Town · Maryland
Ridgely, Maryland
Ridgely, town, in Caroline County, Maryland. Ridgely had 1,630 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,611 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,772 (±342). GEOID 2466000.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,630
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,611 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,772 ±342
Median household income
$62,048
±$13,044 (90% margin)
Maryland: $103,678
Median home value
$276,700
±$38,776 (90% margin)
Maryland: $419,900
Median gross rent
$633
±$510 (90% margin)
Maryland: $1,705
Where is Ridgely and what county is it in?
Ridgely is a town in Caroline County, Maryland. It covers 1.9 square miles of land, 864 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Ridgely, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,630 people lived in Ridgely on July 1, 2025, up 1.1% since 2020, in line with Maryland (+1.4%). The 2020 Census counted 1,611 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,772 (±342).
| Measure | Ridgely | Caroline County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,772 ±342 | 33,669 | no clear change |
| Households | 649 ±111 | 12,495 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.73 ±0.37 | 2.65 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 678 ±112 | 13,531 | no clear change |
Ridgely's population since 2000
From 1,352 in 2000 to 1,630 in 2025: up 20.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Ridgely as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Ridgely?
The median resident of Ridgely is 34.3 years old; 30.7% are under 18 and 13.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 68.2%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 13.9%.
| Measure | Ridgely | Caroline County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.3 ±7.8 | 39.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 30.7% ±5.2 pts | 23.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 13.1% ±3.9 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Male | 45.9% ±6.1 pts | 49.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 13.9% ±7.6 pts | 9.3% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 68.2% ±8.6 pts | 72.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 10.6% ±5.9 pts | 12.6% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±1.7 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.1% ±3.4 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 2.1% ±2.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.2% ±2.5 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 10.1% ±7.0 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.2% ±3.4 pts | 6.2% | – |
| With a disability | 15.6% ±3.6 pts | 14.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.8% ±3.2 pts | 7.3% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 82.2% ±7.6 pts | 83.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 12.6% ±4.7 pts | 16.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.0% ±1.7 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 86.6% ±6.6 pts | 90.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.8% ±2.1 pts | 0.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Ridgely earn?
Half of Ridgely's 649 households earn less than $62,048 a year (±$13,044), against $68,457 in Caroline County and $103,678 in Maryland. In 2015-2019 it was $63,633 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 12.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Ridgely | Caroline County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $62,048 ±$13,044 | $68,457 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $76,513 ±$11,477 | $87,383 | – |
| Per capita income | $30,316 ±$4,067 | $34,341 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 12.8% ±5.9 pts | 12.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 16.3% ±12.1 pts | 17.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 25.4% ±10.4 pts | 17.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.5% ±3.8 pts | 92.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 87.1% ±7.2 pts | 88.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Ridgely?
Owners occupy 62.9% of Ridgely's occupied homes and renters 37.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $276,700 by its owner (±$38,776).
| Measure | Ridgely | Caroline County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $276,700 ±$38,776 | $290,100 | +$69,205 |
| Median gross rent | $633 ±$510 | $1,105 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 34.0% ±17.2 pts | 37.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,722 ±$243 | $1,758 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 62.9% ±10.0 pts | 71.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 37.1% ±10.0 pts | 28.1% | – |
| Housing units | 678 ±112 | 13,531 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±9.9 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.4% ±6.7 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 73.6% ±9.8 pts | 77.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±6.1 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.5% ±5.4 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 22.6% ±7.6 pts | 16.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.0% ±4.4 pts | 5.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Ridgely building?
Builders took permits for 9 new housing units in Ridgely in 2025 (5 in single-family houses), 5.5 per 1,000 residents against 2.1 across Maryland.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Ridgely work and get to work?
83.6% of Ridgely's workers drive alone and 8.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 35.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 10.8%.
| Measure | Ridgely | Caroline County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 70.6% ±5.8 pts | 63.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 10.8% ±6.1 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 83.6% ±6.3 pts | 82.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 0.0% ±5.0 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±5.0 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 4.1% ±2.8 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 8.9% ±4.3 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 35.0 min ±3.9 | 33.4 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Ridgely?
1 census tract lies mostly in Ridgely (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9552.01Caroline County | 4,058 | $79,524 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Ridgely) · Census block assignment files
How does Ridgely compare with other places in Maryland?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Ridgely is the 8,457th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 82nd-most populous of 157 in Maryland.
Ridgely ranks 297th of 322 places in Maryland with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 82nd | 157 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 54th | 99 |
| Residents per square mile | 277th | 326 |
| Median household income | 297th | 322 |
| Per capita income | 303rd | 326 |
| Median home value | 274th | 323 |
| Poverty rate | 59th | 230 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 317th | 325 |
| Median age | 293rd | 326 |
| Owner-occupied share | 229th | 323 |
| Work from home | 268th | 293 |
| Travel time to work | 83rd | 325 |
Ridgely's figures with every place in Maryland (CSV)
Every place in Maryland, sortable · Compare Ridgely with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Ridgely?
20 of the 57 figures for Ridgely on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Ridgely are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Ridgely.