Wicomico County, Maryland

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Wicomico County is in southeastern Maryland on the Delmarva Peninsula. The county seat and biggest city is Salisbury. As of 2020, about 103,588 people live there. The county covers 400 square miles in total, with 374 square miles of land and 26 square miles of water.

Origin and history
The county is named after the Wicomico River, whose name comes from an Algonquian phrase meaning “a place where houses are built.” Wicomico County was created in 1867 from parts of Somerset and Worcester counties and got a charter form of government in 1964.

Government
Since 2006, Wicomico uses a council-executive government. The County Council has seven members (five from districts and two at-large). The County Executive leads the executive branch. In 2024 a referendum proposed returning to a council-manager system, but it was not approved.

Law and order
The Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office provides law enforcement. Municipal police operate in Delmar, Pittsville, Fruitland, and Salisbury. The State’s Attorney prosecutes county cases.

Geography and climate
The county borders Delaware and is mostly flat, with elevations from sea level up to about 98 feet. The climate is humid subtropical. The area is part of the Salisbury, MD-DE Metropolitan Area and the Lower Eastern Shore.

Demographics
The population is diverse: about 59% White, 27% Black or African American, 3% Asian, and around 6–7% Hispanic or Latino. About 21% of residents are under 18, and 17% are 65 or older. There are roughly 40,000 households and about 43,000 housing units.

Economy and jobs
Major employers include Perdue Farms (headquartered in Salisbury), Salisbury University, Verizon, and TidalHealth Peninsula Regional. Other important sectors are education, healthcare, manufacturing, and agriculture.

Transportation
U.S. Route 13 runs north–south and U.S. Route 50 runs east–west through the county. Salisbury–Ocean City–Wicomico Regional Airport offers commercial flights to Philadelphia and Charlotte. The area is a center for the Delmarva television market, with WBOC, WMDT, and WCPB based in Salisbury.