Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US official measure) / Counties in Maryland

Counties in Maryland by poverty rate

Somerset County had the highest poverty rate of 24 counties in 2017, at 24.7%. Carroll County had the lowest, at 5%. The median was 8.9% and the figure for Maryland was 9.4%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest24.7Somerset County
Lowest5Carroll County
Median8.924 counties
Maryland9.4History

All counties, 2017

CSVChart (SVG)

Somerset CountySomerset County: 24.7 %24.7Baltimore cityBaltimore city: 22.1 %22.1Allegany CountyAllegany County: 17 %17Dorchester CountyDorchester County: 15.7 %15.7Wicomico CountyWicomico County: 15 %15Caroline CountyCaroline County: 13.8 %13.8Washington CountyWashington County: 13.3 %13.3Kent CountyKent County: 12.8 %12.8Garrett CountyGarrett County: 11.8 %11.8Worcester CountyWorcester County: 9.9 %9.9Cecil CountyCecil County: 9.7 %9.7Talbot CountyTalbot County: 9.1 %9.1Prince George's CountyPrince George's County: 8.6 %8.6St. Mary's CountySt. Mary's County: 8.5 %8.5Baltimore CountyBaltimore County: 8.3 %8.3Queen Anne's CountyQueen Anne's County: 7.7 %7.7Charles CountyCharles County: 7.5 %7.5Harford CountyHarford County: 7.1 %7.1Montgomery CountyMontgomery County: 7 %7Frederick CountyFrederick County: 6.7 %6.7Anne Arundel CountyAnne Arundel County: 6.1 %6.1Calvert CountyCalvert County: 6 %6Howard CountyHoward County: 5.9 %5.9Carroll CountyCarroll County: 5 %5
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2017 (%)Change on 2016
1Somerset County24.7+0.4 pts
2Baltimore city22.1+0.3 pts
3Allegany County17-0.2 pts
4Dorchester County15.7-1.7 pts
5Wicomico County15-3 pts
6Caroline County13.8-1.5 pts
7Washington County13.3+0.1 pts
8Kent County12.8-1.2 pts
9Garrett County11.8-1 pts
10Worcester County9.9-1.5 pts
11Cecil County9.7-0.3 pts
12Talbot County9.1-1.3 pts
13Prince George's County8.6-0.6 pts
14St. Mary's County8.5-0.6 pts
15Baltimore County8.3-0.7 pts
16Queen Anne's County7.7+0.4 pts
17Charles County7.5+0.1 pts
18Harford County7.1-0.1 pts
19Montgomery County7+0.1 pts
20Frederick County6.7-0.2 pts
21Anne Arundel County6.1-0.9 pts
22Calvert County6+0.2 pts
23Howard County5.9+0.7 pts
24Carroll County5-0.5 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

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

Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_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 of all ages in poverty, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Rank Counties in Maryland by poverty rate using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

Somerset County, with 24.7% in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Carroll County, with 5% in 2017.

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 of all ages in poverty, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Poverty rate (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in Maryland: more rankings