Total population (1990 census): 115645
County seat: Howell
Crop Statistics (1997 US Census of Agriculture)
| Cereals | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Maize=Corn | 164 | 23948 | 2430321 bu | |
| Wheat for Grain, Total | 99 | 6184 | 292915 bu | |
| Spring Wheat | 3 | 112 | 4127 bu | |
| Winter Wheat | 97 | 6072 | 288788 bu | |
| Oats | 22 | 332 | 16421 bu | |
| Grain Legumes | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Soybean | 112 | 13693 | 504644 bu | |
| Forages | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Total Hay* | 311 | 15683 | 36663 tons, dry | |
| Alfalfa Hay | 276 | 11167 | 27351 tons, dry | |
| Small Grain Hay | 15 | 263 | 337 tons, dry | |
| Tame Hay | 53 | 1352 | 2416 tons, dry | |
| Wild Hay | 19 | 391 | 540 tons dry | |
| Grass Silage | 39 | 2510 | 18054 tons, grn | |
| Corn for Silage | 50 | 2848 | 33242 tons, grn | |
| Vegetables | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Snap Bean | 3 | (D) | ||
| Cantaloupes | 9 | 32 | ||
| Cucumbers & Pickles | 4 | 1 | ||
| Green Onions | 3 | (D) | ||
| Sweet Peppers | 5 | 2 | ||
| Pumpkins | 17 | 66 | ||
| Squash | 7 | 10 | ||
| Sweet Corn | 22 | 165 | ||
| Tomatoes | 15 | 14 | ||
| Fruits | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Apples | 21 | 467 | 34054 trees | |
| Cherries, Total | 10 | 52 | 3668 trees | |
| Sweet Cherries | 7 | 23 | 1568 trees | |
| Tart Cherries | 9 | 30 | 2100 trees | |
| Peaches | 7 | (D) | (D) | |
| Pears | 5 | 4 | (D) | |
| Plums and Prunes | 3 | (D) | (D) | |
| Tame Blueberries | 4 | 22 | 18900 lbs | |
| Raspberries | 10 | 72 | 144360 lbs | |
| Strawberries | 5 | 15 | (D) | |
| Nursery and Greenhouse Crops, Cut Christmas Trees Harvested, Mushrooms, and Sod Grown for Sale | Farms | Sq. ft. under glass or other protection | Acres in the open | Sales ($1,000) |
| Nursery and Greenhouse Crops | 82 | 227210 | 1391 | 4195 |
| Nursery, Floriculture, Vegetable and Flower Seed Crops | 22 | (X) | 156 | (X) |
| Florculture Crops | 28 | 139210 | (D) | 1105 |
| Bedding/Garden Plants | 22 | 102130 | 23 | 792 |
| Cut Flowers and Cut Florist Greens | 3 | (D) | 4 | (D) |
| Potted Flowering Plants | 7 | (D) | 28 | 259 |
| Cut Christmas Trees Harvested | 23 | (X) | 97 | 203 |
| Nursery Crops | 33 | 74000 | 622 | 2154 |
| Sod Harvested | 7 | (X) | 371 | 622 |
| Other Nursery and Greenhouse Crops | 14 | - | 237 | 43 |
*Alfalfa, grass silage, green chops etc.
D=Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual farms.
X=Not applicable.