Town · Worcester County, Maryland

Ocean City, Maryland

Ocean City is a town in Worcester County, Maryland, part of the Ocean Pines, MD metro area. It has 6,903 residents. Ocean City, Maryland has a quality-of-life score of 82 out of 100 (very high), ranking #2,837 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Maryland it ranks #114 of 334 cities and towns. It ranks best on restaurants and bars (high), math scores (high) and reading scores (high). It ranks worst on income inequality (Gini index) (high), average weekly wage (low) and distance to an airport (high).

82Very high

Quality-of-life score: #2,837 of 15,651 cities and towns
Maryland: #114 of 334 in MD
Population: 6,903 (2020-2024)
Land area: 4 mi²
Density: 1,559.8 /mi²
FIPS code: 2458225

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 74 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety56#6,895/15,637
Economy44#8,819/15,631
Housing26#11,035/14,977
Health64#5,545/15,609
Healthcare53#7,425/15,650
Environment83#2,664/15,453
Education97#402/15,649
Infrastructure86#2,219/15,650
Community87#2,080/15,651
Leisure & amenities100#43/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Ocean City, Maryland ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Worcester County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Restaurants and bars · high38.6 /10k
100/100Maryland 7.2 /10kUnited States 9.0 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsWorcester County value
Math scores · high3.65
99/100Maryland 2.96United States 3.032019University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteWorcester County value
Reading scores · high3.55
99/100Maryland 3.00United States 3.052019University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteWorcester County value
Gyms and fitness centers · high2.6 /10k
98/100Maryland 1.2 /10kUnited States 1.3 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsWorcester County value
Arts, entertainment and recreation · high14.0 /10k
98/100Maryland 5.0 /10kUnited States 5.5 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsWorcester County value
Grocery stores · high3.3 /10k
96/100Maryland 1.9 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsWorcester County value

Weaknesses

Income inequality (Gini index) · high0.537
6/100Maryland 0.456United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083
Average weekly wage · low$908
6/100Maryland $1,568United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsWorcester County value
Distance to an airport · high97 mi
10/100Maryland 21 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauWorcester County value
Home price to income ratio · high5.5×
14/100Maryland 4.1×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077
Distance to an Amtrak station · high81 mi
15/100Maryland 13 miUnited States 43 mi2026Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauWorcester County value
Traffic deaths · high21.6 /100k
18/100Maryland 9.4 /100kUnited States 12.3 /100k2020-2024National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationProvisional dataWorcester County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Child poverty rateWorsening
4.4% (2015-2019) → 29.2% (2020-2024)
+25 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
40.8% (2015-2019) → 61.7% (2020-2024)
+21 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
82.4% (2015-2019) → 95.1% (2020-2024)
+13 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Bachelor's degree or higherImproving
32.2% (2015-2019) → 41.7% (2020-2024)
+9.5 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%
Median household incomeImproving
$54,014 (2015-2019) → $77,750 (2020-2024)
+44%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Rent as share of incomeWorsening
26.9% (2015-2019) → 33.5% (2020-2024)
+6.6 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Ocean City, Maryland improved on 3 of 13 measures with a comparison and declined on 2. 7 moved within the margin of error and 1 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved3

Bachelor's++9.5 points32.2% → 41.7%
Household income+44%$54,014 → $77,750
Broadband+13 points82.4% → 95.1%

Declined2

Rent burden+21 points40.8% → 61.7%
Rent / income+6.6 points26.9% → 33.5%

All 13 measures

Change of every measure of Ocean City, Maryland between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	21.4 min2015-2019	19.6 min2020-2024	−1.8 min	Within the margin of error	68%
Bachelor's degree or higher	32.2%2015-2019	41.7%2020-2024	+9.5 points	Improved	89%
Broadband subscriptions	82.4%2015-2019	95.1%2020-2024	+13 points	Improved	72%
Effective property tax rate	1.08%2015-2019	0.77%2020-2024	−0.3 points	Little change	75%
High school diploma or higher	91.1%2015-2019	95.0%2020-2024	+3.8 points	Within the margin of error	75%
Home price to income ratio	5.5×2015-2019	5.5×2020-2024	−0.0×	Within the margin of error	79%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4952015-2019	0.5372020-2024	+0.043	Within the margin of error	20%
Median household income	$54,0142015-2019	$77,7502020-2024	+44%	Improved	79%
Poverty rate	7.6%2015-2019	10.9%2020-2024	+3.3 points	Within the margin of error	19%
Rent as share of income	26.9%2015-2019	33.5%2020-2024	+6.6 points	Declined	16%
Rent-burdened households	40.8%2015-2019	61.7%2020-2024	+21 points	Declined	8%
Unemployment rate	6.2%2015-2019	5.7%2020-2024	−0.5 points	Within the margin of error	59%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	11.3%2015-2019	12.2%2020-2024	+0.9 points	Within the margin of error	36%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Ocean City, Maryland five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Ocean City, Maryland in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Ocean City, Maryland itself moved −1.6 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

6,903 residents (±20)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

3,828 households (±221)

Ocean City, Maryland
Maryland share

Under $25k12%†468
$25k–50k17%657
$50k–75k17%645

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

3,828 households (±221)

Ocean City, Maryland
Maryland share

Own74%2,842
Rent26%986

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

3,606 workers (±265)

Ocean City, Maryland
Maryland share

Drive alone66%2,392
Carpool4.1%†148
Public transit1.1%†

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Ocean Pines, MD

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Worcester County, the county holding most of Ocean City's residents.

Worcester County has 2,256 employer establishments, 416 for every 10,000 residents (1.68× the US rate of 248; 1.81× Maryland's), with 20,249 paid employees at an average annual pay of $45,503. The Census Bureau also counts 6,215 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 2,256; 6,215 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 416; US 248 · Maryland 230
Paid employees: 20,249
Average annual pay: $45,503; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Worcester County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Restaurants and other eating places	366	67.5	3.67×More than typical	4,981	$37,685	34
Full-service restaurants	202	37.2	4.85×More than typical	3,611	$40,447	20
Lessors of real estate	137	25.3	2.05×More than typical	413	$42,005	1,150
Specialty trade contractors	126	23.2	1.50×More than typical	817	$54,377	459
Ambulatory health care services	116	21.4	1.03×About typical	900	$67,357	213
Limited-service restaurants	111	20.5	2.55×More than typical	1,016	$27,811	9
Traveler accommodation	93	17.1	9.50×More than typical	1,617	$43,389	34
Clothing and accessories stores	82	15.1	4.17×More than typical	626	$30,669	76
Construction of buildings	71	13.1	1.73×More than typical	227	$53,163	221
Real estate agents and brokers	64	11.8	2.42×More than typical	134	$56,440	305
Building equipment contractors	59	10.9	1.81×More than typical	454	$59,524	89
Services to buildings and dwellings	55	10.1	1.50×More than typical	217	$60,770	398

Rank places for an industry Open Worcester County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 54,237 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $929.6K of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Ocean City, Maryland: $135 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $929.6K; +190% vs FY2025
Per resident: $135; US $1,994
Sole-source: 1.6%; US 30%
Single offer: 26%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

U.S. Coast Guard$416.8K45%
Federal Aviation Administration$227.1K24%
Department of the Army$116.8K13%
Department of Veterans Affairs$69.1K7.4%
National Institutes of Health$59.2K6.4%
National Aeronautics and Space Administration$40.6K4.4%

Top recipients

JOINT FORCES CONSTRUCTION, L.L.C.$400.8K43%
TRGROUP INC.$252.9K27%
PRINCETON HYDRO LLC$116.8K13%
DIAKONIA, INC.$69.1K7.4%
GOLIE, LLC$59.2K6.4%
VISION CONTRACTING INC

Spending by fiscal year

6.4MFY2017
636.1KFY2018
584.5KFY2019
73.5KFY2020
8MFY2021
10.9MFY2022
1.1MFY2023
160.6KFY2024

Top industries (NAICS)

Nonresidential building construction · 2362$400.8K43%
Communications equipment manufacturing · 3342$154.3K17%
Architectural, engineering, and related services · 5413$131.6K14%
Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing · 3344$72.9K7.8%
Community food and housing, and emergency and other relief services · 6242$69.1K7.4%
Specialized design services · 5414

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Ocean City, Maryland, so they do not add up across cities.

Ocean City, Maryland's figures are part of those of Worcester County, MD ($51.1M in FY2026), never added to them: 1.8% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Ocean City is mostly in Worcester County.

See federal money in Worcester County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Ocean City, Maryland is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Andy HarrisR-MD-1 · 100% of residentsWith party 96%Missed 2.7%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Worcester County86100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Ocean Pines, MD89

Other cities and towns in Worcester County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/2458225

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends