Indiana · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Howard County, IN

Prices around Howard County, IN run 10.4% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $64,027 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,123 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $44,920 a year.

Howard County, IN at a glance

Median household income

$64,027$5,336 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,123HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)89.6-10.4% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity17.5¢per kWh · EIA Residential IN
Population83,752Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Howard County, IN?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,123Monthly market rent
Share of gross income21%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$44,920To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,601At 30% of $64,027
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Howard County, IN? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Kokomo, IN MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Howard County, IN, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$884$10,608$35,36016.6%
1-Bedroom Apartment$890$10,680$35,60016.7%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,123$13,476$44,92021%
3-Bedroom Home$1,388$16,656$55,52026%
4-Bedroom Home$1,567$18,804$62,68029.4%

Rent in Howard County, IN, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Howard County, IN

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $64,027 a year ($5,336 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,668/moRent ($1,123 2-BR), utilities (~$158/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,601/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,067/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $64,027 leaves after Indiana taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Indiana tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$64,027
$25,000$130,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$64,027
Net 81%
Fed 9%
IN 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$51,766After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,314Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,991Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,503 / yr
Indiana state income tax$1,859 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,898 / yr

Living in Howard County, IN: common questions

What is the median household income in Howard County, IN?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Howard County, IN is $64,027 per year (approximately $5,336 per month).

What is the average rent in Howard County, IN?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $884 for a studio, $890 for one bedroom, $1,123 for two, $1,388 for three and $1,567 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Howard County, IN expensive to live in?

Prices there run 10.4% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 89.6, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Howard County, IN?

To keep a $1,123 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $44,920 a year, or $3,743 a month. That is 70% of what the typical household in Howard County, IN earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Howard County, IN?

On the local median income of $64,027 ($5,336 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,668 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,601 for everything else and $1,067 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,123 takes 42% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Howard County, IN?

Homes in Indiana paid 17.5¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $158. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.