Rental numbers for Howard County, MD
The typical home here runs -$2,624 a month at 7.78% with 25% down. 0 of 8 ZIP codes with full Zillow data in this county are cash-flow positive; the median gross yield is 5.0%.
- Gross yield
- 4.5%
- typical home, Zillow
- Median ZIP yield
- 5.0%
- 8 ZIPs with full data
- Cash flow
- -$2,624/mo
- at 7.78%, 25% down
- Typical price
- $633,000
- Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
- Typical rent
- $2,387/mo
- Zillow ZORI, Aug 2026
ZIP codes in Howard County
19 with published figures
| 21075Elkridge | $486,000 | $2,387 | 5.9% | 2.5% | -$1,599 | +5.2% |
| 20763Savage | $492,000 | $2,300* | 5.6% | 2.2% | -$1,768 | n/a |
| 21045Columbia | $482,000 | $2,188 | 5.5% | 2.1% | -$1,750 | +3.3% |
| 20794Jessup | $487,000 | $2,177 | 5.4% | 2.1% | -$1,751 | n/a |
| 21044Columbia | $541,000 | $2,324 | 5.2% | 2.0% | -$2,013 | +4.6% |
| 20723Laurel | $585,000 | $2,377 | 4.9% | 1.7% | -$2,302 | -0.1% |
| 21043Ellicott City | $635,000 | $2,522 | 4.8% | 1.7% | -$2,510 | +2.9% |
| 21042Ellicott City | $807,000 | $3,021 | 4.5% | 1.5% | -$3,364 | +0.6% |
| 21046Columbia | $520,000 | $1,945 | 4.5% | 1.4% | -$2,211 | +0.1% |
| 20777Highland | $993,000 | $2,720* | 3.3% | 0.6% | -$4,862 | n/a |
| 21163Woodstock | $656,000 | $1,770* | 3.2% | 0.5% | -$3,248 | n/a |
| 21797Woodbine | $810,000 | $2,150* | 3.2% | 0.7% | -$3,913 | n/a |
| 21029Clarksville | $1,053,000 | $2,790* | 3.2% | 0.5% | -$5,234 | n/a |
| 21036Dayton | $1,021,000 | $2,690* | 3.2% | 0.5% | -$5,033 | n/a |
| 20759Fulton | $1,000,000 | $2,570* | 3.1% | 0.5% | -$5,007 | n/a |
| 21723Cooksville | $923,000 | $2,350* | 3.0% | 0.5% | -$4,614 | n/a |
| 21738Glenwood | $990,000 | $2,350* | 2.9% | 0.3% | -$5,060 | n/a |
| 21794West Friendship | $1,042,000 | $2,350* | 2.7% | 0.2% | -$5,453 | n/a |
| 21737Glenwood | $1,207,000 | $2,350* | 2.3% | -0.1% | -$6,626 | n/a |
* HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, where Zillow publishes no rent index. Conservative.
Trends
Five years to August 2026
- Price, 12 months
- +0.6%
- Rent, 12 months
- +3.1%
- Rent minus price growth
- +2.5 pts
- Property tax
- 1.17%
- effective rate, ACS 2024
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical value | Rent |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2021 | $543,569 | $1,992 |
| Aug 2022 | $586,516 | $2,180 |
| Aug 2023 | $600,480 | $2,252 |
| Aug 2024 | $622,260 | $2,315 |
| Aug 2025 | $628,846 | $2,315 |
| Aug 2026 | $632,563 | $2,387 |
HUD Fair Market Rent
FY2027, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA
| Bedrooms | Studio | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4 bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair Market Rent | $1,523 | $1,625 | $2,006 | $2,509 | $2,789 |
The 40th percentile gross rent for a standard unit, set by HUD each October and used for Section 8 payment standards. It runs below market rent; Zillow's index is shown above where it exists.
Supply
- Permits per 1,000 households
- 2.2
- 267 units, last 12 months
- National percentile
- 27th
- among US counties
Tools
Test a listing in Howard County against today's rate.
Open the calculatorPart of the Baltimore, MD metro.
Questions
- Is Howard County good for rental property?
- The typical home here runs -$2,624 a month at 7.78% with 25% down. 0 of 8 ZIP codes with full Zillow data in this county are cash-flow positive; the median gross yield is 5.0%. The figures use a typical home, 7.78% with 25% down and default costs shown on each ZIP page. They describe the market, not any one property.
- What is the property tax rate in Howard County?
- About 1.17% of value, from Census ACS median taxes paid over median home value. On a $633,000 home that is about $7,395 a year.
- What is Fair Market Rent in Howard County?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent here is $1,625 for a 1-bedroom, $2,006 for a 2-bedroom and $2,509 for a 3-bedroom. Typical cash flow at today's rate is -$2,624 a month.
Sources and method
- Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), mid tier, smoothed and seasonally adjusted
Zillow Research. Read: 2026-08.
Typical home value by ZIP, county, metro and state, and the price trend.
- Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), all homes plus multifamily, smoothed
Zillow Research. Read: 2026-08.
Typical market rent by ZIP, county and metro, and the rent trend (tier A pages).
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2026
US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Read: FY2026.
Rent by bedroom count for every ZIP. The rent used on tier B pages, and a reference on all pages. It is the 40th percentile gross rent, so it runs below market.
- HUD Fair Market Rents by county, FY2027
US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Read: FY2027.
County rent by bedroom count on county pages.
- American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (B25103 median real estate taxes paid, B25077 median home value, B11001 households)
US Census Bureau. Read: 2020 to 2024.
Effective property tax rate (median taxes paid divided by median value) by ZIP code tabulation area, county and state; households for the permits ratio.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, 30-year fixed (FRED series MORTGAGE30US)
Freddie Mac via the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Read: 2026-09-24.
The weekly 30-year rate. The site adds a disclosed investor premium to it for the loan payment.
- Building Permits Survey, county monthly files
US Census Bureau. Read: 2025-09 to 2026-08.
New housing units permitted in the last 12 months per 1,000 households, a supply-pressure signal.
Data: Zillow Research (ZHVI, ZORI), HUD, US Census Bureau, Freddie Mac. Every formula is on the methodology page.
Estimates from public data for a typical property. Not investment, tax or legal advice. Your property, financing and costs will differ.