Howell, MI — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

Livingston County · Detroit-Warren-Dearborn · population 9,914

Small-town feel
View watchlist →
67
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Howell stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $381,640
1-year +3.8%
5-yr CAGR +4.9%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population -0.4%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$382k$197k$264k$330k$397k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
25/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
10/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
62/100
Workable for remote workers
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$2,043/mo$1,756$1,996$2,23520242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent11310910020242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 15.6
Lean buy

At a 15.6 price-to-rent ratio, Howell is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
69 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
65 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
39 · w16%
Rent YoY
67 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
68 · w10%
Long thesis

Howell has held up across the cycle: home values at $381,640 with +4.9% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Howell's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Howell

Howell is a city in Livingston County, Michigan, with an estimated population of 9,914. It anchors the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metro area. The median home value in Howell is $381,640 as of 2026-04, up 3.8% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +4.9% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Howell average $2,043 per month, up 3.3% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 67 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

Bull case

Quiet strength: +3.8% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

Bear case

Flat or shrinking population: -0.4% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — verify the source.
Thin housing market: small population means fewer transactions and slower resale. Liquidity risk on exit.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Livingston County right now.

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Livingston County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Howell

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
30° / 16°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
82° / 61°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
175
~48% of year
Annual precip
33″ rain
50″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Moderate
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Low

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Howell listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
72%
Humid climate
Median household income
$68,500
Michigan state median
Top industries (state-level)
Manufacturing (auto)HealthcareTech (Detroit)

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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