MD
Maryland
Population 6,206,011
6 Sources
Updated September 10, 2026
6.2M
Population
334,922,499 U.S.
$103,678
Median Income
$80,734 national
$546B
GDP (current $), change real
3.2%
Unemployment
4.0% national
County Map
Click a county to view its economic profile
Demographics & Population
Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020-2024 · 5-Year Estimates
Household Income
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates
Median Household
$103,678
Per Capita
$52,979
Mean Household
$136,642
Poverty Rate
9.4%
Age & Race / Ethnicity
Source: Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 · Table B01001, B02001, B03003
Cohorts
Under 18 · 22.2%
18-34 · 21.7%
35-54 · 26.2%
55-64 · 13.3%
65+ · 16.7%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnic category and overlaps with the race categories above.
Educational Attainment
Source: Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 · Table B15003 · Population 25+
91.1%
High School+
National: 89.6%
+1.5 pts
43.4%
Bachelor's+
National: 35.7%
+7.7 pts
20.8%
Graduate+
National: 14.1%
+6.7 pts
Employment Overview
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates
6,206,011
Population
3,313,651
Labor Force
Employed
3,151,451
Unemployment Rate BLS LAUS 2024 annual
3.2%
2025 is not shown for Maryland: a state annual average needs all 12 months and the Bureau of Labor Statistics has published 11. County pages draw on the separate annual series and may show 2025.
Mean Commute 5 min above national avg
31.1 min
Work From Home vs 15.1% national
19.3%
Labor Force and Employed are ACS 5-Year survey estimates; the Unemployment Rate above comes from BLS LAUS, a separate monthly survey with its own methodology. The two won't reconcile by subtracting one from the other.
Maryland's median household income sits 28% above the national median. At 9.4%, its poverty rate runs 3.1 pts below the ~12.5% national level, relevant for federal funding eligibility narratives. Bachelor's-or-higher attainment of 43.4% exceeds the national average of 35.7%.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (released December 2025). Figures reflect the most recent Census release, older news reports may cite prior vintages.
Key Takeaways
- Income premium: Households earn well above the national median, supporting strong consumer markets statewide.
- Talent advantage: Bachelor's-or-higher attainment exceeds the national average by 7.7 pts, supports knowledge-economy positioning.
Economy & Industry
Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW · Bureau of Economic Analysis
$546B
Gross Domestic Product · 2024
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis · CAGDP2 Regional GDP
104.959
Cost of Living - Above Avg
Key Takeaways
- Largest private-sector industry: Health Care and Social Assistance employs 415,796 workers (22.2% of the tracked sectors), at an average wage of $69,939. Every industry figure on this page is private sector; government employs a further 524,702 and is counted separately.
- Economic scale: State GDP of $546B (2024).
- Wage stratification: Finance and Insurance averages $148,627 while Accommodation and Food Services averages $31,262, a 4.8x spread in the same economy, with implications for workforce development and talent strategy.
Source: BLS QCEW + BEA Regional GDP (CAGDP2).
Industry Concentration
Location Quotient measures regional specialization vs. national average. LQ > 1.0 = concentrated.
Attraction Opportunities - Below-Average Industries
LQ < 0.5, below-average employment, screened against industrial power cost. Source: BLS QCEW · 3-digit NAICS sub-sector
0.06x
Support Activities for Mining
274 employed
0.12x
Primary Metal Manufacturing
714 employed
Energy-intensive sector in a state where industrial electricity costs 1.45x the national average.
0.14x
Textile Mills
194 employed
0.14x
Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
4,170 employed
0.16x
Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry
1,002 employed
0.23x
Forestry and Logging
179 employed
0.26x
Electrical Equipment, Appliance Manufacturing
1,920 employed
0.28x
Paper Manufacturing
1,647 employed
Energy-intensive sector in a state where industrial electricity costs 1.45x the national average.
Screened on industrial power cost only.
Industrial electricity in Maryland costs 12.5¢/kWh against 8.62¢/kWh nationally (2025).
Land area and freight access are not assessed at state level.
Source: EIA.
Key Takeaways
- Top specialization: Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles concentrates at 2.13x the national norm.
- Cluster depth: 4 sub-sectors register LQ ≥ 1.5, suggesting an interconnected industrial base across the state.
- Attraction whitespace: 8 sub-sectors register LQ < 0.5, candidates for diversification or recruitment.
Source: BLS QCEW sub-sector Location Quotients.
Housing & Affordability
Census ACS · HUD Fair Market Rents FY2026
Housing Overview
Source: Census Bureau ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates · Tables B25001, B25077, B25064
$419,900
Median Home Value vs 2019
$1,705
Rent/Mo
67.6%
Owner-Occ
7.7%
Vacancy
4.1x
Home Value to Income Ratio
vs. ~4.1x national average
HUD Fair Market Rents (Statewide)
Renter-household-weighted average across 24 Fair Market Rent areas · Source: HUD · Fair Market Rents FY2026 · Affordability threshold and renter cost burden from Census ACS B25119, B25070
Studio
$1,561/mo$694 to $1,953
1 Bedroom
$1,668/mo$823 to $2,015
2 Bedroom
$1,955/mo$973 to $2,246
3 Bedroom
$2,482/mo$1,333 to $2,835
4 Bedroom
$2,832/mo$1,441 to $3,332
30% of monthly median renter household income (~$1,568/mo, from a renter median of $62,703) · rents above this line are typically considered cost-burdened.
Measured: 48.7% of renter households already pay 30% or more of income on rent, and 24.5% pay 50% or more.
Key Takeaways
- In line with national: Home value to income ratio of 4.1x sits near the ~4.1x national average; affordability is neither a clear advantage nor a recruitment friction.
- Affordable rent tiers: 1 of 5 HUD Fair Market Rent bedroom sizes sit below what a household on the median renter income of $62,703 can pay without cost burden (~$1,568/mo), and 48.7% of renter households are measured as cost-burdened.
Source: Census ACS housing tables.
Workforce Pipeline
Labor force readiness, commuting, and workforce composition
Labor Market Overview
Source: Census ACS 2020-2024 · Tables B01001, B23025, B08303, B08301
3,795,770
Working Age (18-64) vs 2019
vs 2019
Mean Commute 5 min above national avg
31.1 min
Work From Home vs 15.1% national
19.3%
Education & Talent Pipeline
Source: Census ACS 2020-2024 · Table B15003 · College Scorecard
Bachelor's+
43.4%
HS Diploma+
91.1%
6 Largest Institutions by Credentials Awarded
Degrees, certificates, and other credentials awarded last academic year (College Scorecard).
15,061/yr
12,553/yr
11,331/yr
5,915/yr
3,902/yr
2,980/yr
Aging Workforce
Source: Census Bureau ACS · Derived from age & employment tables
21.8%
55-64 of working-age population (18-64)
Same cohort is 13.3% of total population, the basis used in the Demographics cohort chart.
Elevated retirement risk, above the 20% threshold. Succession planning recommended.
Workforce by Occupation
Source: Census ACS 2020-2024 · Table C24010 · Civilian employed population 16+
Management / Professional
50.5%
Service
15.4%
Sales & Office
17.6%
Construction / Maint.
7.7%
Production / Transport
8.9%
Bars are drawn on a 0% to 60% axis, so bar length is proportional to actual share. Labels give each group's share of 3,151,451 employed workers.
Key Takeaways
- Healthy participation: 69.4% of the population aged 18+ is in the labor force, reflecting a steady, available workforce statewide.
Source: ACS workforce data.
County Profiles
24 counties in Maryland
Allegany County
FIPS 24001
Anne Arundel County
FIPS 24003
Baltimore city
FIPS 24510
Baltimore County
FIPS 24005
Calvert County
FIPS 24009
Caroline County
FIPS 24011
Carroll County
FIPS 24013
Cecil County
FIPS 24015
Charles County
FIPS 24017
Dorchester County
FIPS 24019
Frederick County
FIPS 24021
Garrett County
FIPS 24023
Harford County
FIPS 24025
Howard County
FIPS 24027
Kent County
FIPS 24029
Montgomery County
FIPS 24031
Prince George's County
FIPS 24033
Queen Anne's County
FIPS 24035
Somerset County
FIPS 24039
St. Mary's County
FIPS 24037
Talbot County
FIPS 24041
Washington County
FIPS 24043
Wicomico County
FIPS 24045
Worcester County
FIPS 24047
AI Insights
Sample output. Pulse AI analysis draws on 6 federal data sources.
Sample AI Insight
Maryland shows emerging potential for funds, trusts, and other financial vehicles attraction, with a 2.13x concentration and 1,196 jobs in this sub-sector.
Cluster depth across funds, trusts, and other financial vehicles, private households, and postal service creates supply-chain attraction leverage, a structural advantage for industrial recruitment.
Industry Shift Analysis
Manufacturing Automation Risk
High
Healthcare Growth Forecast
+4.2% CAGR
Remote Work Migration
67/100
Prospect Match Scores
Advanced Manufacturing
92/100
Life Sciences
84/100
Data Centers
71/100
Illustrative example
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Data Sources
Updated from official federal government data.
Census ACS 5-Year2024
BLS QCEW2025
BEA Regional GDP2024
Census CBP2024
HUD Fair Market RentsFY2026
USAspending.govFY2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Key economic and demographic figures for Maryland, from federal data sources.
What is the population of Maryland?
6,206,011 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates).
What is the median household income in Maryland?
$103,678 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Maryland?
3.2% (2024 annual average, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS).
What is the GDP of Maryland?
$546B (BEA CAGDP2 (Regional)).
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