Counties with the highest unemployment in Maryland
While today's unemployment rates are significantly lower than the COVID-19 pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, the fear of job losses remains as workers stare down an uncertain economic future.
Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Maryland using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in March 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.
Experts have mixed views of a potential recession. The return of student loan payments, continually high gas prices, persistent inflation, and insurance price escalations are just a few of the factors that could limit consumer spending and potentially prompt another recession.
The last economic recession before the pandemic—the Great Recession of 2007-09—sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years.
But as of April 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.9%—up slightly from the previous month. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2% in North Dakota to 5.3% in California.
Read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Maryland.
#23. Carroll County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 96,440 people (2,244 unemployed)
#22. Queen Anne's County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 28,830 people (687 unemployed)
#21. Howard County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 189,821 people (4,609 unemployed)
#20. Calvert County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 50,120 people (1,270 unemployed)
#19. Anne Arundel County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 317,155 people (7,824 unemployed)
#18. Caroline County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,957 people (467 unemployed)
#17. St. Mary's County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 59,529 people (1,575 unemployed)
#16. Harford County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 141,813 people (3,758 unemployed)
#15. Montgomery County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 552,681 people (14,449 unemployed)
#14. Frederick County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 138,374 people (3,765 unemployed)
#13. Cecil County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 56,185 people (1,556 unemployed)
#12. Talbot County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,609 people (545 unemployed)
#11. Charles County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 87,967 people (2,615 unemployed)
#10. Baltimore County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 449,170 people (13,360 unemployed)
#9. Kent County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,338 people (320 unemployed)
#8. Washington County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 72,696 people (2,257 unemployed)
#7. Prince George's County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 504,133 people (15,453 unemployed)
#6. Garrett County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,359 people (497 unemployed)
#5. Dorchester County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,782 people (512 unemployed)
#4. Wicomico County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 52,195 people (1,904 unemployed)
#3. Allegany County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 31,543 people (1,205 unemployed)
#2. Somerset County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,491 people (422 unemployed)
#1. Worcester County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 25,813 people (1,218 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
