Howard is a township in Cass County, Michigan, home to about 6,278 people across 35 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 49031, 49112 and 49120.
Homes sold for a median of $156 per square foot across 3 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 2 of 3 were seller’s markets.
Mostly LaGrange; part is in Howard
Mostly Ontwa; part is in Howard
Mostly Niles Township; part is in Howard
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Howard. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Howard’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)80 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | South Bend International Airport (SBN)10 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Fort Wayne, IN75 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL76 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Howard; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Howard had 6,275 residents in the 2020 census, down 1% since 2000.
It’s the 299th largest of 1,531 towns in Michigan by population.
Cass County grew from 20,876 residents in 1900 to 51,589 in 2020.
Cass County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 83°F in summer, and winter lows average 19°F. About 41.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 63 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Niles, MI weather station (3 miles away).
7,632 jobs at 777 businesses in Cass County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
339 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Howard’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 44 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 33 |
| Dentists | 24 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 43 |
| Mental health providers | 113 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 61 |
| Optometrists | 7 |
| Chiropractors | 14 |
| Pharmacies | 12 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (24 nearby)
Grocery stores (3 nearby)
Pharmacies (2 nearby)
Libraries (3 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 4 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Niles Community Schools, Heritage Southwest Intermediate School District, Brandywine Community Schools and others. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard Elementary SchoolNiles | Pre-K–5 | 516 | Public | 3.9 mi |
| Brookside Learning CenterCassopolis | Pre-K–12 | 64 | Special Education | 8.1 mi |
| Merritt Elementary SchoolNiles | Pre-K–2 | 304 | Public | 3.6 mi |
| Northside Child Development CenterNiles | Pre-K–K | 13 | Public | 2.7 mi |
| Sam Adams Elementary SchoolCassopolis | Pre-K–5 | 368 | Public | 11.9 mi |
| Eastside Connections SchoolNiles | K–8 | 403 | Public | 1.8 mi |
| Edwardsburg Primary SchoolEdwardsburg | K–1 | 342 | Public | 6.4 mi |
| HowardEllis Elementary SchoolNiles | K–5 | 529 | Public | 2.6 mi |
| Niles Virtual SchoolNiles | K–12 | 18 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Eagle Lake Elementary SchoolEdwardsburg | 2–3 | 385 | Public | 9.4 mi |
| Brandywine Elementary SchoolNiles | 3–6 | 379 | Public | 3.6 mi |
| Edwardsburg Intermediate SchoolEdwardsburg | 4–5 | 361 | Public | 6.3 mi |
| Southside Special Educ SchoolNiles | 4–12 | 37 | Special Education | 1.8 mi |
| Brandywine Innovation AcademyNiles | 6–12 | 69 | Alternative Education | 3.1 mi |
| Cassopolis Middle SchoolCassopolis | 6–8 | 188 | Public | 12.3 mi |
| Edwardsburg Middle SchoolEdwardsburg | 6–8 | 612 | Public | 6.3 mi |
| Ring Lardner Middle SchoolNiles | 6–8 | 510 | Public | 1.6 mi |
| WAY NilesNiles | 6–12 | 95 | Alternative Education | 1.3 mi |
| Brandywine Middle SchoolNiles | 7–8 | 183 | Public | 2.2 mi |
| Brandywine Senior High SchoolNiles | 9–12 | 366 | Public | 2.2 mi |
| Cassopolis Alternative EdCassopolis | 9–12 | 16 | Alternative Education | 11.6 mi |
| Cassopolis High SchoolCassopolis | 9–12 | 281 | Public | 11.6 mi |
| Edwardsburg Alternative Learning CenterEdwardsburg | 9–12 | 46 | Alternative Education | 6.5 mi |
| Edwardsburg High SchoolEdwardsburg | 9–12 | 773 | Public | 6.4 mi |
| Niles Cedar LaneNiles | 9–12 | 134 | Alternative Education | 1.3 mi |
| Niles Comm Schools Adult EducationNiles | 9–12 | 24 | Alternative Education | 2.4 mi |
| Niles Senior High SchoolNiles | 9–12 | 828 | Public | 1.9 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Mary SchoolNiles | Pre-K–7 | 30 | Roman Catholic | 2.9 mi |
| Niles Adventist SchoolNiles | K–8 | 65 | Seventh-day Adventist | 3.3 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Niles Township, Niles City (Berrien County), Ontwa, Milton Township (Cass County), LaGrange, Jefferson Township (Cass County), Mason Township (Cass County), Bertrand, Calvin, Penn, Volinia and Niles City (Cass County).
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.