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 2021, at 23.6%. Carroll County had the lowest, at 5.4%. The median was 10.1% and the figure for Maryland was 10.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest23.6Somerset County
Lowest5.4Carroll County
Median10.124 counties
Maryland10.3History

All counties, 2021

CSVChart (SVG)

Somerset CountySomerset County: 23.6 %23.6Baltimore cityBaltimore city: 22.9 %22.9Allegany CountyAllegany County: 16.4 %16.4Dorchester CountyDorchester County: 15 %15Washington CountyWashington County: 14.5 %14.5Wicomico CountyWicomico County: 14.2 %14.2Caroline CountyCaroline County: 13.5 %13.5Kent CountyKent County: 12 %12Prince George's CountyPrince George's County: 11.5 %11.5Garrett CountyGarrett County: 11 %11Cecil CountyCecil County: 10.9 %10.9Worcester CountyWorcester County: 10.3 %10.3Baltimore CountyBaltimore County: 9.8 %9.8Talbot CountyTalbot County: 9.4 %9.4Montgomery CountyMontgomery County: 8.5 %8.5Queen Anne's CountyQueen Anne's County: 8 %8St. Mary's CountySt. Mary's County: 7.8 %7.8Harford CountyHarford County: 7.6 %7.6Charles CountyCharles County: 6.7 %6.7Frederick CountyFrederick County: 6.6 %6.6Anne Arundel CountyAnne Arundel County: 6.2 %6.2Howard CountyHoward County: 6.2 %6.2Calvert CountyCalvert County: 5.8 %5.8Carroll CountyCarroll County: 5.4 %5.4
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)Change on 2020
1Somerset County23.6+1.4 pts
2Baltimore city22.9+2.9 pts
3Allegany County16.4+1.7 pts
4Dorchester County15+0.1 pts
5Washington County14.5+2.2 pts
6Wicomico County14.20 pts
7Caroline County13.5+1.1 pts
8Kent County120 pts
9Prince George's County11.5+2 pts
10Garrett County11-1.8 pts
11Cecil County10.9+2.1 pts
12Worcester County10.3-1.4 pts
13Baltimore County9.8+0.9 pts
14Talbot County9.4-0.2 pts
15Montgomery County8.5+1.8 pts
16Queen Anne's County8+1.1 pts
17St. Mary's County7.8+0.5 pts
18Harford County7.6+1.4 pts
19Charles County6.7-0.7 pts
20Frederick County6.6+0.4 pts
21Anne Arundel County6.2+1 pts
21Howard County6.2+0.7 pts
23Calvert County5.8+0.5 pts
24Carroll County5.4+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/2021/2021-state-and-county/est21all.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 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Carroll County, with 5.4% in 2021.

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