Carroll County, Maryland Demographics 2026

Name: Carroll County, Maryland Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Carroll County, Maryland has a population of 175,321, the 9th most populous county in Maryland. The median household income is $118,211 and the median home value is $434,000. The poverty rate is 5.2%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Carroll County Quick Facts

Population 175,321

Median Household Income $118,211

Median Home Value $434,000

Poverty Rate 5.2%

Unemployment Rate 3.5%

Median Age 41.3 years

Homeownership Rate 84.4%

Affordability Ratio 3.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 40.7%

High School Graduation 95.3%

Cities/Places 8

Population 175,321 9th of 24

Median Income $118,211 14% higher than state

Poverty Rate 5.2%

Unemployment 3.5%

How Carroll County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	174,318	175,321	+0.6%
Median household income	$115,876	$118,211	+2.0%
Median home value	$406,400	$434,000	+6.8%

Median Household Income

Carroll

$118,211

$103,678

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Carroll

$434,000

$419,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 7.6%

$25K-$50K 11.1%

$50K-$100K 22.9%

$100K+ 58.3%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

2.8%

$10K-$15K

1.2%

$15K-$20K

1.7%

$20K-$25K

1.9%

$25K-$30K

2.2%

$30K-$35K

2.4%

$35K-$40K

1.7%

$40K-$45K

2.2%

$45K-$50K

2.6%

$50K-$60K

4.7%

$60K-$75K

6.5%

$75K-$100K

11.7%

$100K-$125K

11.3%

$125K-$150K

9.2%

$150K-$200K

14.7%

$200K+

23.1%

Employment

3.5% Unemployment Rate State: 4.9%|National: 5.2%

67.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 84.4%

Renter 15.6%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,427/mo 14.5% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

22.0%

18-34

19.4%

35-54

25.7%

55-74

25.3%

75+

7.5%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 68 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Carroll County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Eldersburg	31,695	$142,954	4.7%	$494,300
Westminster	20,445	$86,219	10.0%	$337,600
Taneytown	7,932	$87,621	11.2%	$338,400
Hampstead	6,251	$97,871	6.9%	$333,000
Manchester	5,439	$121,676	4.8%	$376,400
Sykesville	4,491	$139,556	3.1%	$453,400
New Windsor	1,400	$111,250	10.7%	$374,000
Union Bridge	1,055	$76,250	14.9%	$293,300

Explore Maryland Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Carroll County is located in Maryland with a total population of 175,321. It is the 9th most populous county out of 24 in Maryland. The county encompasses 8 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Carroll County is 41.3 years. This is 5% higher than the state median of 39.4 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Carroll County is $118,211. This is 14% higher than the state median of $103,678. It is also 46% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 5.2%. This is 45% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.4%. The unemployment rate is 3.5%. This is 29% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $434,000. Housing costs are 3% higher than the state median of $419,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.7x. 84.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 25% higher than the state average of 67.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Carroll County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 84.5% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 5.1%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (84.5% vs 46.6%). The Black or African American population (4.0%) is well below the state average of 28.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population (5.1%) is well below the state average of 12.5%. The Asian population (2.4%) is well below the state average of 6.5%.

Education

40.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 6% lower than the state rate of 43.5%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 95.3%. Notably, 15.7% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Carroll County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Maryland and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Carroll County, Maryland?

Carroll County has a population of 175,321, making it the 9th most populous county in Maryland.

What is the median income in Carroll County?

The median household income in Carroll County is $118,211 with a poverty rate of 5.2%.

How many cities are in Carroll County, Maryland?

Carroll County contains 8 Census-designated places.