Maryland covers 9,774 square miles, with a 2021 estimated population of 6,165,129 people – with 151,473 people living in rural areas (USDA-ERS). Annapolis is the state capital. The state's largest cities are Baltimore, Gaithersburg and Frederick. According to 2021 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, an estimated 57.8% of the state's population is White, 31.4% is African-American, 6.9% is Asian, 0.7% is American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.1% is Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and 11.1% is of Hispanic or Latino origin.

Maryland Rural Healthcare Facilities

Selected Social Determinants of Health for Rural Maryland

4.3% of Maryland residents lack health insurance (Kaiser, 2020). According to the Economic Research Service, the average per capita income for Maryland residents in 2020 was $66,799, with the rural per capita income at $57,714. The ERS reports, based on 2020 ACS data, that the poverty rate in rural Maryland is 12.3%, compared with 8.9% in urban areas of the state. 11.6% of the rural population has not completed high school, while 9.4% of the urban population lacks a high school diploma according to 2016-2020 ACS data reported by ERS. The unemployment rate in rural Maryland is 5.2%, and in urban Maryland, it is 5.8% (USDA-ERS, 2021).

Maryland Office of Rural Health
Phone: 410.767.4467
Collects and disseminates information within the state, coordinates rural health interests and activities across the state, and provides technical assistance to attract more federal, state, and foundation funding for rural communities.
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