Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety71#270/924
Economy83#158/925
Housing23#710/925
Health95#49/925
Healthcare100#3/923
Environment60#367/917
Education81#173/925
Infrastructure72#257/925
Community73#251/925
Leisure & amenities99#13/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Easton, MD micropolitan area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Income adjusted for local prices · high$109,986
98/100Maryland $75,514United States $73,2042024U.S. Bureau of Economic AnalysisEstimated from related areas or data (see the source notes)Aggregated from counties
Gyms and fitness centers · high2.1 /10k
97/100Maryland 1.2 /10kUnited States 1.3 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Voter turnout · high77.6%
96/100Maryland 68.6%United States 65.2%2024U.S. Election Assistance CommissionAggregated from counties
Arts, entertainment and recreation · high10.5 /10k
96/100Maryland 5.0 /10kUnited States 5.5 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Primary care physicians · high113 /100k
95/100Maryland 86 /100kUnited States 76 /100k2022University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Grocery stores · high2.9 /10k
95/100Maryland 1.9 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Income inequality (Gini index) · high0.506
4/100Maryland 0.456United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083
Home price to income ratio · high4.8×
14/100Maryland 4.1×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077
Rent as share of income · high30.9%
25/100Maryland 30.8%United States 30.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25071
Rent-burdened households · high51.5%
25/100Maryland 51.5%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070
Average commute time · high24.7 min
27/100Maryland 31.0 minUnited States 26.4 min2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08013
High ozone days · high1 days
29/100Maryland 2 daysUnited States 7 days2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyAggregated from counties

Trends

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

Drought exposureWorsening
0% (2021) → 39% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+39 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Homicide rateImproving
6.0 /100k (2021) → 0.0 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
−100%5 yearsUS 7.8 /100k → 4.8 /100k
High ozone daysImproving
4 days (2017) → 1 days (2022)
−75%5 yearsUS 9 days → 7 days
Drug overdose deathsImproving
42.4 /100k (2021) → 12.5 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
−71%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k
Traffic deathsImproving
18.3 /100k (2015-2019) → 9.0 /100k (2020-2024)
−51%5 yearsUS 11.3 /100k → 12.3 /100k
Access to exercise opportunitiesImproving
63.9% (2010 & 2021) → 71.3% (2022 & 2024)
+7.3 pts3 yearsUS 79.8% → 84.5%

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, Easton, MD micropolitan area improved on 12 of 29 measures with a comparison and declined on 3. 10 moved within the margin of error and 4 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved12

Commute−3.3 min28.1 min → 24.7 min
Traffic deaths−51%18.3 /100k → 9.0 /100k
Overdose deaths−72%45.3 /100k → 12.5 /100k
Gyms+31%1.6 /10k → 2.1 /10k
Weekly wage+27%$895 → $1,139

Declined3

Property crime+17%1,020 /100k → 1,192 /100k
Firearm deaths+27%8.2 /100k → 10.4 /100k
Pharmacies−12%2.7 /10k → 2.4 /10k

All 29 measures

Change of every measure of Easton, MD micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	9.3 /10k2020	10.5 /10k2025	+12%	Improved	59%
Average commute time	28.1 min2015-2019	24.7 min2020-2024	−3.3 min	Improved	99%
Average weekly wage	$8952020	$1,1392025	+27%	Improved	81%
Bachelor's degree or higher	40.6%2015-2019	42.0%2020-2024	+1.4 points	Within the margin of error	22%
Broadband subscriptions	86.1%2015-2019	90.1%2020-2024	+4 points	Improved	4%
Child poverty rate	11.4%2015-2019	11.5%2020-2024	+0.1 points	Within the margin of error	22%
Distance to an airport	42 mi2020	42 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	45.3 /100k2020	12.5 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−72%	Improved	97%
Effective property tax rate	0.56%2015-2019	0.56%2020-2024	+0 points	Within the margin of error	9%
Firearm deaths	8.2 /100k2020	10.4 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+27%	Declined	20%
Grocery stores	2.9 /10k2020	2.9 /10k2025	−2%	Little change	42%
Gyms and fitness centers	1.6 /10k2020	2.1 /10k2025	+31%	Improved	80%
High school diploma or higher	91.2%2015-2019	92.1%2020-2024	+0.8 points	Within the margin of error	23%
Home price to income ratio	4.6×2015-2019	4.8×2020-2024	+0.3×	Within the margin of error	75%
Income adjusted for local prices	$80,7522019	$109,9862024	+36%	Improved	78%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.5162015-2019	0.5062020-2024	−0.010	Within the margin of error	79%
Median household income	$73,5472015-2019	$84,8112020-2024	+15%	Improved	5%
New business applications	10.8 /1k2020	12.1 /1k2025	+12%	Improved	9%
Pharmacies	2.7 /10k2020	2.4 /10k2025	−12%	Declined	42%
Poverty rate	8.7%2015-2019	9.3%2020-2024	+0.7 points	Within the margin of error	16%
Property crime rate	1,020 /100k2020	1,192 /100k2025	+17%	Declined	2%
Public libraries	0.5 /10k2019	0.5 /10k2024	−2.9%	Little change	39%
Rent as share of income	31.2%2015-2019	30.9%2020-2024	−0.3 points	Within the margin of error	64%
Rent-burdened households	50.9%2015-2019	51.5%2020-2024	+0.6 points	Within the margin of error	54%
Restaurants and bars	14.1 /10k2020	14.4 /10k2025	+1.7%	Little change	53%
Traffic deaths	18.3 /100k2015-2019	9.0 /100k2020-2024	−51%	Improved	99%
Unemployment rate	6.3%2020	4.0%2025	−2.3 points	Improved	30%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	5.9%2015-2019	5.4%2020-2024	−0.5 points	Within the margin of error	58%
Violent crime rate	307 /100k2020	285 /100k2025	−7.2%	Improved	37%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. 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 925 metro and micro areas 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.

Metro and micro areas like Easton, MD micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Easton, MD micropolitan area 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, Easton, MD micropolitan area itself moved +0 points in standing on average over the same 29 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

37,917 residents

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

16,433 households (±328)

Easton, MD micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k14%2,284
$25k–50k16%2,705
$50k–75k14%2,367

Homes

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

Owners and renters

16,433 households (±328)

Easton, MD micropolitan area
United States share

Own75%12,337
Rent25%4,096

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+4.8 points).

Table view

Getting to work

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

How people get to work

16,841 workers (±540)

Easton, MD micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone72%12,108
Carpool7.4%1,244
Public transit0.5%†88

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 no occupation wages for Easton, MD micropolitan area.

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.

Easton, MD has 1,468 employer establishments, 386 for every 10,000 residents (1.56× the US rate of 248), with 17,567 paid employees at an average annual pay of $54,961. The Census Bureau also counts 4,704 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 1,468; 4,704 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 386; US 248
Paid employees: 17,567
Average annual pay: $54,961; US $68,342

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

Ambulatory health care services	141	37.1	1.78×More than typical	1,470	$85,235	206
Specialty trade contractors	102	26.8	1.73×More than typical	788	$55,632	322
Restaurants and other eating places	92	24.2	1.32×More than typical	1,597	$26,368	13
Lessors of real estate	70	18.4	1.49×More than typical	176	$62,057	670
Construction of buildings	64	16.8	2.23×More than typical	258	$59,911	160
Offices of physicians	63	16.6	2.56×More than typical	611	$128,419	40
Services to buildings and dwellings	59	15.5	2.30×More than typical	529	$44,342	409
Full-service restaurants	52	13.7	1.78×More than typical	914	$30,023	5
Landscaping services	39	10.3	2.93×More than typical	337	$50,154	158
Building equipment contractors	36	9.5	1.57×More than typical	332	$56,235	39
Automotive repair and maintenance	32	8.4	1.67×More than typical	199	$44,372	44
Legal services	32	8.4	1.57×More than typical	144	$90,125	51

Rank places for an industry

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

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 38,019 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.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
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 contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $82.3M on contracts performed in Easton, MD micropolitan area: $2,152 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $82.3M; −35% vs FY2025
Per resident: $2,152; US $1,994
Sole-source: 1.4%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.5%; 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

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services$58.2M71%
Agricultural Marketing Service$12M15%
Defense Logistics Agency$8.6M10%
Department of the Army$978K1.2%
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration$963.3K1.2%
Department of the Navy$830.8K1.0%
National Aeronautics and Space Administration$286.6K0.3%
Federal Emergency Management Agency$160K0.2%

Top recipients

QLARANT INTEGRITY SOLUTIONS LLC$58.2M71%
S.E.W. FRIEL, LLC$12M15%
DUCO, LLC$8.3M10%
J G M PROPERTY GROUP, INC.$815.4K1.0%
LINDSTROM EXCAVATING CONTRACTORS, INC.$720K0.9%

Spending by fiscal year

215.3MFY2017
95.9MFY2018
69.4MFY2019
68.9MFY2020
74.7MFY2021
87.6MFY2022
90.3MFY2023
115M

Top industries (NAICS)

Other professional, scientific, and technical services · 5419$75.7M92%
Fruit and vegetable preserving and specialty food manufacturing · 3114$12M15%
Agriculture, construction, and mining machinery manufacturing · 3331$8.3M10%
Nonresidential building construction · 2362$815.4K1.0%
Other heavy and civil engineering construction · 2379$720K0.9%
Technical and trade schools · 6115$658.7K

Largest awards

UNIFIED PROGRAM INTEGRITY CONTRACT (UPIC) WESTERN JURISDICTION TASK ORDER$214.4M
QLARANT INTEGRITY SOLUTIONS LLC· Talbot County, MD· Professional services· Feb 7, 2017 – Sep 8, 2026· HHSM500T0001
AWARD OF THE UNIFIED PROGRAM INTEGRITY CONTRACT (UPIC)SOUTH-WESTERN JURISDICTION (SWJ)$206.1M
QLARANT INTEGRITY SOLUTIONS LLC· Talbot County, MD· Professional services· Sep 15, 2017 – Sep 11, 2026· HHSM500T0002
MEDIC - EEM$175M
QLARANT INTEGRITY SOLUTIONS LLC· Talbot County, MD· Professional services· Dec 2, 2016 – Feb 20, 2026· HHS0001
PLAN PROGRAM INTEGRITY MEDICARE DRUG INTEGRITY CONTRACT (PPI MEDIC)- THE PURPOSE OF THE PLAN PROGRAM INTEGRITY MEDICARE DRUG INTEGRITY CONTRACTOR (PPI MEDIC) IS TO ASSIST WITH THOSE EFFORTS BY CONDUCTING MEDICARE PART C AND PART D PROACTIVE DATA ANAL

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.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $343.8M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Easton, MD micropolitan area: $8,990 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $343.8M; −2.9% vs FY2025
Per resident: $8,990; US $12,955
Loan face value: $30M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 1.8%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$263.9M77%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$16.4M4.8%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$15.8M4.6%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$12.9M3.8%
20.116 · Airport Improvement Program$5.7M1.7%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$4.4M1.3%
10.912 · Environmental Quality Incentives Program$2.7M0.8%
14.871 · Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers$2.5M0.7%

Top recipients (organizations)

MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$7M2.0%
BALTIMORE, MD
COUNTY OF TALBOT$6.8M2.0%
EASTON, MD
EASTON HOUSING AUTHORITY$2.5M0.7%
EASTON, MD
MULBERRY ESTATES LLLP$749.4K0.2%
ANNAPOLIS, MD
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SHORE REGIONAL HEALTH, INC.$745.1K

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$297.6M87%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$18.5M5.4%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Federal Highway Administration$7M2.0%
Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration$6.8M2.0%
Department of Transportation
Farm Service Agency

Assistance by fiscal year

276.8MFY2021
282.7MFY2022
318.5MFY2023
321.7MFY2024
354.2MFY2025
343.8MFY2026

County aggregates

92%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Easton, MD

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Talbot CountyCentral county8438,238

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

EastonPrincipal city17,308

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Maryland

Areas based in Maryland, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

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.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
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
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/M20660

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved12

Declined3

Metro and micro areas like Easton, MD micropolitan area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Easton, MD

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Maryland

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved12

Declined3

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought