Population 6,206,011 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Maryland
Household size in Maryland
| Period | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.74 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.68 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Maryland average 2.68 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in western Maryland. Maryland has larger households than the great majority of states.
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 Maryland
| Period | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Maryland are younger than 40.6 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.5, mirroring the country.
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 Maryland
| Period | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Maryland as they are nationally: 11.7%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 0.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Maryland
Renters in Maryland
| Period | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Maryland rent their homes (32.4%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 29.6% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 1.4 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Maryland
| Period | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Maryland: 7.1% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 1.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only one other state has 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 Maryland
| Period | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Maryland are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1978, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1974 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in southeastern Maryland, while northern Maryland has the oldest housing.
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 Maryland
| Period | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,249 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,363 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,576 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,869 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$620 | +$606 |
Rent in Maryland runs $1,869 a month at the median, utilities included, above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $620 a month from 2006–10, a 50% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 31.6% 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 Maryland
Bachelor's degrees in Maryland
| Period | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 37.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in Maryland than nationally: 43.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 7.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only four of the 50 states and D.C. have a higher share of college graduates.
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 Maryland
| Period | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Maryland is a bit above the national rate: 90.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.9 points, mirroring the country.
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 Maryland
| Period | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Maryland is close to the national rate: 5.0% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 1.5 points, in line with the national trend. 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).
Maryland compared with nearby states
| State | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 2.68 | 40.6 | 11.7% | 32.4% | 7.1% | 1978 | $1,869 | 43.4% | 90.9% | 5.0% |
| District of Columbia | 2.09 | 36.2 | 12.2% | 58.5% | 10.4% | 1963 | $2,078 | 63.4% | 92.7% | 7.0% |
| Delaware | 2.58 | 43.0 | 12.3% | 27.0% | 9.6% | 1984 | $1,514 | 35.5% | 91.5% | 5.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 2.46 | 42.0 | 10.7% | 30.7% | 9.1% | 1967 | $1,323 | 35.6% | 91.8% | 5.4% |
| Virginia | 2.62 | 40.3 | 10.7% | 32.7% | 8.7% | 1984 | $1,743 | 42.5% | 91.6% | 4.3% |
| New Jersey | 2.76 | 40.9 | 11.3% | 36.2% | 6.6% | 1969 | $1,896 | 43.4% | 90.2% | 6.4% |
| West Virginia | 2.43 | 43.2 | 10.4% | 25.1% | 14.9% | 1976 | $905 | 25.0% | 89.4% | 5.5% |
| New York | 2.65 | 40.8 | 11.6% | 45.7% | 9.7% | 1961 | $1,794 | 39.8% | 87.3% | 6.6% |
| Connecticut | 2.55 | 42.1 | 11.4% | 33.5% | 7.9% | 1967 | $1,702 | 42.3% | 91.2% | 5.6% |
| North Carolina | 2.52 | 40.3 | 11.4% | 33.4% | 11.4% | 1990 | $1,317 | 36.2% | 90.2% | 4.8% |
| Rhode Island | 2.49 | 41.6 | 11.7% | 36.4% | 9.2% | 1961 | $1,448 | 37.8% | 89.4% | 5.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
States with similar populations: Arizona · Alabama · Wisconsin · Washington · Virginia · Vermont · Utah · Texas · Tennessee · Minnesota
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 Maryland. 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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