[4] Howard County is included in the Big Spring, Texas micropolitan statistical area.

[5] Howard County is located at the boundary between the Llano Estacado to the north and the Edwards Plateau to the south.

Beals Creek, a tributary of the Colorado River, flows through the center of Big Spring and divides these two major physiographic regions.

As of the 2000 census, there were 33,627 people, 11,389 households and 7,949 families residing in the county.

26.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

The county is served by a daily newspaper, local radio stations KBST (AM), KBST-FM, KBTS (FM), KBYG (AM), nearby stations KBXJ (FM), KPET (AM) and KWDC (FM), and the various Midland and Odessa radio and TV stations.

From 1912 through 1964, Howard County voters, in common with the Solid South, voted predominantly for the Democratic candidate in presidential elections.