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 2019, at 23.6%. Howard County had the lowest, at 5%. The median was 8.8% and the figure for Maryland was 9.1%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest23.6Somerset County
Lowest5Howard County
Median8.824 counties
Maryland9.1History

All counties, 2019

CSVChart (SVG)

Somerset CountySomerset County: 23.6 %23.6Baltimore cityBaltimore city: 20.4 %20.4Dorchester CountyDorchester County: 16.4 %16.4Allegany CountyAllegany County: 16 %16Wicomico CountyWicomico County: 16 %16Garrett CountyGarrett County: 12.8 %12.8Kent CountyKent County: 12.4 %12.4Washington CountyWashington County: 12.3 %12.3Caroline CountyCaroline County: 12.1 %12.1Cecil CountyCecil County: 10.3 %10.3Worcester CountyWorcester County: 9.9 %9.9Baltimore CountyBaltimore County: 8.9 %8.9Prince George's CountyPrince George's County: 8.7 %8.7Talbot CountyTalbot County: 8.7 %8.7St. Mary's CountySt. Mary's County: 7.7 %7.7Montgomery CountyMontgomery County: 7.3 %7.3Harford CountyHarford County: 6.7 %6.7Charles CountyCharles County: 6.4 %6.4Queen Anne's CountyQueen Anne's County: 6 %6Anne Arundel CountyAnne Arundel County: 5.8 %5.8Calvert CountyCalvert County: 5.7 %5.7Frederick CountyFrederick County: 5.7 %5.7Carroll CountyCarroll County: 5.1 %5.1Howard CountyHoward County: 5 %5
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2019 (%)Change on 2018
1Somerset County23.6+0.2 pts
2Baltimore city20.4+1.5 pts
3Dorchester County16.4+1 pts
4Allegany County16-0.7 pts
4Wicomico County16+1.4 pts
6Garrett County12.8+0.6 pts
7Kent County12.4-0.5 pts
8Washington County12.3+1.2 pts
9Caroline County12.1-1.1 pts
10Cecil County10.3+2 pts
11Worcester County9.9-0.5 pts
12Baltimore County8.9-1 pts
13Prince George's County8.7+0.4 pts
13Talbot County8.7-0.5 pts
15St. Mary's County7.7-0.3 pts
16Montgomery County7.3+0.4 pts
17Harford County6.7-0.3 pts
18Charles County6.4-0.2 pts
19Queen Anne's County6-0.5 pts
20Anne Arundel County5.8-1.2 pts
21Calvert County5.7+0.3 pts
21Frederick County5.7-0.5 pts
23Carroll County5.1-0.9 pts
24Howard County5-0.2 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/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.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 23.6% in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Howard County, with 5% in 2019.

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