Charles County, Maryland Demographics 2026

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

Charles County, Maryland has a population of 170,527, the 10th most populous county in Maryland. The median household income is $122,816 and the median home value is $428,500. The poverty rate is 6.9%.

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

Charles County Quick Facts

Population 170,527

Median Household Income $122,816

Median Home Value $428,500

Poverty Rate 6.9%

Unemployment Rate 4.9%

Median Age 38.9 years

Homeownership Rate 82.1%

Affordability Ratio 3.5x

Bachelor's Degree+ 33.5%

High School Graduation 94.5%

Cities/Places 13

Population 170,527 10th of 24

Median Income $122,816 18% higher than state

Poverty Rate 6.9%

Unemployment 4.9%

How Charles 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	168,710	170,527	+1.1%
Median household income	$120,592	$122,816	+1.8%
Median home value	$402,300	$428,500	+6.5%

Median Household Income

Charles

$122,816

$103,678

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Charles

$428,500

$419,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 9.2%

$25K-$50K 7.6%

$50K-$100K 22.1%

$100K+ 61.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.9%

$10K-$15K

2.2%

$15K-$20K

1.6%

$20K-$25K

1.6%

$25K-$30K

1.4%

$30K-$35K

1.4%

$35K-$40K

1.3%

$40K-$45K

1.7%

$45K-$50K

1.7%

$50K-$60K

4.3%

$60K-$75K

6.9%

$75K-$100K

10.9%

$100K-$125K

12.3%

$125K-$150K

10.6%

$150K-$200K

15.2%

$200K+

23.1%

Employment

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

69.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 82.1%

Renter 17.9%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.5x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,920/mo 18.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

23.9%

18-34

20.8%

35-54

27.6%

55-74

22.6%

75+

5.2%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 68 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Charles County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Waldorf	82,943	$116,089	7.7%	$407,600
Bensville	15,848	$170,072	5.4%	$521,300
La Plata	10,683	$121,208	6.6%	$428,400
Bryans Road	9,371	$118,361	2.8%	$377,300
Indian Head	4,055	$89,063	9.7%	$303,700
Hughesville	2,098	$106,250	1.7%	$489,100
Potomac Heights	1,351	$71,786	9.6%	$115,800
Cobb Island	916	N/A	2.3%	$275,000
Pomfret	747	$118,914	0.0%	$406,900
Bryantown	325	$104,271	0.0%	$517,600
Rock Point	244	N/A	26.6%	N/A
Benedict	148	$41,118	23.0%	N/A
Port Tobacco Village	4	N/A	0.0%	N/A

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

Charles County is located in Maryland with a total population of 170,527. It is the 10th most populous county out of 24 in Maryland. The county encompasses 13 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Charles County is 38.9 years. This is 1% lower than the state median of 39.4 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Charles County is $122,816. This is 18% higher than the state median of $103,678. It is also 52% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 6.9%. This is 27% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.4%. The unemployment rate is 4.9%. The median home value is $428,500. Housing costs are 2% higher than the state median of $419,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.5x. 82.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 21% higher than the state average of 67.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Charles County is Black or African American, making up 48.4% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 32.0%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (48.4% vs 28.9%).

Education

33.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 23% 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 94.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Charles 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 Charles County, Maryland?

Charles County has a population of 170,527, making it the 10th most populous county in Maryland.

What is the median income in Charles County?

The median household income in Charles County is $122,816 with a poverty rate of 6.9%.

How many cities are in Charles County, Maryland?

Charles County contains 13 Census-designated places.