Population 175,321 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Carroll County
Household size in Carroll County
| Period | Carroll County | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.76 | 2.61 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.76 | 2.65 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.73 | 2.65 | 2.74 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.71 | 2.59 | 2.68 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.02 | +0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Carroll County average 2.71 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in the Baltimore area as a whole, where it has 2.59 people. Household size has edged down from 2.76 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Carroll County
| Period | Carroll County | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.0 | 38.7 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.8 | 39.5 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.6 | 40.2 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.3 | 40.3 | 40.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.4 | +1.6 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Carroll County skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.3, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 40.0, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the northeast.
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 Carroll County
| Period | Carroll County | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 12.6% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 12.3% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.6% | 11.6% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.1% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Carroll County: 8.1% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Only one other Maryland county has a lower 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 Carroll County
Renters in Carroll County
| Period | Carroll County | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.1% | 32.0% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.5% | 33.5% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.0% | 33.5% | 33.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 15.7% | 33.1% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | +1.1 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Carroll County is largely a place of homeowners: only 15.7% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. More than a quarter of owners (27.2%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Only one other Maryland county has a lower share of renters.
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 Carroll County
| Period | Carroll County | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 9.3% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.6% | 9.3% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 9.4% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 7.2% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −2.1 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Carroll County: just 4.8% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy has edged down 0.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only two of Maryland's 24 counties have a lower vacancy rate.
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 Carroll County
| Period | Carroll County | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1971 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1972 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1973 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1975 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Carroll County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1982, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in the wider Baltimore area, where the median home dates to 1975. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the center.
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 Carroll County
| Period | Carroll County | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,045 | $1,179 | $1,249 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,136 | $1,293 | $1,363 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,199 | $1,477 | $1,576 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,567 | $1,778 | $1,869 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$522 | +$599 | +$620 | +$606 |
Rent in Carroll County runs $1,567 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in the Baltimore area as a whole ($1,778). Rents are up $522 a month from 2006–10, a 50% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 31.1% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Carroll County
Bachelor's degrees in Carroll County
| Period | Carroll County | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.5% | 35.6% | 36.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.0% | 37.3% | 37.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.0% | 40.8% | 40.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 40.9% | 44.1% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.4 pts | +8.5 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in Carroll County than nationally: 40.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Still, the share is lower than in the Baltimore area overall (44.1%). The share with a degree is up 9.4 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Carroll County
| Period | Carroll County | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.6% | 87.8% | 88.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.3% | 89.5% | 89.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.7% | 91.1% | 90.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.3% | 92.1% | 90.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts | +2.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Carroll County: 95.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.7 points, in line with the national trend. Carroll County has the highest 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 Carroll County
| Period | Carroll County | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.5% | 6.6% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.7% | 8.3% | 8.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.4% | 5.2% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 4.8% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Carroll County than nationally: unemployment was 3.6%, against 5.4%. Carroll County has lower unemployment than at least four in five Maryland counties. 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).
Carroll 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll County | 2.71 | 42.3 | 8.1% | 15.7% | 4.8% | 1982 | $1,567 | 40.9% | 95.3% | 3.6% |
| Frederick County | 2.78 | 39.9 | 10.2% | 23.0% | 5.4% | 1991 | $1,932 | 47.0% | 93.5% | 3.2% |
| Harford County | 2.65 | 41.7 | 9.6% | 20.3% | 4.6% | 1986 | $1,682 | 40.4% | 95.2% | 3.9% |
| Washington County | 2.55 | 41.2 | 13.5% | 33.2% | 7.6% | 1976 | $1,207 | 24.3% | 88.6% | 4.4% |
| Berkeley County | 2.58 | 39.9 | 14.1% | 24.0% | 6.5% | 1994 | $1,304 | 25.5% | 90.7% | 4.7% |
| Cecil County | 2.58 | 42.4 | 11.4% | 24.7% | 8.4% | 1986 | $1,403 | 27.8% | 91.7% | 5.9% |
| Morgan County | 2.36 | 49.3 | 9.8% | 15.9% | 18.8% | 1986 | $876 | 18.2% | 88.9% | 3.7% |
| New Castle County | 2.61 | 41.0 | 13.1% | 31.0% | 6.1% | 1976 | $1,596 | 39.9% | 92.6% | 4.8% |
| Salem County | 2.60 | 42.0 | 12.2% | 29.0% | 10.7% | 1963 | $1,279 | 25.0% | 90.1% | 7.8% |
| Allegany County | 2.28 | 42.9 | 11.2% | 29.3% | 15.9% | 1959 | $810 | 21.2% | 90.6% | 4.9% |
| Cumberland County | 2.81 | 37.9 | 16.7% | 33.5% | 7.0% | 1969 | $1,302 | 18.3% | 80.6% | 7.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Midland County, TX · Shasta County, CA · Pitt County, NC · Beaver County, PA · Winnebago County, WI · Maui County, HI · Kent County, RI · Kent County, DE · Washington County, UT · McLean County, IL
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 Carroll 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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