[2] The county was formed in 1871 and named after Civil War General Oliver Otis Howard.

[3] Howard County is part of the Grand Island, NE Metropolitan Statistical Area.

In the Nebraska license plate system, Howard County is represented by the prefix 49 (it had the 49th-largest number of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922).

[4] As of the 2000 United States Census,[11] there were 6,567 people, 2,546 households, and 1,797 families in the county.

26.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

In only one national election since 1948 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.