Population 33,669 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Caroline County
Household size in Caroline County
| Period | Caroline County | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.73 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.73 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.71 | 2.74 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.67 | 2.68 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | +0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Caroline County average 2.67 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.73, in line with the national trend. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the north.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Caroline County
| Period | Caroline County | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.3 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.7 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.8 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.9 | 40.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.6 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
At 40.9, the median age in Caroline County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 38.3 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the north and oldest in the west.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Caroline County
| Period | Caroline County | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.5% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.0% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.7% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.3% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in seven households in Caroline County (15.3%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 2.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Only one other Maryland county has a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Caroline County
Renters in Caroline County
| Period | Caroline County | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.2% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.2% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.2% | 33.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.1% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Caroline County own their homes; 28.1% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. More than a third of owners (36.7%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the west. The renter share is up 3.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Caroline County
| Period | Caroline County | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.4% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.9% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Caroline County: 7.9% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Maryland as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 4.4 points, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Caroline County
| Period | Caroline County | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1976 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Caroline County was built around 1980, the same vintage as the country's housing overall. The median year built has moved up from 1976 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the southeast.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Caroline County
| Period | Caroline County | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $935 | $1,249 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $983 | $1,363 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $993 | $1,576 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,301 | $1,869 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$366 | +$620 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Caroline County costs $1,301 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $366 a month since 2006–10, up 39%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 30.5% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southeast; the highest are in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Caroline County
Bachelor's degrees in Caroline County
| Period | Caroline County | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.1% | 36.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.8% | 37.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.0% | 40.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.2% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Caroline County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 16.2%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has edged up 1.1 points, a smaller shift than nationally. Caroline County has the lowest share of college graduates of any Maryland county.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Caroline County
| Period | Caroline County | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.5% | 88.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.2% | 89.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.2% | 90.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 83.8% | 90.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +2.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Caroline County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 83.8% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.3 points, as it has nationally. Caroline County has the lowest share of high school graduates of any Maryland county.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Caroline County
| Period | Caroline County | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 8.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.8%, unemployment in Caroline County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Maryland overall (5.0%). Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Caroline County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caroline County | 2.67 | 40.9 | 15.3% | 28.1% | 7.9% | 1980 | $1,301 | 16.2% | 83.8% | 5.8% |
| Talbot County | 2.33 | 49.9 | 10.0% | 24.9% | 14.6% | 1982 | $1,411 | 40.0% | 92.1% | 4.2% |
| Prince George's County | 2.84 | 39.7 | 14.8% | 37.7% | 5.8% | 1979 | $2,013 | 36.8% | 86.1% | 6.4% |
| District of Columbia | 2.09 | 36.2 | 12.2% | 58.5% | 10.4% | 1963 | $2,078 | 63.4% | 92.7% | 7.0% |
| Alexandria City | 2.16 | 38.9 | 7.8% | 57.9% | 6.5% | 1973 | $2,278 | 64.9% | 92.2% | 3.4% |
| Arlington County | 2.22 | 37.2 | 5.4% | 58.7% | 8.8% | 1973 | $2,524 | 76.4% | 94.9% | 3.4% |
| Falls Church City | 2.45 | 40.2 | 6.1% | 47.5% | 5.1% | 1973 | $2,271 | 79.9% | 94.7% | 4.7% |
| Fairfax County | 2.85 | 40.1 | 7.6% | 31.4% | 4.6% | 1982 | $2,579 | 64.9% | 93.0% | 4.2% |
| Fairfax City | 2.74 | 36.8 | 6.5% | 30.1% | 3.4% | 1970 | $2,239 | 62.5% | 90.3% | 3.2% |
| Manassas Park City | 3.71 | 36.3 | 12.9% | 33.5% | 6.4% | 1983 | $2,042 | 25.7% | 78.8% | 5.5% |
| Manassas City | 3.17 | 35.3 | 12.6% | 28.5% | 3.3% | 1985 | $1,893 | 33.7% | 81.2% | 3.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Glenn County, CA · Preble County, OH · Mercer County, OH · Miami County, IN · Miami County, KS · Sullivan County, NH · Grant County, NM · Summit County, CO · Grainger County, TN · Summit County, UT
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Caroline County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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