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Carroll County, MD: population growth, jobs and income

Carroll County lost 113 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.1%).

Carroll County had an estimated 176,677 residents in 2025, up 2.2% (3,754 more people) since 2020. That is faster than Maryland as a whole (+1.4%), and the 11th fastest growth of 24 counties in Maryland.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Carroll County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Carroll County, ranked against Maryland and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$1,427/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes3.7%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months1842025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration was negative in 2025: 104 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in.

Private employers had 53,981 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +3.3% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 3.1% in 2025, 0.3 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 153 new homes in 2025, or 0.9 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $118,211 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +18.7% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 1,229th.

Part of the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area.

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Carroll County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
2025176,677−113
2024176,790+165
2023176,625+1,131
2022175,494+1,278
2021174,216+1,293
2020172,923–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Carroll County

Carroll County grew by 3,754 people since 2020; the largest part came from domestic migration (+3,288).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−128−458
International migrationfrom and to other countries+119+996
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties−104+3,288
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+0−72
Total change−113+3,754

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn MarylandAmong U.S. counties
Population growth11th of 241,229th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents17th of 242,009th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth6th of 241,420th of 3,092
Median household income8th of 2461st of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate1st of 24484th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents23rd of 242,178th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

Get the county report — $99

The County Growth and Demographics Report for Carroll County, MD as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, Carroll County's population change (+2.2%) was ahead of 2 of its 5 neighbouring counties and behind 3.

2 of its 5 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Carroll County's $118,211 (2020–24).

Carroll County, MD and its 5 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Carroll County, MD This county176,677+2.2%−0.60.9$118,211
Howard County, MD339,183+1.9%−1.52.1$149,763
Frederick County, MD302,883+11.0%7.33.9$122,002
Baltimore County, MD847,650−0.7%−4.01.8$91,768
Adams County, PA107,594+3.6%5.54.4$84,092
York County, PA473,197+3.6%5.33.4$84,829

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 24 Maryland counties · Every state

Questions

Is Carroll County growing?

Yes. Its population grew 2.2% between 2020 and 2025, about 3,754 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). Maryland as a whole changed +1.4% over the same years. That ranks 11th of 24 counties in Maryland for population growth.

How many people moved to Carroll County?

On net, none in 2025: about 104 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Carroll County?

It averaged 3.1% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Carroll County?

About 176,677 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Carroll County?

Private employers there had 53,981 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +3.3% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Maryland

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Maryland county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Carroll County data alerts

Email me when Carroll County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Carroll County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.