← Map/← Maryland/Counties/Cecil

Cecil
Maryland

104K

Population

$87K

Median Income

$382K

Median Home

R+43

Politics

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What stands out

What stands out about Cecil County: the overdose death rate is in the top 6% of American counties (40 per 100,000), the uninsured rate is in the bottom 7% of American counties (5.7%), and the median household income is in the top 8% of American counties ($86,869). Within Maryland it ranks 3rd of 24 counties for the overdose death rate.

Where you are

You live in Cecil County, Maryland. 103,876 people live here with you. The population grew 0.8% last year, and more Americans moved in than out (net +733).

Maryland is the only state that levies both an estate tax and an inheritance tax, and its counties add their own income taxes of up to 3.2% on top of the state rate. Household income is the highest in the country, concentrated in the Washington suburbs of Montgomery and Howard counties. Social Security is not taxed and there is a pension exclusion for residents 65 and over.

Money

The typical household here brings in $86,869 a year, higher than 92% of American counties. Employers pay an average wage of $63,481. Unemployment runs 3.3%, lower than 53% of American counties. 9% of workers work from home.

Maryland takes 4.7% of that median income in state income tax, about $4,074 a year.

Home

The median home costs $385K, pricier than 84% of American counties, about 2.8 years of the median household's income. A two-bedroom rents for around $1,311 a month. Property tax is 1.02% of home value, roughly $2,983 a year on that median home, higher than 62% of American counties. 75% of households own rather than rent.

Safety and health

Violent crime here is 3.6 per 1,000 residents, lower than 64% of American counties. Drug overdoses killed 40 people per 100,000 in 2024, one of the harder-hit counties in the country.

A child born here can expect to live 74.2 years, shorter than 68% of American counties. There are 110 active physicians in the county, about 10.6 per 10,000 people. Medicare rates the local hospitals 4.0 of 5 stars. 5.7% of people under 65 have no health insurance.

School

91% of adults finished high school.

Neighbors and politics

In 2024 your neighbors voted Republican by 43 points, among the most lopsided counties in the country. 61% of eligible voters turned out. Under Maryland law you need local approval to carry a concealed handgun, abortion is protected by state law, and marijuana is legal for adults.

Weather and risk

The year averages 55°F, highs near 65 and lows near 46, colder than 52% of American counties. About 39 inches of rain and snow fall a year. FEMA puts natural-hazard risk at 78 out of 100, riskier than 78% of American counties; the county has had 21 federal disaster declarations since 1953.

Getting around, going out

Home internet averages 250 Mbps down, faster than 74% of American counties. There are 5 airports in the county, counting general aviation. For a night or a weekend out: 0.4 full-service restaurants per 1,000 people, 2 breweries.

Written from the figures below. Percentiles compare this county with every other county that reports the same figure; missing figures are left out rather than guessed.

Economy

Median Household Income$87K
This county
national avg ~$75K
Poverty Rate9.5%
This county
national avg ~11.5%
Unemployment Rate3.3%
This county
national avg ~3.8%
GDP per Capita$66,742
Federal Spending per Capita$690
Median Individual Earnings$53K
This county
national avg $45K
Professional/Management Workers37.7%
Average Adjusted Gross Income$77K
Avg Credit Score676
Work From Home %8.6%
This county
national avg 17.0%
Population Under 1822.3%
This county
national avg 22.0%
Single-Person Households24.1%
This county
national avg 28.0%
Banks & Finance Firms36
Income (20th Percentile)$36K
Income (80th Percentile)$152K
Income (95th Percentile)$243K
Bachelor's Degree or Higher26.8%
This county
national avg 34.3%
Less Than High School8.6%
This county
national avg 11.0%
Knowledge Economy GDP %4.8%
Dependency Ratio0.63
Medicare Spending / Person$3,049
SS Benefits / Person$3,883
Education Wage Premium1.82x
Median Earnings (Bachelor's)$71K
Median Earnings (Graduate)$83K
Median Earnings (HS Diploma)$46K
Public Assistance Recipients3.0%
Average Annual Wage$63K
Professional Services Concentration0.39x national
This county
1.0 = national average share
Federal Government Jobs Located Here3,497
Federal Share of Jobs Located Here9.5%
Residents Who Work for the Federal Government8.7%
Federal Civilian Share of Earnings16.6%
Federal Contract Dollars Performed Here (FY2025)$115M
Contract Dollars Relative to Local Wages0.05x wages
Largest Award's Share of Contract Dollars45%

Housing

Sources: Zillow ZHVI · Census ACS 2022 · Tax Foundation 2023 (effective rates)

Median Home Value$382K
This county
$420K state avg
$303K national
Median Sale Price$342K
This county
$303K national
Market Rent (ZORI)$1806/mo
This county
$1950/mo state avg
$1400/mo national
Property Tax Rate1.02%
This county
0.97% state avg
1.10% national

Annual tax on median home: $2,983

Affordability & Supply

HUD Fair Market Rent (2BR)$1,810/mo
Home Price Change (1 yr)+6.3%++0.0% since 2024
Home Value to Income Ratio2.8x income
Severely Cost-Burdened Households11.0%
Homeownership Rate75.1%
This county
national avg ~65%

Market Activity

Sources: Zillow Research monthly · Redfin

Sale-to-List Ratio— Buyers market — homes selling below list
98.3%
Listings with Price Cuts— Low — market moving fast
18.2%
Sold Above List Price
34.0%
Median Days to Close
32 days
Active Listings
201
New Listings / Month
85

Source: Zillow Research · Updated monthly

Days on Market (Redfin)— Average pace
31 days
Months of Supply (Redfin)— Low inventory — sellers market
2.9 mo
Sold Above List (Redfin)
30.9%

Sale-to-List Cross-Reference

Zillow 98.3%  ·  Redfin 99.3%

Source: Redfin · Updated monthly

Health

Life Expectancy74.2 yrs
This county
national avg ~78.5 years
Hospital Rating4.0 / 5
This county
national avg 3.0 stars
Food Insecurity11.0%
This county
national avg ~11%
Food Environment Index7.8 / 10
This county
higher = better access
Primary Care Shortage Score20
This county
national avg 5
Mental Health Shortage Score17
Dental Care Shortage Score24
Healthcare Shortage Score20.3
Healthcare Offices137
Obesity Rate (BRFSS)40.8%
This county
national avg 32.0%
Smoking Rate (BRFSS)15.4%
This county
national avg 14.0%
Poor Health Rate (BRFSS)18.5%
This county
national avg 18.0%
Physical Inactivity (BRFSS)26.7%
This county
national avg 24.0%
High Blood Pressure (BRFSS)34.9%
This county
national avg 32.0%
Active Physicians110
Nursing Home Rating2.3 / 5
This county
national avg ~3 stars
ER Visits per 1,000 Medicare Patients579 / 1,000
Medicare Cost per Beneficiary$12,407
Uninsured (under 65)5.7%
This county
national avg ~10%
Adults with Depression24.0%

Education

HS Diploma Holders22,384
Bachelor's Degree Holders11,804
HS Completion Rate91.4%
This county
national avg ~85%
Private Schools25

Safety

Violent Crime Rate3.6 / 1,000
This county
national avg ~4.0
Firearm Fatality Rate12.6 / 100K
This county
national avg ~13.6/100K
Homicide Rate4.4 / 100K
This county
national avg ~7.5/100K
Drug Overdose Rate83.8 / 100K
This county
national avg ~21/100K
Traffic Fatalities26
Social Vulnerability (CDC SVI)32th pct
Drug Overdose Deaths (2024)39.7 / 100K
Suicide Rate16.7 / 100K
This county
national avg ~14/100K

Climate & Air Quality

Natural Amenity Scale0.1
January Sunshine-0.17
January Temperature-0.02
Average Temp55°Fno change since 2022
Avg High Temp65°F-0.5% since 2022
Avg Low Temp46°F+0.7% since 2022
Median AQIAQI 42
Good Air Days266 days/yr
Unhealthy Air Days6 days/yr
Annual Precipitation38.5 in/yr-19% since 2022
Avg Storm Events29.4 storms/yr
Avg Annual Storm Damage$333K
Ozone Days197 days/yr
This county
national avg 50 days/yr
Drought Index (2022)0.28
Heating Degree Days4,663 HDD/yr
This county
national avg ~4,500 HDD/yr
Cooling Degree Days1,170 CDD/yr
This county
national avg ~1,200 CDD/yr
Heating Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)5,142 HDD/yr
Cooling Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)917 CDD/yr
Avg Tornadoes / Year0.8
Avg Flood Events / Year5.0
Avg Hail Events / Year0.8
Avg Hurricane Events / Year0.00
Avg Wildfire Events / Year0.0
Avg Winter Storms / Year0.0
Avg Heat Events / Year0.0
Natural Hazard Risk (FEMA)78 / 100
Community Resilience (FEMA)69 / 100
Federal Disaster Declarations21 since 1953
Fine Particulate Pollution (PM2.5)5.6 µg/m³
This county
EPA standard 9 µg/m³

Outdoor & Recreation

Historic Places (NRHP)52 properties
FAA-Registered Airports8 total
Airports (excl. heliports)5 airports

Brewery Scene

Total Breweries2 breweries
Microbreweries0 microbreweries
Brewpubs1 brewpubs

Internet & Remote Work

Download Speed250 Mbps
This county
national avg ~120 Mbps
Upload Speed31 Mbps
Fixed Internet (Q1 2026)411 Mbps
Mobile Internet (Q1 2026)314 Mbps
Mobile Upload (Q1 2026)36 Mbps
Mobile Latency (Q1 2026)28 ms
Households with 100Mbps+98.0%
This county
national avg 75.0%
Cellular-Only Internet11.1%
This county
national avg 8.0%
Fixed Upload Speed (Q1 2026)137 Mbps

EV Infrastructure

EV Charging Stations20 stations
DC Fast Chargers80 chargers
Level 2 EV Chargers23

Commute & Transit

Remote Workers4,237 workers
Public Transit Commuters314 workers
Walk to Work (workers)825 workers
Extreme Commutes (90+ min)1,259 workers
Bike Commuters0.1%
Walk to Work1.7%

Agriculture

Farms575 farms
Farmland10,126 acres

Families & Childcare

Childcare Cost Burden22.7%
This county
national median ~27% of household income
Childcare Centers4.5 per 10K residents
Childcare Facilities19

Civic & Community

Voter Turnout60.9%
This county
national avg ~55%
Volunteering Rate1.0%
Income Inequality (Gini)4.224
Nonprofit Organizations422
Veterans Share8.7%
This county
national avg 7.0%
Married Adults54.1%
Never-Married Adults29.0%
Divorced Adults11.0%
Religious Organizations47
Asian Population1.4%
Native American Population0.1%
Membership Associations7.0 per 10K residents

Lifestyle & Services

Full-Service Restaurants0.42 per 1K residents
Colleges & Universities1
Nursing & Care Facilities18
Grocery Stores27
Arts & Entertainment Venues21
Hotels & Lodging25
Recreation Businesses34
Professional Services Firms127
Veterinary Practices17
Real Estate Firms91
Debt Burden
Avg Mortgage Balance$87K
Avg Student Loan Balance$7K
Avg Credit Card Balance$5K
Loan Delinquency Rate46.3%
This county
national avg 4.0%

Innovation

Inventor Rate0.26%

Politics

R+43

2024 Presidential · Maryland was D+24 statewide

vs Maryland State

Income tax
5.75%Same (state law)
Property tax
1.02%0.97% state avg
Politics
R+43D+24
COL Index
116state index (no county figure)

Population & Migration

Net Domestic Migration 2023

↑ +733

More people arriving than leaving

IRS Wealth Migration

Lower-income migration pattern (IRS: 0.91x avg income)

Economic Mobility

39%

chance a low-income child reaches the middle class

Source: Opportunity Insights

Real Estate

Find Homes in Cecil County

Median home value: $385K

View on Zillow →View on Realtor.com →

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Explore Other Maryland Counties

Allegany County, MarylandBaltimore County, MarylandCalvert County, MarylandCaroline County, MarylandCarroll County, MarylandCharles County, MarylandDorchester County, MarylandFrederick County, MarylandGarrett County, MarylandHarford County, MarylandHoward County, MarylandKent County, MarylandAll Maryland counties →

Full Maryland profile

Taxes, cost of living, crime, schools, gun laws and more.

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Data: Census ACS, BLS, Zillow, USDA Natural Amenities, OpenElections 2024, CMS, NCES. Vintage 2022–2025. News via Google News.

Your Priorities

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Quick Profiles

Dial in your priorities

Annual Income

$150K

Affects effective income tax rate

$0$500K$5M+

Retirement Savings

$0

Affects pension and SS tax burden

None$500K$10M+

Social Security

None

Annual Social Security benefit

None$150K/yr

My Property Is Worth

$400K

Affects property tax burden

Tax burden ↓$1M$50M+

Home Buying Budget

$400K

Compared to state median home price

Hard to find$250K$5M+

Monthly Rent Budget

Don't care

Compared to state median 2BR rent

Don't care$10K/mo

Job Market

Don't care

State unemployment and job growth

Don't careHot market

Airport Access

Don't care

Direct flight destinations from state hubs

Don't careMust have hub

City vs Country

Mid-size city

% urban population

Deep countryBig city

Sunshine

Don't care

Annual sunny days per state

Don't careMax sunshine

Food Scene

Don't care

Restaurants per 100K residents

Don't careWorld-class

Political Preference

Neutral

State's political lean

LiberalConservative

Gun Laws

Neutral

State gun law grade (Giffords)

Gun Control2A Freedom

Abortion Access

Neutral

State abortion access policy

Pro-ChoiceNeutralPro-Life

Community

None

Congregations per 100K residents

AvoidDon't careSeek

Sports & Entertainment

Don't care

Pro sports teams and major venues

Don't careMust have pro teams

Cannabis Laws

Neutral

State cannabis legality

Prefer LegalNeutralPrefer Prohibition

Retiree Community

Neutral

% population 65+ (Census)

Young areaRetirement-heavy

Dating Market

Neutral

% adults never-married (Census)

Singles sceneFamily community

Safety / Low Crime

Don't care

Violent crime rate per 100K (FBI)

Don't careVery safe

School Quality

Don't care

K-12 rank (Education Week)

Don't careTop-ranked

Healthcare Access

Don't care

Healthcare system rank (Commonwealth Fund)

Don't careTop-ranked

Childcare Affordability

Don't care

Cost of living proxy for childcare affordability

Don't careMust be affordable