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, Maryland 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 District was formed in 1838 by the splitting of Anne Arundel . It had the same status as a county except for not being represented in the Maryland General Assembly. In 1851, it became an official county.

Current and Past County Executives:

The current members of the County Council are:

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