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is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Maryland, between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. It is considered part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area.
Howard County is frequently cited for its affluence, quality of life, and excellent schools. In 2006 it was ranked the third wealthiest county by median household income in the United States by the U.S. Census Bureau. The main population center of Columbia/Ellicott City was named 4th amongst
magazine's "America's Best Places to Live." Howard County's schools frequently rank first in Maryland as measured by standardized test scores and graduation rates.
In 2000, its population was 247,842. Its county seat is Ellicott City. The center of population of Maryland is located on the county line between Howard County and Anne Arundel County, in the unincorporated town of Jessup.
Due to the proximity of Howard County's population centers to Baltimore, the county has traditionally been considered a part of the Baltimore Metropolitan Area. Recent development in the south of the county has led to some realignment towards the Washington, D.C. media and employment markets. The county is also home to Columbia, a major planned community of 100,000 first developed by James Rouse in 1967. At first considered unreasonably utopian, Columbia recently celebrated its 40th anniversary and is now considered to be the first and most successful community of its kind.
Howard County is located in the Maryland Piedmont region, with rolling hills making up most of the landscape. Its largest community is Columbia, though it is not an incorporated city under Maryland law; in fact, Howard County has no incorporated municipalities. The northern portion of Howard County is part of the outskirts of Baltimore, while the southern is more oriented toward Washington, D.C. Howard County is the only "Maryland-locked" county in the state, being the only county entirely enclosed by land and river boundaries with other Maryland counties.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.60%, is water.