Somerset County, Maryland Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Somerset County, MD Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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C
Health Below averageAmong the 3 least healthy counties in Maryland
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F
Income Well below averageLeast wealthy county in Maryland
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F
Education Well below averageLeast educated county in Maryland
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Somerset County | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,822 | 6,204,886 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 40.7 | 500.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.52% | 0.51% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.5 | 38.0 | 37.3 |
| Households | 8,348 | 2,362,551 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Somerset County declined by 4.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 24,822 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Somerset County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 26.7% of residents. That is 6.5 points above Maryland as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 6,632 26.7% +6.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 5,200 20.9% -1.3 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,712 19.0% -2.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 4,272 17.2% +0.7 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 Maryland, 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 45.0% of the people living in Somerset County and men 55.0%.
- Women 45.0% Maryland 51.5%
- Men 55.0% Maryland 48.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Somerset County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Somerset County has a the economy index of F, which means it scores poorly in the economy.
| Metric | Somerset County | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,559 | $103,916 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 7.68% | 3.98% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.5% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Somerset County is about 39% lower than in Maryland.
Housing
| Metric | Somerset County | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $260,756 | $267,101 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,013 | $1,704 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 73.1% | 67.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Somerset County is about 21.5 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,013 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Somerset County spend about 42 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 175 hours, about 7.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Somerset County | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 21.0 | 28.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 42.0 | 56.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 175 | 236 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,423 | $7,301 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 9.2% | 19.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,948 | 16,437 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 692 | 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 Somerset County is 21 minutes, shorter than the 28 minutes in Maryland.
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
Somerset County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Somerset County | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.2% | 39.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.38 | 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
Somerset County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Somerset County | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 74.9 | 78.4 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 18.1% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 21.4% | 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).
Somerset County, MD Compared With Nearby Counties
Somerset County, MD is the smallest of the 5 counties compared here, 24,822 residents against a local median of 43,518. The measure that sets Somerset County, MD apart most is median home price: $260,756, 33% above the local median of $196,602.
The counties themselves spread $249,461 on median home price, so Somerset County, MD sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Somerset County, MD has the 2nd highest median home price of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset County, MD | 24,822 | $63,559 #3/5 | $260,756 #2/5 | 21.0 min #4/5 |
| Accomack County, VA | 33,335 | $59,342 | $161,842 | 17.8 min |
| Wicomico County, MD | 104,905 | $76,195 | $176,769 | 18.1 min |
| Dorchester County, MD | 32,754 | $62,608 | $216,435 | 21.6 min |
| Worcester County, MD | 53,701 | $83,661 | $411,303 | 19.0 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Somerset County, Maryland.
How big is Somerset County, Maryland by population?
About 24,822 people live in Somerset County, Maryland, in 8,348 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 38.5, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Somerset County, Maryland mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Somerset County, Maryland has 41 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 47% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Somerset County, Maryland?
The median home costs 4.1 times the median household income ($260,756 against $63,559), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,013 a month takes about 19% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Somerset County, Maryland?
Unemployment in Somerset County, Maryland is 7.5%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What share of adults in Somerset County, Maryland have a college degree?
15.2% of adults in Somerset County, Maryland hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 7), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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