Howard Lake is a growing community of 2,200 residents located on US Highway 12, forty-five miles west of the Minneapolis St. Paul Metropolitan Area. 

 

While diversified, the local economy's largest sector is agriculture, value added agriculture and agricultural support businesses. Additionally, food processing and skilled labor make up a large percentages of the economy and workforce.

 

Currently, there are no child care centers in Howard Lake, nor in a 25 miles radius around the city. Howard Lake has five home child care businesses with 60 total slots. This is down from 10 child care providers, and nearly 130 slots available in the community several years ago. The current child care shortage is estimated to be 37 child care slots. Through the Rural Child Care Innovation Program, the community is working towards creating sustainable solutions that increase the supply of affordable and high quality child care.