Maryland Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Maryland Population Density Map and Area Scores
State Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around averageHealthier than 72% of states in the US
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B
Income Around averageAmong the top 3 wealthiest states in the US
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B
Education Around averageAmong the top 3 best educated states in the US
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Maryland | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,204,886 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 500.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.51% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.0 | 37.3 |
| Households | 2,362,551 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Maryland grew by 9.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 6,204,886 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Maryland is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 22.3% of residents. That is about the same share as the US.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,254,701 20.2% -1.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,383,502 22.3% on par
- Gen X 45–60 1,306,512 21.1% +1.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,023,961 16.5% -0.4 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below the US, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.5% of the people living in Maryland and men 48.5%.
- Women 51.5% the US 50.5%
- Men 48.5% the US 49.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Maryland
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Maryland has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Maryland | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $103,916 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.98% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Maryland is about 29% higher than in US.
Housing
| Metric | Maryland | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $267,101 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,704 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 67.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Maryland is about 13.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,704 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Maryland spend about 57 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 236 hours, about 9.8 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Maryland | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 28.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 56.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 236 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $7,301 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 19.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 16,437 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,353 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Maryland:
Talbot County (17.8 min), Allegany County (17.8 min), Wicomico County (18.1 min).
Slowest:
Charles County (40.0 min), Calvert County (33.6 min), Prince George's County (32.5 min).
The average commute time in Maryland is 28 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in US.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Maryland has a education index of B, which means it is quite educated.
| Metric | Maryland | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.57 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Maryland:
Howard County (0.5), Montgomery County (0.5), Talbot County (0.4).
Lowest:
Somerset County (0.2), Caroline County (0.2), Allegany County (0.2).
Health
Maryland has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Maryland | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.4 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 15.9% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Maryland:
Montgomery County (0.8), Howard County (0.8), Frederick County (0.8).
Lowest:
Baltimore city (0.8), Somerset County (0.8), Dorchester County (0.8).
Maryland Compared With Nearby States
Maryland is the 4th largest of the 6 states compared here, 6,204,886 residents against a local median of 8,702,460. The measure that sets Maryland apart most is commute: 28.3 min, 22% above the local median of 23.2 min. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The states themselves spread 8.2 min on commute, so Maryland sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Maryland has the 5th lowest commute of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 6,204,886 | $103,916 #2/6 | $267,101 #3/6 | 28.3 min #5/6 |
| District of Columbia | 678,314 | $110,571 | $597,276 | 30.3 min |
| Delaware | 1,017,061 | $85,760 | $243,076 | 22.1 min |
| Pennsylvania | 13,004,688 | $78,249 | $152,469 | 22.4 min |
| New Jersey | 9,334,304 | $103,817 | $352,792 | 26.2 min |
| Virginia | 8,702,460 | $93,527 | $256,082 | 23.2 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Maryland.
How many people live in Maryland?
About 6,204,886 people live in Maryland, in 2,362,551 households of 2.6 people on average. The median age is 38.0, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Maryland mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Maryland has 500 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 5.8 times the U.S. average of 86.
Is Maryland an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 2.6 times the median household income ($267,101 against $103,916), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,704 a month takes about 20% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
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