Bolthole Index

Missouri · Off-grid & homestead potential

Howard County

71Index Score / 100
#47 of 115 in Missouri

Howard County scores 71/100 on the Bolthole Index, a strong county profile. Its strengths are manageable long-term carry cost and workable self-sufficiency basics (41.3″/yr rainfall).

Found land here? Start a Property Hunt →

County locator

Howard County in Missouri

71
County map
Howard County highlighted among the Missouri counties · colored by Index score

How Howard County scores

Seclusion56100% ev.
Self-Sufficiency66100% ev.
Admin Boringness6235% ev.
Durability54100% ev.
Property Autonomy47100% ev.
Carry Cost82100% ev.

Evidence strength: 89%. This reports direct-source completeness and fallback use; it is separate from the score and is not a confidence interval. How it works →

$238kTypical home
0.9%Property tax
$3,853Land / acre
41.3"Annual rain
8.2% of yrsSevere drought
13.2 / yr (+11)Mid-century 100°F days
17 daysMid-century dry spell
1.96" (+6.2%)Mid-century 1-day rain
1.8×Wildfire change factor
100%Forward climate coverage
$1,829Home insurance / yr
2.8% / yrInsurance growth
0.78%Nonrenewal rate
county median (2+ published ZIPs)Insurance basis
11,862People within 30 min
1,114,157People within 2 hr
24,891Radius comparison (15 mi)
21.8People / sq mi
1.9%Federal land
85.1%Land at 15% slope or less
3%Septic soil without severe limits
8,646 acWorkable land screen
35.3%Wooded land
48.2 tonsBiomass / forest ac
54.6°FAvg temp

Scout Howard County

Camp here before you commitBook a few nights nearby on Hipcamp →Already own land here?Earn money hosting campers — get $100 when you become a Hipcamp host →

Some links are affiliate or referral links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you.

Property hunt

Find land. Bring the promising ones back.

Search live inventory elsewhere, then cost and vet each candidate here. No copied listings, account, or paid data feed.

View your full hunt →
ZillowLand & lotsRealtor.comLand listingsLandSearchRural & vacant land

Each button opens a current land search for Howard County. Listing sites control their own results and filters.

Analyze a property
Add setup-cost allowances

Use rough quotes or placeholders. Blank fields count as $0.

Working estimate

—land + entered setup costs
Asking $ / acre
—
Setup allowance
—
All-in $ / acre
—

A planning estimate, not a valuation or contractor quote. The USDA benchmark includes farm land and buildings; it is context, not a parcel comp.

Before an offer

Parcel due diligence

0/8 checked

Saved properties and checklist progress stay on this device. Bolthole Index does not receive them.

Building & land-use rules in Howard County

What it takes to build here — permits, zoning, and septic — scouted from Howard County’s own official sources.

  • Building permitNot published

    Not published on an official source — confirm with the county.

  • County zoningNot published

    Not published on an official source — confirm with the county.

  • Septic permittingMissouri Department of Health & Senior Services (DHSS) — Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program

    Missouri OWTS/septic construction permits are administered under the DHSS Onsite Wastewater program; the Howard County Public Health Department advertises no environmental/wastewater program, indicating DHSS is the permitting authority.

    Missouri DHSS — Onsite Wastewater Treatment ↗
  • Owner-builderNot published

    Not published on an official source — confirm with the county.

  • Building inspectionsNot published

    Not published on an official source — confirm with the county.

  • Occupancy certificateNot published

    Not published on an official source — confirm with the county.

  • Septic permitNot published

    Not published on an official source — confirm with the county.

  • Septic inspectionNot published

    Not published on an official source — confirm with the county.

  • Off-grid sanitationNot published

    Not published on an official source — confirm with the county.

Always confirm current rules with Missouri DHSS — Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program before you buy or build. Scouted Jul 2026 from official county sources.

Living off-grid in Howard County, Missouri

Is Howard County a good place to live off-grid or homestead?

Howard County scores 71/100 on the Bolthole Index, a strong county profile. Its strengths: manageable long-term carry cost and workable self-sufficiency basics (41.3″/yr rainfall).

Do you need a building permit in Howard County, Missouri?

Building-permit rules for unincorporated Howard County are not published on an official source. Onsite septic is permitted by Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services (DHSS) — Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program. Rules change and cities within the county differ — always confirm with the county before you buy or build.

How much does land cost in Howard County, Missouri?

Land in Howard County runs about $3,853 per acre, based on the latest county data.

What is the water situation in Howard County?

Howard County gets about 41.3" of rain a year, with severe drought in roughly 8.2% of years.

How remote is Howard County?

A representative private-land location has about 11,862 people within a 30-minute drive and 1,114,157 within two hours. The road-network catchments count population across county lines and clusters of smaller cities; straight-line radius values remain available as a comparison.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Howard County means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

WaterCrystal QuestFilter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.PowerBluettiSolar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you.

How Howard compares in Missouri

Compare side-by-side →See all 115 Missouri counties ranked →