Howard County had the state's highest median household income at $101,940 in 2009, while Allegany County came in last at $36,491 among Maryland counties surveyed, according to 2009 American Community Survey data, which only includes areas with populations of 65,000 or more.
The Census Bureau collected data from 15 of Maryland's 23 counties and Baltimore City and reported the $65,449 gap. Baltimore City's median household income was $38,772.
Maryland Median Household Income* Howard County $101,940 Montgomery County $94,420 Calvert County $89,289 Charles County $89,115 Frederick County $83,229 Anne Arundel County $80,300 Carroll County $79,227 Harford County $76,187 St. Mary's County $72,474 Prince George's County $69,947 Baltimore County $64,906 Baltimore City $38,772 Cecil County $60,563 Washington County $48,561 Wicomico County $47,280 Allegany County $36,491 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2009 American Community Survey *The American Community Survey only includes areas with populations of 65,000 or more. |
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Although Maryland as a whole isn't considered "business friendly", the Eastern Shore is even worse off. Take Wicomico for example; very little industry, very few well paying jobs, etc. Retail, restaurants and pharmacies don't bring in the big bucks. Until the Shore is "open for business", the wages will continue to be artificially depressed. The lack of attaining a real, living wage is the reason so many recent grads leave the Shore ASAP. They know, hell we all know how it is.
ReplyDeletealright! salisbury next to last!
ReplyDeleteAm i correct? Doesn't wicomico county have the second highest tax rate next to Montgomery yet we are the second lowest median income. Can you say "MISMANAGEMENT". I for one am tired of being abused by tax and spend beaucrats. November 2 can't come soon enough and November 2012 after that.
ReplyDeletewhere is somerset?
ReplyDeletesomerset must have been to low to even compute
ReplyDeleteLook at which counties are within commute distance of the DC-Balt. metro core.
ReplyDeleteQueen Anne's, Talbot, Worcester, etc....only Eastern Shore county shown is Wicomico. Why dat?
Somerset has little income because they get little property tax because they have so much Federal and State protected land.
ReplyDeleteGarrett county isn't there either....
ReplyDeleteThere is a population requirement on the survey... Apparently some counties don't count.....
ReplyDeletethey surveyed 15 counties and left off two of the poorest - Somerset and Dorchester...what kind of survey is that????
ReplyDeleteWicomico County also has the second highest teen pregnancy rate in Maryland, second to Baltimore City. Coincidence? That could also explain why we're taxed to death--to support these kids.
ReplyDeleteat the end, read - "The American Community Survey only includes areas with populations of 65,000 or more."
ReplyDeletethat leaves alot of us out
12:05-Do you honestly believe that those counties on the Shore that weren't listed would rank higher then even Wicomico? I don't. Somerset/Dorchester would be bringing up the rear in terms of median household income. It's not the surveys fault lol.
ReplyDelete9:06
ReplyDeleteAnd what do you propose a "Live-wage" should be? What should the new minimum wage be or how much in a annual salary? If Wicomico's "Living-wage" should be equal to the median income of $47,280 then Wicomico employers had better pay a newly created Wicomico minimum wage of $22.73 per hour.
More information that is totally worthless....they could have grouped lower shore counties together to meet their population numbers but without including all the state it is a totally worthless survey made to make it look like things are better than what they really are.
ReplyDelete9:23. Not that I do not agree that local government could and should be more efficient. However,think about the following:
ReplyDeleteYes, we have a very low median income...our property values are also low in comparison to many other maryland counties.
Yet Salisbury and Wicomico are the employment centers for the tri county area. There is alot of infrastructure here that is enjoyed by people in other counties...and Delaware..yet they pay nothing to Wicmico in local taxes( unless they own businesses or property here)
The result is that the math begins to work against you. If you check,you will see that higher income folks are leaving the county seeking lower tax rates ..yet they still earn thier living here.
You are going to see this problem worsen...the real shortfall in revenue in the county is not associated with property taxes...but income tax receipts coupled with decades of infrastructure neglect that must now be addressed.
It's a very ugly picture when you forecast it out another decade
9:06-I mean living wage, like defined in business.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_wage
I do not mean a new minimum wage that pays all a "living wage". I mean access to jobs/careers that which will earn you a living wage(a wage in which you can support yourself/family with comfortably). Wicomico and most of the eastern shore(as a whole) doesn't have any industry or manufacturing, which traditionally pay living wages.
I'm not saying stick with the retail/restaurants, those don't pay a living wage except for upper management. Get some real industry/manufacturing in here, and every worker in the plant will be paid a living wage.
"Get some real industry/manufacturing in here, and every worker in the plant will be paid a living wage."
ReplyDeletewhy would they locate here?
I keep hearing this refrain and I wonder why people think after the past 20 to 30 years of seeing manufacturing jobs leave the shore,the state and the country,somehow big paying manufacturing jobs are going to locate here.
We need to focus in realistic economic development not pie in the sky.
With a county exec and mayor of Salisbury who want to increase taxes as much as possible, why would any business come here unless they need lots of low paid and unskilled workers?
ReplyDeleteWatch out folks... Comegy's tax is coming from the Md. Municipal league. Each county will determan what they want to tax. Don't let this get thru. Talk to your candidates and the ones in office and see who supports the Md. Municpal Leagues reccomendations... Then vote for everyone else...
ReplyDelete5:25-Fact is, the US is still the worlds largest manufacturer based on factory output, a title the US has held the past 109 years.
ReplyDeleteMD isn't business friendly, anyone who owns a business or has in MD knows that.
Realistic economic development is a great idea, a great way to achieve that is to lure manufacturing to the Shore. The Good ol' boys don't want it, but don't believe their reasoning. You have to legislate a change to business friendly ways. Currently Maryland encourages businesses to move to other states.
Realistic economic development isn't more pharmacies, retail and restaurants. That isn't economic development that is impactful.
Everyone, stop getting all uptight and upset over this 'survey'. It is seriously flawed! How can you possibly take any of this info seriously when they leave 5-8 counties in our state unsurveyed. Are they saying there are not more than 65,000 in Worcester county? I know there are alot of seasonal people, but worcester county is quite populated. Besides, the census bureau's information is still preliminary.
ReplyDeleteOn 6:22 I said county tax. Infact its city's that will impose the tax. Each one will have the power without our say. Wake up and start talking...
ReplyDelete