Population 24,822 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Somerset County
Household size in Somerset County
| Period | Somerset County | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.22 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.19 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.30 | 2.74 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.38 | 2.68 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.17 | +0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Somerset County are small: just 2.38 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has climbed from 2.22 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
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 Somerset County
| Period | Somerset County | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.7 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.8 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.4 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.7 | 40.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.0 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
At 39.7, the median age in Somerset County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The youngest areas are in the northeast, the oldest in the center. Somerset County is younger than at least four in five Maryland counties.
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 Somerset County
| Period | Somerset County | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.4% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.1% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Somerset County as they are nationally: 11.5%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.5 points, a much bigger shift than 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 Somerset County
Renters in Somerset County
| Period | Somerset County | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.0% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.4% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.0% | 33.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.9% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −6.1 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Somerset County own their homes; 26.9% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. More than four in ten owners (44.7%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 6.1 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Somerset County
| Period | Somerset County | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.5% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.0% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 24.4% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.0% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Somerset County: 22.0% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Only one other Maryland county has a higher 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 Somerset County
| Period | Somerset County | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Somerset County are the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1980. The median year built has moved up from 1971 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 Somerset County
| Period | Somerset County | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $722 | $1,249 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $810 | $1,363 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $755 | $1,576 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,056 | $1,869 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$334 | +$620 | +$606 |
The median renter in Somerset County pays $1,056 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $334 a month since 2006–10, up 46%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 32.0% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the north; the most affordable are in the south.
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 Somerset County
Bachelor's degrees in Somerset County
| Period | Somerset County | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.2% | 36.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.0% | 37.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.6% | 40.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.5% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Somerset County: 20.5% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 5.3 points, in line with the national trend. Of Maryland's 24 counties, only two have a lower 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 Somerset County
| Period | Somerset County | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.8% | 88.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 79.1% | 89.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.8% | 90.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.7% | 90.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.0 pts | +2.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Somerset County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 7.0 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Somerset County has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of Maryland counties.
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 Somerset County
| Period | Somerset County | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 8.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.5% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Somerset County: 10.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Somerset County has the highest unemployment rate of any Maryland county. Unemployment has risen 3.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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).
Somerset 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset County | 2.38 | 39.7 | 11.5% | 26.9% | 22.0% | 1980 | $1,056 | 20.5% | 87.7% | 10.5% |
| Westmoreland County | 2.35 | 48.9 | 15.8% | 19.9% | 25.0% | 1985 | $1,163 | 22.8% | 87.7% | 5.9% |
| King George County | 2.80 | 38.7 | 9.9% | 23.8% | 6.1% | 1999 | $1,501 | 35.5% | 92.1% | 3.3% |
| Caroline County | 2.66 | 39.7 | 14.9% | 17.7% | 6.9% | 1991 | $1,417 | 21.6% | 89.2% | 4.8% |
| Fredericksburg City | 2.31 | 33.5 | 10.4% | 60.3% | 6.1% | 1984 | $1,605 | 45.1% | 92.0% | 4.4% |
| Spotsylvania County | 2.82 | 39.0 | 10.8% | 19.9% | 6.6% | 1997 | $1,814 | 34.7% | 90.9% | 5.3% |
| Orange County | 2.58 | 42.4 | 9.1% | 21.3% | 9.1% | 1991 | $1,515 | 29.1% | 90.9% | 2.9% |
| Greene County | 2.67 | 42.9 | 11.8% | 16.6% | 8.5% | 1993 | $1,284 | 31.8% | 91.2% | 1.9% |
| Charlottesville City | 2.17 | 34.7 | 9.4% | 55.8% | 9.4% | 1971 | $1,595 | 62.5% | 93.4% | 4.0% |
| Albemarle County | 2.40 | 42.2 | 9.7% | 34.1% | 7.7% | 1991 | $1,734 | 61.3% | 94.0% | 3.3% |
| Waynesboro City | 2.32 | 38.8 | 13.0% | 40.1% | 8.3% | 1973 | $1,105 | 26.4% | 89.5% | 4.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Ellis County, KS · Shelby County, IL · Sharp County, AR · Seward County, NE · Seward County, KS · Sevier County, UT · Sevier County, AR · Sequatchie County, TN · Seneca County, NY · Scott County, MS
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 Somerset 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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