City profile · Maryland · Census ACS 2023

Smith Island, MD

Smith Island's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

340
Residents
$82,443
Median income
$104,800
Median home
$1,657
Median rent (state)
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Side-by-side metrics and state or size-class ranks use the same Census and FBI fields shown on this profile. Results stay in the URL so you can bookmark or share them.

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Starting with Smith Island, MD - add up to three more cities on the compare page.

See how it ranks

State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for Smith Island.

Place dossier plate

Sheet MD-SMITH-ISLAND-MD · Smith Island, MD 340 pop · income 64th pct

POP-VILLAGE · INC-HIGH · COL-ABOVE · SAFE-UNK · RANK-UPPER · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-LOW · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-VILLAGE 340
  • INC-HIGH $82,443
  • COL-ABOVE 105.0
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-UPPER 64th
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Colver
  • HOME-LOW $104,800
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Colver, PA ( $1 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around Smith Island

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Smith Island on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Smith Island on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 340.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $82,443. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Smith Island - the verdict

Nationally, Smith Island sits in the 64th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

64th
percentile, household income
11th
percentile, home value
84th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Smith Island, MD

Smith Island is a small town in Maryland, home to 340 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $82,443 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 19.8%. Home values in Smith Island run a median of $104,800, and the median resident age is 57.2 years. 2.5% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 48.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Maryland carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Maryland at 105.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,657 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Maryland's average monthly utility costs around $255 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 60.2 out of 100 (Moderate).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of Smith Island's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from housing and income to comparison shortlist to work and mobility; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For Smith Island, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares. No matched row is reported here for annual population history, within-city Census tract profiles, local building permits, matched public-school count, FBI reported-crime rates; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

1. Housing and income

How far does income reach against housing in Smith Island?

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. The ratio makes housing the clearest place to start this profile, but a low multiple can coexist with slow demand, older stock, or household-level hardship. Compare the home-value distribution and same-state peer table before treating it as an advantage.

The home-value-to-income reference is relatively compact: the ACS median home value is 1.3 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 19.8%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

Compare the housing trade-off →

2. Comparison shortlist

Which cities make useful reference points for Smith Island?

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Within Maryland, the closest population matches are Friendship (336 residents); Midlothian (336 residents); Breathedsville (346 residents). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Xenia, IL (340 residents); Marshall, IN (340 residents); Fort Atkinson, IA (340 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

Question 3

What does the journey to work look like in Smith Island?

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 31.7%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. Remote work has a visible role in the local pattern. That can reduce commute exposure for some workers, but it says nothing about job availability or broadband quality; read it alongside income and housing rather than as a stand-alone lifestyle score.

Compare commute patterns →

Population

340 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$82,443 /yr

Above median income · poverty 19.8% (High poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.0 (US=100)

High cost · BEA RPP 2024, Maryland average

City profile score · Smith Island, MD

28/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Household income C+
$82,443

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Cost of living F
105.0 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Poverty rate F
19.8%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Bachelor's+ share F
2.5%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

Smith Island profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Household income, Cost of living, Poverty rate, Bachelor's+ share. Household incomeCost of livingPoverty rateBachelor's+ share 28 F
Smith Island profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Household income: 62/100 (C+) · $82,443
  • Cost of living: 21/100 (F) · 105.0 index
  • Poverty rate: 14/100 (F) · 19.8%
  • Bachelor's+ share: 0/100 (F) · 2.5%

How does Smith Island compare to other US cities?

Smith Island measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 64% higher than other cities
Home value 11% pricier than other cities
Median rent 84% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Smith Island against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Maryland only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Maryland-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Smith Island near the bottom of Maryland's cities

Among the 479 Maryland cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Smith Island ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Smith Island only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#298 of 445
33rd percentile in Maryland
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 479
0th percentile in Maryland
Median Home Value
#437 of 450
3rd percentile in Maryland
Poverty Rate
#32 of 479
93rd percentile in Maryland
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#465 of 479
3rd percentile in Maryland
How in-state ranks are ordered

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Maryland only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

64thIncome percentile
Gauge source note

64th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Smith Island's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$104,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 89% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Smith Island $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Smith Island's home-value-to-income ratio: 1.3×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
affordable
< 3.0×
National rank
#154 of 15,516
More affordable than 99% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#151 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 1.3×, Smith Island sits in the affordable band: national rank #154 of 15,516 and #151 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). The multiple is comparatively compact among tracked cities, but a low ratio can still coexist with slow demand or household-level hardship.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$82,443 Smith Island, MD median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Smith Island, MD Smith Island, MD's median household income ($82,443) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Smith Island, MD-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Smith Island, MD median $82,443/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Smith Island, MD median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Smith Island, MD.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 2.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 19.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 48.4%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
340
Median Income
$82,443
Median Home Value
$104,800
Median Age
57.2
Poverty Rate
19.8%
Labor force participation
48.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
2.5%

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
31.7%
Carpool
2.9%
Public Transit
3.6%
Walk
15.8%
Work from Home
23.7%
Other
22.3%

Based on 139 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

Maryland statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $255

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Maryland at $255 (electricity about $120 , water and sewer about $55 ).

These are Maryland statewide averages, not a meter reading for Smith Island. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Maryland's BEA cost-of-living index is 105.0 (Above Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Smith Island is $1,657/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Maryland statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 60.2 / 100 (Moderate).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a Maryland statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Smith Island sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Smith Island compares to similar-size Maryland cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
Smith Island (this city) 340 $82,443
Friendship 336 N/A
Midlothian 336 N/A
Breathedsville 346 N/A
Primary sources on this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

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Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

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