Howard County, Md. ranked sixth richest county in the nation by U.S. News & World Report
BALTIMORE -- Howard County is the sixth richest county in the country, according to a new ranking by U.S. News & World Report. It was the only jurisdiction in the state to make the 15-county list.
The counties were ranked by median household income, using 2016-2020 data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Located West of Baltimore, Howard County has a median household income of $124,042. The county is followed in Maryland by Calvert County and Montgomery County with medians of $112,380 and $110,389, respectively.
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball celebrated the ranking and credited residents, saying in a statement "excellence doesn't happen by accident."
"What makes Howard County exceptional is its people: We are the best-educated workforce in the country; we innovate and we excel," Ball said. "People move here, raise families here, and grow businesses here because of our remarkable quality of life, which is validated by every external ranking, such as the U.S. News & World Report list."
Ball acknowledges in his statement that while the county is wealthy, disparities persist for some.
"Still, we stay focused on addressing gaps in success for all, and we know that not every family in Howard County experiences the economic certainty they want," he said. "Working together, we will continue to promote the best, most innovative health, education, economic development and wealth creation, public safety and environmental policies for the benefit of all in Howard County."
Howard County is also No. 18 in U.S. News' 2022 Healthiest Communities rankings and places 15th among urban communities with high-performing economies.
Nearby Virginia dominated the top of the ranking, taking up nearly a third of the list. Arlington County ($122,604) took seventh place while Fairfax County ($127,866), Falls Church ($146,922) and Loudoun County ($147,111) took fifth, second and first place, respectively.