Deal Island, Maryland Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 341, Deal Island's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Deal Island is a small community located in Maryland, within Somerset County. The total population is 341. It ranks as the 413th most populous out of 527 Census-designated places in Maryland.

Age Demographics

The median age in Deal Island is 61.8 years. This is 57% higher than the state median of 39.4 years. 20.5% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Deal Island is $22,404. This is 78% lower than the state median of $103,678. It is also 72% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 38.3%. This is 305% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.4%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 17.3%. This is 254% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $134,800. Housing costs are 68% lower than the state median of $419,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 6.0x. 69.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% higher than the state average of 67.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Deal Island has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 98.8% of all residents. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (98.8% vs 46.6%).

Education

8.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 82% 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 85.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Deal Island, Maryland is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Maryland state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 527 Census-designated places in Maryland. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.