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

Baltimore city had the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) of 24 counties in 2020, at 26.8%. Calvert County had the lowest, at 5.3%. The median was 12.6% and the figure for Maryland was 11.2%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest26.8Baltimore city
Median12.624 counties
Maryland11.2History

Map of counties, 2020

Allegany County: 18.6 %Anne Arundel County: 6.3 %Baltimore County: 11.2 %Calvert County: 5.3 %Caroline County: 17.9 %Carroll County: 5.6 %Cecil County: 12.4 %Charles County: 9.3 %Dorchester County: 23.8 %Frederick County: 7.2 %Garrett County: 16.7 %Harford County: 7.2 %Howard County: 5.8 %Kent County: 17.2 %Montgomery County: 7.6 %Prince George's County: 12.7 %Queen Anne's County: 7.9 %St. Mary's County: 9.2 %Somerset County: 26.6 %Talbot County: 14.7 %Washington County: 16.9 %Wicomico County: 19.2 %Worcester County: 18.6 %Baltimore city: 26.8 %
  • Under 7.2
  • 7.2 to 9.7
  • 9.7 to 16
  • 16 to 19
  • 19 and over
%, 2020. 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, 2020

Baltimore city: 26.8 %Baltimore city26.8Somerset County: 26.6 %Somerset County26.6Dorchester County: 23.8 %Dorchester County23.8Wicomico County: 19.2 %Wicomico County19.2Allegany County: 18.6 %Allegany County18.6Worcester County: 18.6 %Worcester County18.6Caroline County: 17.9 %Caroline County17.9Kent County: 17.2 %Kent County17.2Washington County: 16.9 %Washington County16.9Garrett County: 16.7 %Garrett County16.7Talbot County: 14.7 %Talbot County14.7Prince George's County: 12.7 %Prince George's County12.7Cecil County: 12.4 %Cecil County12.4Baltimore County: 11.2 %Baltimore County11.2Charles County: 9.3 %Charles County9.3St. Mary's County: 9.2 %St. Mary's County9.2Queen Anne's County: 7.9 %Queen Anne's County7.9Montgomery County: 7.6 %Montgomery County7.6Frederick County: 7.2 %Frederick County7.2Harford County: 7.2 %Harford County7.2Anne Arundel County: 6.3 %Anne Arundel County6.3Howard County: 5.8 %Howard County5.8Carroll County: 5.6 %Carroll County5.6Calvert County: 5.3 %Calvert County5.3Baltimore city: 26.8 %Baltimore city26.8Somerset County: 26.6 %Somerset County26.6Dorchester County: 23.8 %Dorchester County23.8Wicomico County: 19.2 %Wicomico County19.2Allegany County: 18.6 %Allegany County18.6Worcester County: 18.6 %Worcester County18.6Caroline County: 17.9 %Caroline County17.9Kent County: 17.2 %Kent County17.2Washington County: 16.9 %Washington County16.9Garrett County: 16.7 %Garrett County16.7Talbot County: 14.7 %Talbot County14.7Prince George's County: 12.7 %Prince George's County12.7Cecil County: 12.4 %Cecil County12.4Baltimore County: 11.2 %Baltimore County11.2Charles County: 9.3 %Charles County9.3St. Mary's County: 9.2 %St. Mary's County9.2Queen Anne's County: 7.9 %Queen Anne's County7.9Montgomery County: 7.6 %Montgomery County7.6Frederick County: 7.2 %Frederick County7.2Harford County: 7.2 %Harford County7.2Anne Arundel County: 6.3 %Anne Arundel County6.3Howard County: 5.8 %Howard County5.8Carroll County: 5.6 %Carroll County5.6Calvert County: 5.3 %Calvert County5.3
%. 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

RankCounties2020 (%)Change on 2019
1Baltimore city26.8-3.8 pts
2Somerset County26.6-6.1 pts
3Dorchester County23.8-0.4 pts
4Wicomico County19.2-3.9 pts
5Allegany County18.6-2.2 pts
5Worcester County18.6+3.1 pts
7Caroline County17.9-1.7 pts
8Kent County17.2-1 pts
9Washington County16.9-0.1 pts
10Garrett County16.7-1 pts
11Talbot County14.7+1.6 pts
12Prince George's County12.7-0.3 pts
13Cecil County12.4-1.2 pts
14Baltimore County11.2+0.2 pts
15Charles County9.3+0.1 pts
16St. Mary's County9.2-1.4 pts
17Queen Anne's County7.9+0.5 pts
18Montgomery County7.6-1.7 pts
19Frederick County7.2+0.6 pts
19Harford County7.2-1.6 pts
21Anne Arundel County6.3-1.8 pts
22Howard County5.8+0.2 pts
23Carroll County5.6-0.1 pts
24Calvert County5.3-1.8 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/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.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), 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.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), 2020. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/maryland-counties?period=2020. 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), 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/maryland-counties?period=2020.

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), 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/maryland-counties?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_maryland_by_2020,
  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), 2020}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/maryland-counties?period=2020. 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/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.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), 2020
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/maryland-counties?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/maryland-counties?period=2020.
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/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

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

Baltimore city, with 26.8% in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Calvert County, with 5.3% in 2020.

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