Howard and Hobart receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Howard
Hobart
Opportunity
85 · Top 3%
vs89 · Top 1%
Growth
74 · Top 11%
vs76 · Top 9%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs57 · Bottom 8%
Physical resilience
95 · Top 4%
vs96 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 26%
vs89 · Top 34%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
79 · Top 9%
vs79 · Top 9%
Measured values
| Metric | Howard | Hobart | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,087 | 10,610 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,477 | $103,440 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,608 | $54,761 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,139/sq mi | 321/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $315,700 | $414,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,102 | $1,278 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.9% | 65.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.1% | 2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.8% | 50.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.1% | 4.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 189 | 315 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.0 | 29.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 2.2% | -16.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.6" | 31.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 1 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 20.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.2 | 36.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Howard, WI · Hobart, WI · How this is calculated: methodology