Both the areas of Somerset and Worcester Counties were divided into old colonial divisions of"hundreds", from south to north:Mattapony, Pocomoke, Boquetenorton, Wicomico, and Baltimore Hundreds. Later subdivisions of these hundreds added Pitts Creek, Acquango, Queponco, and Buckingham & Worcester Hundreds, all of which in turn eventually becameelection districts for the newly independent state following American independence.Competing territorial claims between the Proprietor family of theCalverts and the Lords Baltimore in the oldProvince of Maryland and thePenns of the neighboringProvince of Pennsylvania to the north and of what later became the state ofDelaware to the east led to the surveying of Worcester County's northern border, the "Transpeninsular Line" in 1751, though boundary disputes continued through the rest of the colonial period, not totally settled until the work of the famousCharles Mason andJeremiah Dixon with their "Mason–Dixon line". In 1779,Stephen Decatur, the famousUnited States Navy officer and hero of theFirst Barbary War and theSecond Barbary War in the early 1800s, and leading into theWar of 1812, was born atSinepuxent, near what is today the town ofBerlin.
Originally settled by European immigrants ofBritish andIrish stock, along withslaves of mainly West African descent, Worcester County was divided during the colonial period into severalChurch of Englandparishes, thoughQuakers,Presbyterians, and laterMethodists also set up meeting houses. Like theborder states in general, Worcester County had a high proportion offree people of color for many decades before theCivil War, due in part to the influence of initiallyQuakerism, and laterMethodism. During the 1840s and 1850s, Worcester County, Maryland had the highest portion offree people of color per capita out of any county in Maryland. It was one of the few counties in the state with an active abolitionist movement. Most abolitionists in the county wereMethodists,Quakers andPresbyterians, however the slave-owning community was overwhelminglyBaptist andCatholic. First-generation immigrants fromEngland andGermany were also overwhelmingly abolitionists in Worcester County. During the civil war in Worcester County first generation immigrants fromEngland andGermany were known for siding with theUnion whereas first generationIrish Catholic immigrants fromIreland overwhelmingly sided with theConfederacy and were known for being some of the leaders of theCopperheads or "Peace Democrats" in Worcester County.[4]
Worcester County was primarily an agricultural area from its inception, first plantingtobacco, but when the quality produced in the area's sandy soil could not compete with that produced elsewhere, they began growing wheat, corn, and livestock. Early industrial activity included the smelting ofbog iron ore in a brick blast furnace to make pig iron atFurnacetown in the first half of the 19th century. The presence of largebald cypress swamps along the Pocomoke River led to logging, the manufacture ofroofing shingles, andshipbuilding along the river at Newtown (laterPocomoke City). The arrival of steam-powered water transport and then the railroad opened urban markets to another of Worcester County's principal products:seafood, particularlyshellfish. Oysters, clams, and crabs were shipped toBaltimore,Philadelphia, andNew York. Soon after theCivil War (to each side of which Worcester County sent soldiers), parts of both Worcester and Somerset Counties were combined to create, in 1867,Wicomico County. Also in the later 19th century, the seaside resort ofOcean City was founded.
Truck farming and thecanning industry came to the fore during the early 20th century. However, both theseafood industry and truck farming declined after mid-century, due to overfishing on the one hand, and the opening ofCalifornia'sCentral Valley to irrigated agriculture on the other, but the advent of the large-scalepoultry industry filled this gap. The expansion of Ocean City since the 1960s has turned the northern part of the county from a summer resort to an expanding year-round community.
Worcester County was grantedhome rule in 1976 under a state code under the amendments to the fourth Maryland Constitution of 1867. TheCircuit Court of Maryland andDistrict Court of Maryland are located in Snow Hill with twodistrict courthouses. The county is governed by a Board of Commissioners elected from seven districts.
The members of the County Council as of 2022 are:[6]
Worcester County lies wholly in Senate District 38 and is served in the Maryland House of Delegates in Districts 38A and 38C. Members listed below as of 2018 are:
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 695 square miles (1,800 km2), of which 468 square miles (1,210 km2) is land and 227 square miles (590 km2) (33%) is water.[19] It is the second-largest county in Maryland by total area (behindDorchester County) and the fourth-largest by land area.
The terrain is mostly level and coastal. The lowest elevation is sea level along theAtlantic Ocean and the highest elevation is 49 ft (15 m) in the northwestern part of the county along StateRoute 12 just south of the Wicomico County line.
The county has ahumid subtropical climate (Cfa.) All monthly temperature averages are above freezing and eight months in most of the county are above 50 °F (10 °C).) Three months are above 22 °C (72 °F).)
Climate data for Ocean City Beach, MD (1981-2010 Averages)
Worcester County, Maryland – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the2010 United States census, there were 51,454 people, 22,229 households, and 14,598 families residing in the county.[29] The population density was 109.9 inhabitants per square mile (42.4/km2). There were 55,749 housing units at an average density of 119.1 per square mile (46.0/km2).[30] The racial makeup of the county was 82.0% white, 13.6% black or African American, 1.1% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 1.2% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.2% of the population.[29] In terms of ancestry the county was 18.9% German, 18.2% Irish, 17.1% English and 7.7% Italian.[31] If people who wrote they were a combination of "Irish", "English" and "German" (in any order) were counted as one group, they would be 31.9%, and the largest group in the county.[32]
Of the 22,229 households, 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.3% were non-families, and 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.76. The median age was 48.1 years.[29]
The median income for a household in the county was $55,487 and the median income for a family was $67,408. Males had a median income of $44,986 versus $37,785 for females. The per capita income for the county was $31,520. About 6.2% of families and 10.1% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 16.2% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.[33]
As of thecensus[34] of 2000, there were 46,543 people, 19,694 households, and 13,273 families residing in the county. The population density was 98 inhabitants per square mile (38/km2). There were 47,360 housing units at an average density of 100 per square mile (39/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 81.20%White, 16.66%Black orAfrican American, 0.18%Native American, 0.61%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 0.37% fromother races, and 0.97% from two or more races. 1.28% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 15.7% were ofGerman, 13.3%English, 12.6%Irish, 11.1%American and 6.0%Italian ancestry.
There were 19,694 households, out of which 24.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.20% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.60% were non-families. 26.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.79.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.50% under the age of 18, 6.20% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 26.90% from 45 to 64, and 20.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $40,650, and the median income for a family was $47,293. Males had a median income of $31,735 versus $24,319 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $22,505. About 7.20% of families and 9.60% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 17.00% of those under age 18 and 6.40% of those age 65 or over.
In the fall of 2008 Worcester County has plans to open Worcester Technical High School to all residents of the county, to replace Worcester Career and Technology Center.
The following private schools also operate in Worcester County:
