Howard County was ranked 8th in U.S. News & World Report’s 2021 Healthiest Communities. Los Alamos County, New Mexico was ranked 1st.

Howard County ranked 20th in 2018. It is also the only jurisdiction in Maryland ranked in the top 50.

The magazine measured nearly 3,000 U.S. counties and county equivalents across 84 factors that fuel and form the health of a community and its residents. Counties were assessed in 10 categories ranging from the economy, environment and public safety to education, equity, infrastructure and housing.