Charles County, MD

County

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2023 Population

168,710

1% 1-year growth

US Senator

Chris Van Hollen

Democratic Party

US Senator

Angela Alsobrooks

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

38.8

0% 1-year change

2023 Poverty Rate

6.62%

12.7% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$120,592

3.17% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$402,300

5.09% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

85,993

1.6% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Charles County, MD had a population of 169k people with a median age of 38.8 and a median household income of $120,592. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Charles County, MD grew from 167,035 to 168,710, a 1% increase and its median household income grew from $116,882 to $120,592, a 3.17% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Charles County, MD are Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (48.5%), White (Non-Hispanic) (33.5%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (6.49%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (3.21%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (2.55%).

None of the households in Charles County, MD reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

96.6% of the residents in Charles County, MD are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Charles County, MD are College of Southern Maryland (1,573 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2023, the median property value in Charles County, MD was $402,300, and the homeownership rate was 81.2%.

Most people in Charles County, MD drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 43.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Charles County, MD was 2 cars per household.

Charles County, MD borders Calvert County, MD, Prince George's County, MD, St. Mary's County, MD, Fairfax County, VA, King George County, VA, Prince William County, VA, Stafford County, VA, and Westmoreland County, VA.

About the photo: Cedarville Forest in Autumn

Photo by F Delventhal

United States Maryland Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

Population & Diversity

Charles County, MD is home to a population of 169k people, from which 96.6% are citizens. As of 2023, 8.31% of Charles County, MD residents were born outside of the country (14k people).

In 2023, there were 1.45 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (81.8k people) in Charles County, MD than any other race or ethnicity. There were 56.5k White (Non-Hispanic) and 11k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.6%

2023 Citizenship

97%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 96.6% of Charles County, MD residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Charles County, MD was 97%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Charles County, MD compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Charles County, MD

Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
81.8k ± 1.29k
White (Non-Hispanic)
56.5k ± 289
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
11k ± 1.28k

7.5%

Hispanic Population

12.6k people

7.5% of the people in Charles County, MD are hispanic (12.6k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Charles County, MD as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Maryland.

Most Common Origin

El Salvador
115,960 ± 8,281 people
India
61,668 ± 6,066 people
Nigeria
45,887 ± 5,240 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Maryland was El Salvador, the natal country of 115,960 Maryland residents, followed by India with 61,668 and Nigeria with 45,887.

Foreign-Born Population

8.31%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

14k people

7.45%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

12.4k people

As of 2023, 8.31% of Charles County, MD residents (14k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Charles County, MD was 7.45%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Charles County, MD compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
7,623 ± 817
Gulf War (1990s)
3,174 ± 398
Vietnam
2,816 ± 397

Charles County, MD has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 2.4 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Charles County, MD employs 86k people. The largest industries in Charles County, MD are Public Administration (17,536 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (9,039 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (8,759 people), and the highest paying industries are Public Administration ($111,725), Information ($102,765), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($89,524).

Males in Maryland have an average income that is 1.24 times higher than the average income of females, which is $77,266. The income inequality in Maryland (measured using the Gini index) is 0.454, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

86k

2023 Value

± 2,567

1.6%

1 Year growth

± 4.11%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Charles County, MD grew at a rate of 1.6%, from 84.6k employees to 86k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Charles County, MD, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (10,934 people), Management Occupations (9,837 people), and Business & Financial Operations Occupations (7,429 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Charles County, MD.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Maryland (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

86k

2023 Value

± 2,567

1.6%

1 Year growth

± 4.11%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Charles County, MD grew at a rate of 1.6%, from 84.6k employees to 86k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Charles County, MD, are Public Administration (17,536 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (9,039 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (8,759 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Charles County, MD, though some of these residents may live in Charles County, MD and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$71,519

Median earning men ± $2,125

$59,807

Median earning women ± $1,791

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Information ($112,578), Public Administration ($111,629), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($80,605).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($111,847), Manufacturing ($73,315), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($71,040).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Maryland.

Y-Axis

0.617%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.69M people employed in Maryland. This represents a 0.617% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Maryland.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

216
Construction
200
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
199
Other Services (except Public Administration)

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$283k
Retail Trade
$264k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$223k
Construction

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Charles County, MD went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 69.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (28.6%), followed by Other (1.09%).

Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks are the senators currently representing the state of Maryland. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Maryland is currently represented by 8 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (69.5%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (28.6%)
Republican Party
Other (1.09%)
Green and Other Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Charles County, MD went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 69.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (28.6%), followed by Other (1.09%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Charles County, MD for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Maryland

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Maryland.

Chris Van Hollen

Senator from Maryland

Assumed office on January 3, 2017

Angela Alsobrooks

Senator from Maryland

Assumed office on January 3, 2025

Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks are the senators currently representing Maryland.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Maryland over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Maryland

Maryland is currently represented by 8 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Maryland have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Charles County, MD awarded 1,573 degrees. The student population of Charles County, MD in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 1,855 male students and 3,013 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Charles County, MD are White (879 and 56.1%), followed by Black or African American (325 and 20.8%), Hispanic or Latino (137 and 8.75%), and Two or More Races (119 and 7.6%).

The largest universities in Charles County, MD by number of degrees awarded are College of Southern Maryland (1,573 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Charles County, MD are Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities (507 and 32.2%), Liberal Arts & Sciences (321 and 20.4%), and Registered Nursing (102 and 6.48%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2022 there were 4,868 students enrolled in Charles County, MD, 38.1% men and 61.9% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 2,245 records, of which 61.3% were women and 38.7% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
321 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
102 degrees awarded
Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities
94 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Charles County, MD was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 321 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Charles County, MD according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

College of Southern Maryland

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

1,573 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was College of Southern Maryland with 1,573 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2022, 575 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Charles County, MD, which is 0.576 times less than the 998 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 879 degrees mean that there were 2.7 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 325 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($5,760) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($1,440) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($1,277) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Maryland.

Measure

In 2022, 1.12% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.05% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Maryland.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.2M), Bachelors Degree (1.04M), and Some college (961k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Charles County, MD was $402,300 in 2023, which is 1.33 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $382,800 to $402,300, a 5.09% increase. The homeownership rate in Charles County, MD is 81.2%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Charles County, MD have an average commute time of 43.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Charles County, MD is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Charles County, MD is $120,592. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Charles County, MD was Census Tract 8507.13 with a value of $169,199, followed by Census Tract 8513.01 and Census Tract 8507.06, with respective values of $166,667 and $152,471.

In 2023, 13.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Charles County, MD. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 0.508%.

Housing

Property

$402,300

Median Property Value 2023

±$6,334

$48,900

Median Property Taxes

±$1,564

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Charles County, MD the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Charles County, MD compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

81.2%

Homeownership

2023

70.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 81.2% of the housing units in Charles County, MD were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 79.8%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Charles County, MD compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 8507.13
Census Tract 8513.01
Census Tract 8507.06

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Charles County, MD was Census Tract 8507.13 with a value of $169,199, followed by Census Tract 8513.01 and Census Tract 8507.06, with respective values of $166,667 and $152,471.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Charles County, MD colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$120,592

Median Household Income

± $2,691

60.2k

Number of Households

± 1,847

In 2023, the median household income of the 60.2k households in Charles County, MD grew to $120,592 from the previous year's value of $116,882.

The following chart displays the households in Charles County, MD distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Charles County, MD is from Maryland.

0.454

2022 Wage GINI in Maryland

0.456

2021 Wage GINI in Maryland

In 2022, the income inequality in Maryland was 0.454 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.498% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Maryland was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Maryland in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Maryland across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (72.8%)
Worked At Home (14.2%)
Carpooled (7.42%)

In 2023, 72.8% of workers in Charles County, MD drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (14.2%) and those who carpooled to work (7.42%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

43.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Charles County, MD have a longer commute time (43.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 9.92% of the workforce in Charles County, MD have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Charles County, MD compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Charles County, MD distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Charles County, MD have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 13.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Charles County, MD. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 0.508%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

6.62% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Charles County, MD (11.1k out of 167k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 55 - 64, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Charles County, MD is Black, followed by White and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 9.2% of the children was living in poverty in Charles County, MD. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.6%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

95.6% of the population of Charles County, MD has health coverage, with 55.1% on employee plans, 10.7% on Medicaid, 8.61% on Medicare, 16.2% on non-group plans, and 5% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Charles County, MD see 2696 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.919% decrease from the previous year (2721 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1506 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 519 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.7% were men and 52.3% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,696 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Charles County, MD

Primary care physicians in Charles County, MD see an average of 2,696 patients per year. This represents a 0.919% decrease from the previous year (2,721 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Charles County, MD in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.8% under 18 years, 19% between 18 and 34 years, 42.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 13.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.7% were men and 52.3% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

4.4%

Uninsured

55.1%

Employer Coverage

10.7%

Medicaid

8.61%

Medicare

16.2%

Non-Group

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Charles County, MD grew by 8.74% from 4.04% to 4.4%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Charles County, MD changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 59.8 in Charles County, MD.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Charles County, MD.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 40.2% in Charles County, MD.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Charles County, MD.