Smith Island, Maryland Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 345, Smith 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

Smith Island is a small community located in Maryland, within Somerset County. The total population is 345. It ranks as the 411th most populous out of 527 Census-designated places in Maryland.

Age Demographics

The median age in Smith Island is 52.1 years. This is 32% higher than the state median of 39.4 years. 10.1% 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 Smith Island is $90,385. This is 13% lower than the state median of $103,678. It is also 12% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 9.6%. This is 1% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.4%. The unemployment rate is 8.6%. This is 77% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $109,200. Housing costs are 74% lower than the state median of $419,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.2x, Smith Island is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 83.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 23% higher than the state average of 67.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Smith Island has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 95.9% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (95.9% vs 46.6%). The Black or African American population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 28.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 12.5%.

Education

2.2% 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 95% 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 58.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Smith 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.