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 2020, at 22.2%. Carroll County had the lowest, at 5.2%. The median was 9.2% and the figure for Maryland was 9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest22.2Somerset County
Lowest5.2Carroll County
Median9.224 counties
Maryland9History

All counties, 2020

CSVChart (SVG)

Somerset CountySomerset County: 22.2 %22.2Baltimore cityBaltimore city: 20 %20Dorchester CountyDorchester County: 14.9 %14.9Allegany CountyAllegany County: 14.7 %14.7Wicomico CountyWicomico County: 14.2 %14.2Garrett CountyGarrett County: 12.8 %12.8Caroline CountyCaroline County: 12.4 %12.4Washington CountyWashington County: 12.3 %12.3Kent CountyKent County: 12 %12Worcester CountyWorcester County: 11.7 %11.7Talbot CountyTalbot County: 9.6 %9.6Prince George's CountyPrince George's County: 9.5 %9.5Baltimore CountyBaltimore County: 8.9 %8.9Cecil CountyCecil County: 8.8 %8.8Charles CountyCharles County: 7.4 %7.4St. Mary's CountySt. Mary's County: 7.3 %7.3Queen Anne's CountyQueen Anne's County: 6.9 %6.9Montgomery CountyMontgomery County: 6.7 %6.7Frederick CountyFrederick County: 6.2 %6.2Harford CountyHarford County: 6.2 %6.2Howard CountyHoward County: 5.5 %5.5Calvert CountyCalvert County: 5.3 %5.3Anne Arundel CountyAnne Arundel County: 5.2 %5.2Carroll CountyCarroll County: 5.2 %5.2
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020 (%)Change on 2019
1Somerset County22.2-1.4 pts
2Baltimore city20-0.4 pts
3Dorchester County14.9-1.5 pts
4Allegany County14.7-1.3 pts
5Wicomico County14.2-1.8 pts
6Garrett County12.80 pts
7Caroline County12.4+0.3 pts
8Washington County12.30 pts
9Kent County12-0.4 pts
10Worcester County11.7+1.8 pts
11Talbot County9.6+0.9 pts
12Prince George's County9.5+0.8 pts
13Baltimore County8.90 pts
14Cecil County8.8-1.5 pts
15Charles County7.4+1 pts
16St. Mary's County7.3-0.4 pts
17Queen Anne's County6.9+0.9 pts
18Montgomery County6.7-0.6 pts
19Frederick County6.2+0.5 pts
19Harford County6.2-0.5 pts
21Howard County5.5+0.5 pts
22Calvert County5.3-0.4 pts
23Anne Arundel County5.2-0.6 pts
23Carroll County5.2+0.1 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/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.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 22.2% in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Carroll County, with 5.2% 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 of all ages in poverty, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Poverty rate (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in Maryland: more rankings