has also voted for the state-wide presidential winner, a streak of 10 straight presidential elections.
At the state level of government, Howard County is represented by nine Democrats in the Maryland House of Delegates and three Democrats in the Maryland Senate. One Democratic state senator from the county represents a district that spills into Montgomery County to the west, as do two Democratic state delegates. Another Democratic state senator represents a district that splits into Anne Arundel County to the south-east, along with two Democratic state delegates.
From 1914 to 1968, Howard County was governed by a system of three elected commissioners with four-year terms. [61] Prior to 1962, the only polling location in the county was located in Ellicott City. In May 1962, voters were offered a second location to vote, also in Ellicott City at the National Armory on Montgomery Road. [62] Senator James Clark Jr. proposed a five-person County Council and a County Executive in 1965. [63] In 1968, the county implemented a charter form of government. [64] In 1984 a councilmanic referendum was approved, switching council from at-large representation to district representation. [65] The County Council serves as the county's legislative branch; members also provide constituent service and sit as members of the Zoning Board and Liquor Board. The current Howard County Executive is Democrat Calvin Ball III, who was elected in November 2018 and took office on December 3, 2018. [66] The county is entirely within Maryland's 3rd congressional district, represented by Democrat John Sarbanes.
Voter registration and party enrollment as of March 2024 [67] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | 121,196 | 51.66% | |||
Unaffiliated | 61,771 | 26.33% | |||
Republican | 48,131 | 20.52% | |||
Libertarian | 965 | 0.41% | |||
Other parties | 2,522 | 1.08% | |||
Total | 234,585 | 100% |
Year | Republican / Whig | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 48,390 | 26.43% | 129,433 | 70.70% | 5,239 | 2.86% |
2016 | 47,484 | 29.28% | 102,597 | 63.26% | 12,112 | 7.47% |
2012 | 57,758 | 37.72% | 91,393 | 59.69% | 3,957 | 2.58% |
2008 | 55,393 | 38.14% | 87,120 | 59.99% | 2,720 | 1.87% |
2004 | 59,724 | 44.63% | 72,257 | 54.00% | 1,829 | 1.37% |
2000 | 49,809 | 44.17% | 58,556 | 51.92% | 4,414 | 3.91% |
1996 | 40,849 | 42.77% | 47,569 | 49.81% | 7,090 | 7.42% |
1992 | 38,594 | 38.67% | 44,763 | 44.85% | 16,441 | 16.47% |
1988 | 44,153 | 56.22% | 34,007 | 43.30% | 370 | 0.47% |
1984 | 35,641 | 57.78% | 25,713 | 41.68% | 334 | 0.54% |
1980 | 24,272 | 47.04% | 20,702 | 40.12% | 6,625 | 12.84% |
1976 | 21,200 | 50.80% | 20,533 | 49.20% | 0 | 0.00% |
1972 | 19,265 | 63.55% | 10,668 | 35.19% | 383 | 1.26% |
1968 | 9,957 | 53.81% | 5,752 | 31.08% | 2,796 | 15.11% |
1964 | 6,833 | 45.50% | 8,185 | 54.50% | 0 | 0.00% |
1960 | 7,051 | 56.57% | 5,412 | 43.42% | 2 | 0.02% |
1956 | 6,534 | 64.48% | 3,599 | 35.52% | 0 | 0.00% |
1952 | 5,497 | 59.09% | 3,693 | 39.70% | 112 | 1.20% |
1948 | 3,113 | 51.64% | 2,725 | 45.21% | 190 | 3.15% |
1944 | 3,344 | 51.57% | 3,140 | 48.43% | 0 | 0.00% |
1940 | 3,082 | 43.60% | 3,957 | 55.98% | 30 | 0.42% |
1936 | 2,638 | 38.65% | 4,138 | 60.63% | 49 | 0.72% |
1932 | 1,970 | 31.83% | 4,161 | 67.22% | 59 | 0.95% |
1928 | 3,296 | 51.36% | 3,088 | 48.12% | 33 | 0.51% |
1924 | 1,989 | 38.48% | 2,786 | 53.90% | 394 | 7.62% |
1920 | 2,608 | 51.46% | 2,397 | 47.30% | 63 | 1.24% |
1916 | 1,346 | 40.51% | 1,913 | 57.57% | 64 | 1.93% |
1912 | 1,004 | 33.92% | 1,523 | 51.45% | 433 | 14.63% |
1908 | 1,276 | 41.20% | 1,764 | 56.96% | 57 | 1.84% |
1904 | 1,258 | 39.00% | 1,914 | 59.33% | 54 | 1.67% |
1900 | 1,800 | 47.58% | 1,904 | 50.33% | 79 | 2.09% |
1896 | 1,981 | 51.19% | 1,786 | 46.15% | 103 | 2.66% |
1892 | 1,410 | 41.35% | 1,920 | 56.30% | 80 | 2.35% |
1888 | 1,521 | 45.27% | 1,774 | 52.80% | 65 | 1.93% |
1884 | 1,392 | 44.20% | 1,733 | 55.03% | 24 | 0.76% |
1880 | 1,365 | 43.31% | 1,787 | 56.69% | 0 | 0.00% |
1876 | 1,189 | 41.98% | 1,641 | 57.94% | 2 | 0.07% |
1872 | 1,309 | 52.26% | 1,196 | 47.74% | 0 | 0.00% |
1868 | 490 | 32.62% | 1,012 | 67.38% | 0 | 0.00% |
1864 | 579 | 42.67% | 778 | 57.33% | 0 | 0.00% |
1860 | 1 | 0.06% | 189 | 12.19% | 1,360 | 87.74% |
1856 | 0 | 0.00% | 633 | 41.32% | 899 | 58.68% |
1852 | 570 | 47.70% | 625 | 52.30% | 0 | 0.00% |
The County Council adopts ordinances and resolutions, and has all of the county's legislative powers. There are five council districts throughout the county. [69] The current County Council as of December 2022 includes 4 Democrats and 1 Republican.
District | Name | Party | Representing | |
---|---|---|---|---|
District 1 | Elizabeth Walsh | Democratic | Ellicott City, Elkridge | |
District 2 | Opel Jones | Democratic | East Columbia, Elkridge | |
District 3 | Christiana Rigby | Democratic | North Laurel, Jessup | |
District 4 | Deb Jung | Democratic | Columbia, Fulton | |
District 5 | David Yungmann | Republican | Western Howard County |
Chairman | Affiliation | Term | Commissioner | Affiliation | Term | Commissioner | Affiliation | Term | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
George Howard [71] | Anti-Jacksonian Party | 1840 | Zedekiah Moore | 1840 | Charles Worthington Dorsey | 1840 | |||
William H. Worthington | 1841–1845 | Wesley Linthicum | 1841–1845 | Perry Gaither | 1841 | ||||
William H. Worthington | 1841–1845 | Wesley Linthicum | 1841–1845 | George W. Hobbs | 1842–1845 | ||||
William H. Worthington | 1841–1845 | Wesley Linthicum | 1841-1845 | George W. Hobbs, Perry Gaither, William Welling | 1845 | ||||
Samuel Brown | 1846 | William Hughes | 1846 | Reuben P. Hammond | 1846 | ||||
William H. Worthington | 1847 | William Hughes | 1847 | George W. Hobbs, Charles R. Simpson | 1847 | ||||
William Hughes | 1848–1849 | George Howard | 1848 | Charles R. Simpson, John Hood, Theodore Tubman | 1848 | ||||
William Hughes | 1848–1849 | Theodore Tubman | 1848–1853 | Littleton Maclin, Thomas Burgess | 1849 | ||||
Littleton Maclin | 1850 | Theodore Tubman | 1848-1853 | David E. Hopkins, David Feelemyer, Samuel Brown | 1850 | ||||
Thomas B. Hobbs [72] | 1851 | Theodore Tubman | 1848–1853 | Samuel Nichols, Samuel Brown, David Clark, David Feelemyer | 1851 | ||||
Theodore Tubman | 1848–1853 | David Clark | 1853 | David Feelemyer, George Bond | 1853 | ||||
Slingsby Linthicum | 1854 | George Bond | 1854 | Steven B. Dorsey | 1854 | ||||
George Bond | 1855 | Slingsby Linthicum | 1855 | Steven B. Dorsey, Theodore Tubman | 1855 | ||||
Samuel Hopkins [73] | Republican | 1865 | |||||||
John T. Ridgely [74] | 1885–1888 | Ephraim Collins | 1885– | B. C. Sunderland | 1885– | ||||
Benjamin C. Sunderland | 1889–1892 | Benjamin F. Hess | 1889–1892 | Edmund Dorsey [75] | Republican | 1889–1892 | |||
Benjamin F. Hess [76] | 1901–1904 | Thomas O' Neill | 1901–1904 | Jacob J. Werner | 1901–1904 | ||||
Jacob J. Werner [77] | 1905–1907 | Benjamin F. Hess | 1905–1907 | Henry A Penny [72] | 1905–1911 | ||||
Benjamin F. Hess [78] | 1908–1909 | Amos Howard Earp | 1908–1911 | Jacob J. Werner | 1908–1913 | ||||
Amos Howard Earp [79] [80] | 1911–1917 | Grosvenor Hanson | 1911–1915 | William H. Davis | 1911–1915 | ||||
Amos Howard Earp [81] | 1915–1917 | Grosvenor Hanson | 1915–1917 | De Wilton C. Partlett | 1915–1917 | ||||
Amos Howard Earp [82] | 1917–1919 | John H. Shaab | 1917–1919 | De Wilton C. Partlett | 1917–1919 | ||||
Amos Howard Earp [83] | 1920–1926 | Daniel H. Gaither | 1920–1926 | De Wilton C. Parlett | 1920–1926 | ||||
DeWilton C. Parlett [84] | 1926–1930 | H. Thomas Glimes | 1926–1930 | Daniel H. Gaither | 1926–1930 | ||||
H. Grafton Penny [85] | Democrat | 1930–1934 | J. Frank Curtis | 1930–1934 | Daniel H. Gaither | 1930–1934 | |||
H. Grafton Penny [86] | Democrat | 1935–1938 | Robert H. Mercer | Democrat | 1935–1938 | Hart B. Noll | Republican | 1935–1938 | |
Charles E. Miller | Republican | 1938–1942 | |||||||
James Franklin Curtis | Republican | 1942–1949 | Charles E. Miller | Republican | 1942–1949 | ||||
Norman E. Moxley | Democrat | 1949–1957 | Roby H. Mullinix | Democrat | 1949–1954 | E. Walter Scott | Democrat | 1949–1954 | |
Norman E. Moxley [87] | Democrat | 1958–1959 | Howard W. Clark | Democrat | 1957–1958 | Charles E. Harman | Democrat | 1957–1958 | |
Charles M. Scott [88] | Democrat | 1959–1962 | Norman E. Moxley | Democrat | 1959–1962 | Arthur K. Pickett | Democrat | 1959–1962 | |
Charles E. Miller | Republican | 1962–1966 | J. Hubert Black | Republican | 1962–1966 | David W. Force | Republican | 1962–1966 | |
Charles E. Miller | Republican | 1966–1970 | J. Hubert Black | Republican | 1966–1970 | Ridgley Jones | Democrat | 1968–1970 |
Name | Affiliation | Term | Council (districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Omar J. Jones | Democrat | 1969–1973 | Alva S. Baker, Edward L. Cochran, J. Hugh Nichols, Charles E. Miller, William S. Hanna [89] | |
Edward L. Cochran | Democrat | 1974–1978 | Richard Anderson (Elizabeth Bobo - appointed), [90] Ruth Keeton, Lloyd Kowles, Virginia Thomas, Thomas Yeager [91] | |
J. Hugh Nichols [92] | Democrat | 1978–1982 | Ruth U. Keeton, Elizabeth Bobo, Lloyd G. Knowles, Virginia M. Thomas, Thomas M. Yeager | |
J. Hugh Nichols | Democrat | 1982–1986 | Ruth U. Keeton, Elizabeth Bobo, James C. Clark, C. Vernon Gray, Lloyd G. Knowles | |
William E. Eakle [93] [94] | Democrat | 1986 | Ruth U. Keeton, Elizabeth Bobo, James C. Clark, C. Vernon Gray, Lloyd G. Knowles | |
Elizabeth Bobo | Democrat | 1986–1990 | Angela Beltram, C. Vernon Gray, Shane Pendergrass, Ruth Keeton, Charles Feaga | |
Charles I. Ecker [95] | Republican | 1990–1994 | Darrel E. Drown, C. Vernon Gray, Shane Pendergrass, Paul R. Farragut, Charles Feaga | |
Charles I. Ecker | Republican | 1994–1998 | Darrel E. Drown, C. Vernon Gray, Dennis R. Schrader, Mary C. Lorsung, Charles Feaga | |
James N. Robey [96] | Democrat | 1998–2002 | Christopher J. Merdon, C. Vernon Gray, Guy Guzzone, Mary C. Lorsung, Allan H. Kittleman | |
James N. Robey | Democrat | 2002–2006 | Christopher J. Merdon, David A. Rakes (Calvin Ball-appointed), Guy Guzzone, Ken Ulman, Allan H. Kittleman (Charles C. Feaga-appointed) [97] [98] | |
Kenneth Ulman | Democrat | 2006–2010 | Courtney Watson, Calvin Ball, Jen Terrasa, Mary Kay Sigaty, Greg Fox | |
Kenneth Ulman | Democrat | 2010–2014 | Courtney Watson, Calvin Ball, Jen Terrasa, Mary Kay Sigaty, Greg Fox | |
Allan H. Kittleman | Republican | 2014–2018 | Jon Weinstein, Calvin Ball, Jen Terrasa, Mary Kay Sigaty, Greg Fox | |
Calvin Ball III | Democrat | 2018–2022 | Elizabeth Walsh, Opel Jones, Christiana Rigby, Deb Jung, David Yungmann | |
Calvin Ball III | Democrat | 2022–present | Elizabeth Walsh, Opel Jones, Christiana Rigby, Deb Jung, David Yungmann |
Department |
---|
Howard County government |
Howard County Public School System |
Howard County Housing and Community Development |
Howard County Board of Elections |
Howard County Library |
Howard County Fire and Rescue |
Howard County Police |
Howard County Department of Corrections |
Howard Community College |
Howard County Animal Control |
Howard County Office of Natural Resources |
Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks |
Howard County Department Recycling Division |
Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning |
Statistics for July 2014 indicate that Howard County's unemployment rate is at 5.2 percent (7,527 persons). [99]
Howard County Public School System employs 8,136 of which 4,670 are teachers. [100] The County Government employs 3,323 outside of the school system with 672 police, 482 public works, and 472 fire and rescue employees. [101] The top ten private sector employers in Howard County are as follows: [102]
# | Employer | # of Employees |
---|---|---|
1 | Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory | 8,000 [103] |
2 | Verizon Wireless | 2,028 |
3 | Lorien Health Systems | 2,000 |
4 | Howard County General Hospital | 1,777 |
5 | Howard Community College | 1,294 |
6 | Leidos | 1,195 |
7 | Giant Food | 1,050 |
8 | The Columbia Association | 900 |
9 | Wells Fargo | 842 |
10 | Oracle Corporation subsidiary MICROS Systems | 815 |
Awards and recognitions achieved by Howard County or locations within it include the following:
Howard County does not have any commercial or public-use airport facilities. A 1967 Airport Study Commission recommended a facility for 150–250 aircraft to provide economic development, but was not initiated. [127] With the closure of Haysfield Airport in 2012, there is one privately owned airstrip, Glenair Airport in Glenelg. [128] Commercial air service is provided by Baltimore/Washington International Airport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and Washington Dulles International Airport.
The Census Bureau recognizes the following Census-designated places in the county:
Unincorporated places not listed as Census-designated places but known in the area include:
Baltimore County is the third-most populous county in the U.S. state of Maryland. The county is part of the Central Maryland region of the state. Baltimore County partly surrounds but does not include the independent city of Baltimore. It is part of the Northeast megalopolis, which stretches from Northern Virginia in the south to Boston in the north and includes major American population centers, including New York City and Philadelphia. Major economic sectors in the county include education, government, and health care. As of the 2020 census, the population was 854,535. The county is home to several universities, including Goucher College, Stevenson University, Towson University, and University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Anne Arundel County, also notated as AA or A.A. County, is located in the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 United States census, its population was 588,261, an increase of just under 10% since 2010. Its county seat is Annapolis, which is also the capital of the state. The county is named for Anne Arundell, Lady Baltimore, a member of the ancient family of Arundells in Cornwall, England, and the wife of Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore (1605–1675), founder and first lord proprietor of the colony Province of Maryland. The county is part of the Central Maryland region of the state.
Cecil County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland at the northeastern corner of the state, bordering both Pennsylvania and Delaware. As of the 2020 census, the population was 103,725. The county seat is Elkton. The county is part of the Mid-Eastern Shore region of the state.
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is the county seat of Anne Arundel County and its only incorporated city. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, 25 miles (40 km) south of Baltimore and about 30 miles (50 km) east of Washington, D.C., Annapolis forms part of the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area. The 2020 census recorded its population as 40,812, an increase of 6.3% since 2010.
Carroll County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 172,891. Its county seat is Westminster. The county is part of the Central Maryland region of the state. Carroll County is included in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA Combined Statistical Area. While predominantly rural, the county has become increasingly suburban in recent years.
Queen Anne's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 49,874. Its county seat and most populous municipality is Centreville. The census-designated place of Stevensville is the county's most populous place with a population of 7,442 as of 2020. The county is named for Queen Anne of Great Britain, who reigned when the county was established in 1706 during the colonial period. The county is part of the Mid-Eastern Shore region of the state.
Crofton is a census-designated place and planned community in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States, located 9.8 miles (15.8 km) west of the state capital Annapolis, 24 miles (39 km) south of Baltimore, and 24 miles (39 km) east-northeast of Washington, D.C. The community was established in 1964 and as of the 2020 census, it had a population of 29,136.
Fort Meade is a census-designated place (CDP) in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 9,327 at the 2010 census. It is the home to the National Security Agency, Central Security Service, United States Cyber Command and the Defense Information Systems Agency, which are located on the U.S. Army post Fort George G. Meade.
Glen Burnie is an unincorporated town and census-designated place (CDP) in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. It is a suburb of Baltimore. The population was 72,891 at the 2020 census.
Mayo is a census-designated place (CDP) in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 8,298 in the 2010 census. The Mayo CDP of 2010 includes all of the area that used to be counted as the Selby-on-the-Bay CDP. The beach in Mayo used to be a popular weekend resort.
Parole, a suburb of Annapolis, is a census-designated place (CDP) in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 15,922 at the 2010 census. It has several major roads intersect at the western edge of the state capital, Annapolis, and it contains the Annapolis Mall, a number of other large shopping centers, and the Anne Arundel Medical Center. It is generally considered to be part of Annapolis, rather than a separate town.
Pasadena is a census-designated place (CDP) in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 24,287 at the 2010 census.
Eldersburg is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Carroll County, Maryland, United States. The population was 30,531 at the 2010 census.
Elkridge is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Howard County, Maryland, United States. The population was 15,593 at the 2010 census. Founded early in the 18th century, Elkridge is adjacent to two other counties, Anne Arundel and Baltimore.
Ellicott City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in, and the county seat of, Howard County, Maryland, United States. Part of the Baltimore metropolitan area, its population was 75,947 at the 2020 census, making it the most populous unincorporated county seat in the country.
Laurel is a city in Maryland, United States, located midway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore on the banks of the Patuxent River, in northern Prince George's County. Founded as a mill town in the early 19th century, Laurel expanded local industry and was later able to become an early commuter town for Washington and Baltimore workers following the arrival of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1835. Largely residential today, the city maintains a historic district centered on its Main Street, highlighting its industrial past.
Jessup is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Howard and Anne Arundel counties, about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 10,535.
The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) is the school district that manages and runs the public schools of Howard County, Maryland. It operates under the supervision of an elected, eight-member Board of Education. Jennifer Mallo is the chair of the board. William J. Barnes has been the acting superintendent since January 2024.
The Baltimore–Columbia–Towson Metropolitan Statistical Area, also known as Central Maryland, is a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in Maryland as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB). It is part of the larger Washington–Baltimore combined statistical area. As of 2022, the combined population of the seven counties is 2,985,871, making it the 20th-largest metropolitan statistical area in the nation.
Ilchester is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Howard County, Maryland, United States. The population was 23,476 at the 2010 census. It was named after the village of Ilchester in the English county of Somerset.
Swearing-in and inaugural address of the Howard County Council and Howard County Executive Calvin Ball at Howard High School on Monday, December 3, 2018.
Nichols left office nine months early in 1986 ... the County Council chose Mr. Eakle to finish the former executive's term.