Howard County
MissouriFIPS 29089
Howard County has no hospital. Residents must travel to neighboring counties for hospital care.
Health Snapshot
| Metric | Howard County | State Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes Prevalence | 10.3% | 10.7% | ▼ |
| Adult Obesity | 40.0% | 39.8% | ▲ |
| Uninsured Rate | 10.6% | 12.5% | ▼ |
| PCPs per 10K | 3.9 | 4.3 | ▲ |
| Premature Death (YPLL) | 9,546.643 | — |
Source: County Health Rankings (2025)
Workforce Supply
Source: Area Health Resources File (AHRF) 2024-2025
CDC PLACES Health Indicators
| Indicator | Howard County | State Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 12.0% | — | |
| Obesity | 35.3% | — | |
| Depression | 25.3% | — | |
| Frequent Mental Distress | 17.8% | — | |
| COPD | 8.6% | — | |
| Current Smoking | 16.2% | — | |
| Heart Disease | 7.3% | — | |
| Stroke | 3.7% | — | |
| High Blood Pressure | 37.0% | — | |
| Poor General Health | 20.9% | — | |
| Disability | 37.6% | — | |
| No Leisure Physical Activity | 29.5% | — | |
| Binge Drinking | 16.1% | — | |
| Uninsured | 8.2% | — |
Source: CDC PLACES 2023-2024. Values are age-adjusted prevalence (%).
Howard County has no hospital. 47 of Missouri's counties are hospital deserts.
See all hospital deserts in MissouriSocial Vulnerability Index
Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022. Score 0-1; higher = more vulnerable.
Health Professional Shortage Areas
Source: HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce
Nearest Hospitals
Since Howard County has no hospital, residents travel to nearby facilities.
| Hospital | County | Beds | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centerpointe Hospital of Columbia | Boone | 80 | 22.1 mi |
| Rusk Rehabilitation Ctr | Boone | 72 | 24 mi |
| Boone Hospital Center | Boone | 394 | 24.3 mi |
| Harry S Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital | Boone | 250 | 24.3 mi |
| University of Missouri Health Care | Boone | 596 | 24.3 mi |
Related Pages
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Data from CMS Provider of Services, County Health Rankings, CDC Social Vulnerability Index, HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce, AHRF 2024-2025, CDC PLACES 2023-2024, and UNC Sheps Center. Last updated: 2026-03-11.