West Ocean City, Maryland Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

West Ocean City is a small city located in Maryland, within Worcester County. The total population is 5,198. It ranks as the 199th most populous out of 527 Census-designated places in Maryland.

Age Demographics

The median age in West Ocean City is 49.5 years. This is 26% higher than the state median of 39.4 years. 11.6% 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 West Ocean City is $97,165. This is 6% lower than the state median of $103,678. It is also 20% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 6.4%. This is 32% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.4%. The unemployment rate is 10.7%. This is 118% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $423,700. Housing costs are about the same as the state median of $419,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.4x. 81.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 21% higher than the state average of 67.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

West Ocean City has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 5.3%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (89.0% vs 46.6%). The Black or African American population (1.8%) is well below the state average of 28.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population (5.3%) is well below the state average of 12.5%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 6.5%.

Education

38.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 12% 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 95.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for West Ocean City, 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.