What are the fastest-growing counties and Baltimore city in Maryland?
Frederick County is the fastest-growing county in Maryland: its population grew 2.12% a year from 2020 to 2025, to 302,883 residents (Census PEP Vintage 2025). Queen Anne's County (1.70%) and Charles County (1.16%) follow. Maryland as a whole grew 0.28% a year to 6,265,347 residents.
Data as of 2026-09-23. Population, growth and migration: PEP Vintage 2025 · 2020–2025. Income migration: IRS SOI 2022–2023 (2-yr lag).
Top 10 counties and Baltimore city in Maryland by population growth, 2020 to 2025
| Rank | County or city | Population | Growth (% per year) | Net domestic migration | Net international migration | IRS net AGI migration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frederick County | 302,883 | 2.12% | +19,797 | +5,273 | +$163.4M |
| 2 | Queen Anne's County | 54,448 | 1.70% | +3,552 | +710 | +$59.6M |
| 3 | Charles County | 176,593 | 1.16% | +6,404 | +1,842 | +$23.7M |
| 4 | Worcester County | 54,459 | 0.73% | +3,068 | +470 | +$31.3M |
| 5 | Dorchester County | 33,628 | 0.67% | +1,420 | +124 | +$17.2M |
| 6 | Cecil County | 107,131 | 0.63% | +2,776 | +590 | -$11.9M |
| 7 | Wicomico County | 106,899 | 0.63% | -226 | +2,608 | -$9.6M |
| 8 | Caroline County | 34,116 | 0.50% | +262 | +506 | -$0.2M |
| 9 | St. Mary's County | 116,692 | 0.47% | +26 | +730 | -$30.0M |
| 10 | Kent County | 19,565 | 0.46% | +904 | +122 | +$9.1M |
Where are people moving in Maryland?
Frederick County gained the most people from elsewhere in the United States: net domestic migration of +19,797 from 2020 to 2025 (Census PEP Vintage 2025). The table ranks every Maryland place with 10,000 or more residents by that figure; the IRS column shows net adjusted gross income migration for 2022 to 2023.
| Rank | County or city | Population | Growth (% per year) | Net domestic migration | Net international migration | IRS net AGI migration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frederick County | 302,883 | 2.12% | +19,797 | +5,273 | +$163.4M |
| 2 | Charles County | 176,593 | 1.16% | +6,404 | +1,842 | +$23.7M |
| 3 | Harford County | 266,446 | 0.40% | +3,617 | +1,162 | -$56.1M |
| 4 | Queen Anne's County | 54,448 | 1.70% | +3,552 | +710 | +$59.6M |
| 5 | Carroll County | 176,677 | 0.43% | +3,288 | +996 | -$13.2M |
| 6 | Worcester County | 54,459 | 0.73% | +3,068 | +470 | +$31.3M |
| 7 | Washington County | 157,731 | 0.39% | +2,839 | +1,474 | +$8.6M |
| 8 | Cecil County | 107,131 | 0.63% | +2,776 | +590 | -$11.9M |
| 9 | Dorchester County | 33,628 | 0.67% | +1,420 | +124 | +$17.2M |
| 10 | Talbot County | 38,238 | 0.40% | +1,103 | +630 | +$52.5M |
Go past the headline numbers
The interactive Demographics map layer and the full report for a single place are part of paid plans.
Get the Demographics Report for Frederick CountyFrequently asked questions
- What are the fastest-growing counties and Baltimore city in Maryland?
- By population growth from 2020 to 2025, the fastest are Frederick County (2.12% a year), Queen Anne's County (1.70% a year), Charles County (1.16% a year), Worcester County (0.73% a year) and Dorchester County (0.67% a year) (Census PEP Vintage 2025). Only places with 10,000 or more residents are ranked.
- Where are people moving in Maryland?
- By net domestic migration from 2020 to 2025, the largest gains are Frederick County (+19,797), Charles County (+6,404) and Harford County (+3,617) (Census PEP Vintage 2025).
- How fast is Maryland growing overall?
- Maryland grew 0.28% a year from 2020 to 2025, to 6,265,347 residents, with net migration of +28,879 people (Census PEP Vintage 2025).
- Where does this Maryland data come from, and how current is it?
- Population, growth and migration come from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP Vintage 2025 · 2020–2025). Income migration comes from IRS Statistics of Income (IRS SOI 2022–2023 (2-yr lag)). Counties and Baltimore city with fewer than 10,000 residents are not ranked. Data last loaded 2026-09-23.
Data as of 2026-09-23: sources and periods
- Population, growth and migration
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program: PEP Vintage 2025 · 2020–2025. census.gov/programs-surveys/popest
- Income migration (net AGI)
- Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income migration data: IRS SOI 2022–2023 (2-yr lag). irs.gov/statistics/soi-tax-stats-migration-data
How to read the table
- Population is the Census July 1 estimate of the latest vintage.
- Growth is the compound annual rate over 2020 to 2025.
- Net domestic and international migration are cumulative people over 2020 to 2025.
- IRS net AGI migration is adjusted gross income that moved in, less what moved out, for 2022 to 2023. A plus sign means a net inflow.
- Places with fewer than 10,000 residents are left out of the rankings.