County profile · Maryland
Charles County, MD market data
How Charles County compares with other counties for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 176,593
- +5.9% since 2020
- Households
- 60,875
- Median household income
- $122,816
- +22.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $428,500
- Jobs located here
- 37,884
- Highest market score
- 94
- Gas stations, #6 of 2,358 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Charles County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Charles County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
Charles County has an estimated 176,593 people and 60,875 households. Population estimates show Charles County grew 5.9% from 2020 to 2025, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in Charles County is $122,816, 52% above the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 22.8%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in Charles County runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 145, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on medical and dental services (109, still above the U.S.).
Of the business types scored in Charles County, gas stations (94), veterinarians (92) and coffee shops and cafes (92) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For gas stations, that ranks #6 of 2,358 scored counties.
Charles County is part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro area. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for nail salons (75% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for coffee shops and cafes (54% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Charles County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Charles County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gas stations | 94 | #6 of 2,358 | 35 | 5.7 | $5.9M | 246 | 27 |
| Veterinarians | 92 | #6 of 1,485 | 18 | 3.0 | $4.1M | 151 | 8 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 92 | #13 of 2,063 | 31 | 5.1 | $9.8M | 264 | 19 |
| Chiropractors | 89 | #8 of 1,490 | 18 | 3.0 | $4.8M | 199 | 9 |
| Gyms | 89 | #18 of 1,792 | 37 | 6.1 | $1.9M | 147 | 10 |
| Pet businesses | 88 | #10 of 2,200 | 55 | 9.0 | $1.3M | 153 | 23 |
| Insurance agencies | 88 | #83 of 2,272 | 59 | 9.7 | $2.9M | 233 | 38 |
| Roofing and gutters | 87 | #10 of 1,177 | 17 | 2.8 | $13.1M | 155 | 8 |
| Pet stores | 87 | #17 of 974 | 10 | 1.6 | $7.4M | 163 | 4 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 87 | #22 of 1,493 | 23 | 3.8 | $4.9M | 169 | 40 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 87 | #51 of 2,405 | 253 | 41.6 | $1.2M | 180 | 82 |
| House cleaning | 86 | #13 of 847 | 6 | 1.0 | $19M | 296 | 28 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 85 | #9 of 777 | 11 | 1.8 | $6.4M | 158 | 10 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 85 | #18 of 1,461 | 19 | 3.1 | $3.9M | 152 | 11 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 85 | #50 of 1,889 | 46 | 7.6 | $6.6M | 159 | 24 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 84 | #25 of 1,771 | 39 | 6.4 | $2.9M | 174 | 73 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 83 | #32 of 1,302 | 19 | 3.1 | $4.5M | 144 | 8 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 82 | #105 of 2,405 | 463 | 76.1 | $654K | 176 | 238 |
| Pest control | 80 | #25 of 699 | 10 | 1.6 | $11.4M | 111 | 5 |
| Dry cleaners | 77 | #30 of 507 | 6 | 1.0 | $24.8M | 158 | 6 |
| Property management | 77 | #59 of 910 | 15 | 2.5 | Index only | 135 | 16 |
| Convenience stores | 77 | #258 of 2,261 | 54 | 8.9 | $8M | 101 | 16 |
| Pizza | 75 | #163 of 2,090 | 35 | 5.7 | $8.7M | 170 | 134 |
| Spas and skin care | 74 | #145 of 1,769 | 49 | 8.0 | $1.4M | 163 | 13 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 74 | #167 of 2,088 | 90 | 14.8 | $785K | 118 | 25 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 74 | #321 of 2,402 | 111 | 18.2 | $3.9M | 114 | 45 |
| Child care and preschools | 70 | #260 of 1,611 | 42 | 6.9 | $1.1M | 106 | 37 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 70 | #359 of 2,222 | 78 | 12.8 | $3.9M | 127 | 134 |
| Grocery stores | 70 | #413 of 2,070 | 42 | 6.9 | $10.3M | 110 | 29 |
| Laundromats | 69 | #161 of 785 | 7 | 1.1 | $21.2M | 170 | 8 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 69 | #244 of 1,327 | 20 | 3.3 | $3.4M | 110 | 16 |
| Physical therapy | 68 | #266 of 1,422 | 34 | 5.6 | $2.5M | 105 | 20 |
| Home repair trades | 68 | #275 of 2,057 | 83 | 13.6 | $2.7M | 110 | 120 |
| Hair salons | 68 | #374 of 2,339 | 149 | 24.5 | $470K | 109 | 30 |
| Auto repair shops | 68 | #431 of 2,378 | 135 | 22.2 | $504K | 113 | 64 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 67 | #321 of 1,656 | 36 | 5.9 | $2.4M | 134 | 90 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 66 | #307 of 1,707 | 44 | 7.2 | $5.1M | 106 | 68 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 65 | #534 of 2,087 | 92 | 15.1 | $1.6M | 127 | 47 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 64 | #196 of 887 | 28 | 4.6 | Index only | 103 | 8 |
| Electricians | 64 | #274 of 1,160 | 22 | 3.6 | $10.1M | 84 | 44 |
| Auto repair and car care | 64 | #589 of 2,401 | 235 | 38.6 | $290K | 108 | 97 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 63 | #602 of 2,210 | 123 | 20.2 | $1.2M | 137 | 61 |
| Barbershops | 61 | #436 of 1,356 | 44 | 7.2 | $1.6M | 84 | Under 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 59 | #423 of 1,334 | 42 | 6.9 | $1.7M | 83 | 15 |
| Funeral homes | 59 | #509 of 1,472 | 15 | 2.5 | $525K | 77 | 6 |
| Tire shops | 59 | #554 of 1,530 | 29 | 4.8 | $2.3M | 94 | 14 |
| Car washes and detailing | 58 | #527 of 1,451 | 32 | 5.3 | $2.1M | 84 | 11 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 58 | #847 of 2,394 | 432 | 71.0 | $198K | 130 | 183 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 57 | #712 of 2,176 | 205 | 33.7 | Index only | 101 | 38 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 55 | #773 of 1,886 | 81 | 13.3 | $1.1M | 108 | 53 |
| Real estate | 55 | #842 of 2,229 | 250 | 41.1 | Index only | 104 | 76 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 53 | #147 of 325 | 9 | 1.5 | $9.5M | 39 | 3 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 53 | #1,019 of 2,385 | 314 | 51.6 | $223K | 105 | 73 |
| Nail salons | 41 | #942 of 1,328 | 64 | 10.5 | $1.1M | 65 | 27 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.7 | $17M | 124 | 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.3 | Index only | Too few | 5 |
Household spending in Charles County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $68.1M | $1,118 | 117 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $205.6M | $3,377 | 130 |
| Food away from home | $303M | $4,977 | 122 |
| Groceries | $430.6M | $7,073 | 112 |
| Personal care products and services | $70M | $1,149 | 114 |
| Child care and other personal services | $44.7M | $734 | 126 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $70.6M | $1,160 | 118 |
| Medical and dental services | $85.7M | $1,408 | 109 |
| Pets | $73.7M | $1,211 | 133 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $148.6M | $2,441 | 119 |
| Vehicle insurance | $172.8M | $2,839 | 145 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $222.5M | $3,656 | 121 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $113.8M | $1,869 | 132 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $1.1B | $18,480 | 111 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Charles County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 176,593+5.9% since 2020
- Households
- 60,875
- Median age
- 39.4
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 82%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.1
- Land area
- 458 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 372
- Median household income
- $122,816+22.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $141,768
- Median home value
- $428,500
- Jobs located here
- 37,884
- Daytime population
- 129,984Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Charles County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Charles County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
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- Anne Arundel County, MD598,166 people
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- Talbot County, MD37,917 people
- Dorchester County, MD32,754 people
Questions
How fast is Charles County, MD growing?
Population estimates put Charles County at 176,593 people in 2025, up 5.9% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 60,875 households. Median household income rose 22.8% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in Charles County, MD spend?
Households in Charles County spend about $1.1B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $430.6M on groceries and $303M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in Charles County spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 145, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on medical and dental services (109, still above the U.S.).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Charles County, MD?
The highest Groundwork market scores in Charles County are for gas stations (94), veterinarians (92) and coffee shops and cafes (92). Charles County ranks #6 of 2,358 scored counties for gas stations.
How does Charles County, MD compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in Charles County is $122,816 a year, 52% above the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 5.9% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $428,500, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, Charles County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for nail salons (75% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for coffee shops and cafes (54% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 54 of the 56 business types have a score in Charles County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Charles County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in Maryland · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in Charles County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Charles County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.