Howard County is a county in Iowa, United States, in the northeastern part of the state along the Minnesota border. It had a population of 9,469 at the 2020 census and covers 474 square miles (1,230 km2), of which 473 square miles are land, centred near 43°21′27″N 92°18′56″W.
Cresco is the county seat, and its postal code is 52136. The county has six incorporated cities and nine unincorporated communities across twelve civil townships. Howard County observes Central Time; its FIPS code is 089.
Towns & Villages in Howard County
Howard County has six incorporated cities — Cresco (the county seat), Riceville, Elma, Lime Springs, Protivin and Chester — plus a scatter of unincorporated crossroads communities that survive mostly as names on the map. Type legend: City · seat = the county seat; City = other incorporated city; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no separate municipal government.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cresco | City · seat | — | 3,888 | 52136 |
| Riceville | City | — | 806 | 50466 |
| Elma | City | — | 505 | 50628 |
| Lime Springs | City | — | 473 | 52155 |
| Protivin | City | — | 269 | 52163 |
| Chester | City | Chester | 139 | 52134 |
| Vernon Springs | Unincorp. | Vernon Springs | — | — |
| Saratoga | Unincorp. | Saratoga | — | — |
| Bonair | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Florenceville | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Schley | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Davis Corners | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Lidtke Mill | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Lourdes | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Maple Leaf | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
Riceville sits astride the Howard-Mitchell county line; its post office and school district serve residents on both sides, and its 2020 population of 806 is the combined total for both counties, not Howard County alone.
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Chester | — | Chester |
| Vernon Springs | — | Vernon Springs |
| Saratoga | — | Saratoga |
| Albion | — | — |
| Afton | — | — |
| Forest City | — | — |
| Howard | — | — |
| Howard Center | — | — |
| Jamestown | — | — |
| New Oregon | — | — |
| Oak Dale | — | — |
| Paris | — | — |
Howard County is divided into twelve civil townships. Per-township 2020 population figures are not independently verified here and are omitted rather than estimated.
ZIP Codes
- 52136 — Cresco (also serves surrounding rural Howard Township)
- 50466 — Riceville (shared with Mitchell County)
- 50628 — Elma
- 52155 — Lime Springs
- 52163 — Protivin
- 52134 — Chester
The unincorporated communities of Bonair, Florenceville, Saratoga, Schley, Davis Corners, Lidtke Mill, Lourdes, Maple Leaf and Vernon Springs have no ZIP code of their own; mail there is addressed to the nearest post office town above.
Geography
Howard County lies in the rolling, stream-cut uplands of northeastern Iowa’s Driftless-edge country, drained by the Turkey River and the Little Cedar River. Farmland covers most of the county, with wooded ravines along the river valleys near Elma and Chester.
Howard County borders Mower County, Minnesota and Fillmore County, Minnesota to the north, Winneshiek County to the east and southeast, Chickasaw County to the south, and Mitchell County to the west, with Floyd County touching its southwest corner.
Demographics
Howard County had 9,469 residents at the 2020 census, a density of about 20 people per square mile. Cresco, the county seat, is by far the largest community at 3,888 people; Riceville is the second-largest at 806. Median household income data at the county level was not independently verified for this profile; Iowa’s statewide 2023 ACS median household income is $71,433.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture — corn, soybeans and dairy — anchors the Howard County economy, supplemented by small manufacturing and farm-service businesses based in Cresco. The Howard County Fair, held in Cresco each year in the last full week of June, has run since 1858 and remains the county’s largest annual gathering. Cresco is also known as the boyhood home of Norman Borlaug, the agronomist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate credited with the Green Revolution.
History
Howard County was organized in 1851 and named for General Tilghman Ashurst Howard, a U.S. Representative from Indiana who later served as U.S. Chargé d’Affaires to the Republic of Texas. Cresco was platted in the 1860s along the route of the Milwaukee Road railroad and grew into the county’s commercial center; Norman Borlaug attended Cresco’s schools before going on to a career in agricultural science that earned him the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize.
Getting There
U.S. Route 63 runs north-south through Cresco, connecting the county to Interstate 90 in Minnesota to the north. Iowa Highway 9 crosses the county east-west.
- Decorah — 20 miles east
- Charles City — 25 miles southwest
- Rochester, Minnesota — 45 miles north
- Waterloo — 65 miles south
The nearest commercial airport is Rochester International Airport (RST) in Rochester, Minnesota.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Howard County, Iowa?
It is in the northeastern corner of Iowa, on the Minnesota border, about 20 miles east of Decorah.
What is the population of Howard County?
9,469 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Howard County?
474 square miles (1,230 km2), of which 473 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Howard County?
Cresco is the county seat.
How many towns are in Howard County?
Six incorporated cities — Cresco, Riceville, Elma, Lime Springs, Protivin and Chester — plus about nine unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Howard County?
Cresco’s ZIP is 52136; other towns use 50466 (Riceville), 50628 (Elma), 52155 (Lime Springs), 52163 (Protivin) and 52134 (Chester).
Who is Howard County’s most famous native?
Agronomist Norman Borlaug, the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was raised and educated in Cresco.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Iowa.