Counties in Maryland by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)

Somerset County had the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) of 24 counties in 2016, at 31.9%. Howard County had the lowest, at 6.3%. The median was 14% and the figure for Maryland was 13%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest31.9Somerset County
Lowest6.3Howard County
Median1424 counties
Maryland13History

Map of counties, 2016

Allegany County: 22.1 %Anne Arundel County: 9.3 %Baltimore County: 11.9 %Calvert County: 7.4 %Caroline County: 22.1 %Carroll County: 6.5 %Cecil County: 14.9 %Charles County: 10.1 %Dorchester County: 29.1 %Frederick County: 7.4 %Garrett County: 19.3 %Harford County: 8.5 %Howard County: 6.3 %Kent County: 19.9 %Montgomery County: 9 %Prince George's County: 13 %Queen Anne's County: 9.4 %St. Mary's County: 11.5 %Somerset County: 31.9 %Talbot County: 16 %Washington County: 17.6 %Wicomico County: 24.1 %Worcester County: 19.9 %Baltimore city: 31.3 %
  • Under 8.8
  • 8.8 to 12
  • 12 to 17
  • 17 to 22
  • 22 and over
%, 2016. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2016

Somerset County: 31.9 %Somerset County31.9Baltimore city: 31.3 %Baltimore city31.3Dorchester County: 29.1 %Dorchester County29.1Wicomico County: 24.1 %Wicomico County24.1Allegany County: 22.1 %Allegany County22.1Caroline County: 22.1 %Caroline County22.1Kent County: 19.9 %Kent County19.9Worcester County: 19.9 %Worcester County19.9Garrett County: 19.3 %Garrett County19.3Washington County: 17.6 %Washington County17.6Talbot County: 16 %Talbot County16Cecil County: 14.9 %Cecil County14.9Prince George's County: 13 %Prince George's County13Baltimore County: 11.9 %Baltimore County11.9St. Mary's County: 11.5 %St. Mary's County11.5Charles County: 10.1 %Charles County10.1Queen Anne's County: 9.4 %Queen Anne's County9.4Anne Arundel County: 9.3 %Anne Arundel County9.3Montgomery County: 9 %Montgomery County9Harford County: 8.5 %Harford County8.5Calvert County: 7.4 %Calvert County7.4Frederick County: 7.4 %Frederick County7.4Carroll County: 6.5 %Carroll County6.5Howard County: 6.3 %Howard County6.3Somerset County: 31.9 %Somerset County31.9Baltimore city: 31.3 %Baltimore city31.3Dorchester County: 29.1 %Dorchester County29.1Wicomico County: 24.1 %Wicomico County24.1Allegany County: 22.1 %Allegany County22.1Caroline County: 22.1 %Caroline County22.1Kent County: 19.9 %Kent County19.9Worcester County: 19.9 %Worcester County19.9Garrett County: 19.3 %Garrett County19.3Washington County: 17.6 %Washington County17.6Talbot County: 16 %Talbot County16Cecil County: 14.9 %Cecil County14.9Prince George's County: 13 %Prince George's County13Baltimore County: 11.9 %Baltimore County11.9St. Mary's County: 11.5 %St. Mary's County11.5Charles County: 10.1 %Charles County10.1Queen Anne's County: 9.4 %Queen Anne's County9.4Anne Arundel County: 9.3 %Anne Arundel County9.3Montgomery County: 9 %Montgomery County9Harford County: 8.5 %Harford County8.5Calvert County: 7.4 %Calvert County7.4Frederick County: 7.4 %Frederick County7.4Carroll County: 6.5 %Carroll County6.5Howard County: 6.3 %Howard County6.3
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016 (%)Change on 2015
1Somerset County31.9-4 pts
2Baltimore city31.3-2.6 pts
3Dorchester County29.1-0.7 pts
4Wicomico County24.1+2.4 pts
5Allegany County22.1-5 pts
5Caroline County22.1-0.8 pts
7Kent County19.9-1.7 pts
7Worcester County19.9-0.8 pts
9Garrett County19.30 pts
10Washington County17.6-0.2 pts
11Talbot County16+0.1 pts
12Cecil County14.9+0.1 pts
13Prince George's County13-1.2 pts
14Baltimore County11.90 pts
15St. Mary's County11.5-1.2 pts
16Charles County10.1-0.3 pts
17Queen Anne's County9.4-1.1 pts
18Anne Arundel County9.3+1.2 pts
19Montgomery County9-1.5 pts
20Harford County8.5-1.8 pts
21Calvert County7.4-0.7 pts
21Frederick County7.4-1.6 pts
23Carroll County6.5-0.7 pts
24Howard County6.3-0.2 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People under 18 in families or living alone with income below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people under 18 whose poverty status can be determined. United States: Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) for the nation, states and counties.

A model-based single-year estimate; the national figure is the one-year American Community Survey estimate. The Census Bureau advises comparing years from 2006 on only. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate. The rate for all ages is poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties (Counties in Maryland by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt

MLA 9

Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in Maryland by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2016. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/maryland-counties?period=2016. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Counties in Maryland by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/maryland-counties?period=2016.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in Maryland by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/maryland-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_maryland_by_2016,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in Maryland by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2016}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/maryland-counties?period=2016. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in Maryland by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2016
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/maryland-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/maryland-counties?period=2016.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

Somerset County, with 31.9% in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

Howard County, with 6.3% in 2016.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in Maryland: more rankings