About
Providing greater transparency and high-quality, freely accessible data is one of Howard County Government’s highest priorities. In 2014, the County Council passed legislation requiring County agencies to publish documents online in a searchable format and to regularly update that. The legislation also required that certain data be freely available to the public in machine-readable formats.
Publishing documents and data online in a searchable format provides the public with direct access to County information and statistics. It increases public participation throughout decision-making processes, improves transparency and efficiency in government, and demands greater collaboration among County departments.
By providing this Open Data portal, Howard County Government reaffirms its commitment to these core principles and objectives:
- Improve government transparency
- Improve efficiency and effectiveness
- Increase collaboration among County departments
- Promote a data-driven culture
- Promote civic engagement
- Improve the quality of life for all County residents
- Enhance and create economic opportunities
By establishing this Open Data portal, Howard County Government is creating an open and transparent digital environment of statistical support that strives to inform, educate and benefit the entire community. Data are provided in Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License.
The Howard County Open Data portal is an ongoing effort. Please come back often to explore newly published datasets.