Census-designated place · Maryland
West Ocean City, Maryland
West Ocean City, census-designated place, in Worcester County, Maryland. West Ocean City had 4,952 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 5,198 (±558). GEOID 2483225.
Residents, 2020 Census
4,952
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 5,198 ±558
Median household income
$97,165
±$19,806 (90% margin)
Maryland: $103,678
Median home value
$423,700
±$39,317 (90% margin)
Maryland: $419,900
Median gross rent
$1,620
±$304 (90% margin)
Maryland: $1,705
Where is West Ocean City and what county is it in?
West Ocean City is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Worcester County, Maryland. It covers 4.2 square miles of land, 1,182 residents per square mile in 2020.
West Ocean City is in the Ocean Pines, MD micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in West Ocean City, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 4,952 residents in West Ocean City, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 5,198 (±558).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; West Ocean City is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | West Ocean City | Worcester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,198 ±558 | 53,700 | +888 |
| Households | 2,225 ±263 | 24,136 | +411 |
| Average household size | 2.31 ±0.19 | 2.19 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 3,085 ±310 | 56,867 | no clear change |
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 West Ocean City?
The median resident of West Ocean City is 49.5 years old; 18.5% are under 18 and 22.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 89.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 5.3%. 4.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | West Ocean City | Worcester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.5 ±4.6 | 50.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 18.5% ±4.0 pts | 17.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.9% ±3.7 pts | 28.6% | – |
| Male | 49.7% ±3.2 pts | 48.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.3% ±3.5 pts | 4.0% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 89.0% ±3.8 pts | 77.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±1.7 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.5 pts | 1.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.0% ±1.5 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.6 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.5% ±2.7 pts | 4.7% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 7.2% ±4.1 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.2% ±3.8 pts | 8.4% | – |
| With a disability | 11.7% ±4.2 pts | 15.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.2% ±2.5 pts | 5.0% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.4% ±2.4 pts | 94.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 38.2% ±7.8 pts | 35.3% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 14.9% ±4.9 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.8% ±3.0 pts | 89.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.1% ±1.6 pts | 3.0% | – |
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 West Ocean City earn?
Half of West Ocean City's 2,225 households earn less than $97,165 a year (±$19,806), against $81,745 in Worcester County and $103,678 in Maryland. In 2015-2019 it was $84,326 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 6.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | West Ocean City | Worcester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $97,165 ±$19,806 | $81,745 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $168,982 ±$38,539 | $117,610 | – |
| Per capita income | $71,916 ±$18,209 | $53,274 | +$24,634 |
| People below the poverty line | 6.4% ±3.1 pts | 9.9% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 11.2% ±9.2 pts | 14.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 1.5% ±1.4 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.3% ±1.7 pts | 95.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.2% ±3.0 pts | 91.2% | – |
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 West Ocean City?
Owners occupy 81.9% of West Ocean City's occupied homes and renters 18.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $423,700 by its owner (±$39,317). The median renter pays $1,620 a month including utilities, and 32.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | West Ocean City | Worcester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $423,700 ±$39,317 | $374,700 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,620 ±$304 | $1,159 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 32.5% ±20.0 pts | 45.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,338 ±$324 | $1,948 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 81.9% ±5.9 pts | 78.0% | +12.7 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 18.1% ±5.9 pts | 22.0% | – |
| Housing units | 3,085 ±310 | 56,867 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 5.7% ±4.8 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±9.2 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 66.2% ±5.7 pts | 42.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 9.1% ±3.0 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 3.0% ±2.7 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 12.4% ±4.1 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.3% ±1.1 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.5% ±1.9 pts | 5.9% | – |
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 do people in West Ocean City work and get to work?
85.6% of West Ocean City's workers drive alone and 5.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 19.6 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 10.7%.
| Measure | West Ocean City | Worcester County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 67.5% ±5.0 pts | 58.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 10.7% ±6.5 pts | 6.7% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 85.6% ±4.9 pts | 75.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.6% ±3.2 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 2.6% ±1.7 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.9% ±3.3 pts | 12.3% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.6 min ±2.5 | 23.3 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 West Ocean City?
1 census tract lies mostly in West Ocean City, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9504Worcester County | 3,585 | $113,807 |
| Tract 9517Worcester County | 3,676 | $94,392 |
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 West Ocean City) · Census block assignment files
How does West Ocean City compare with other places in Maryland?
West Ocean City ranks 202nd of 322 places in Maryland with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 199th | 326 |
| Residents per square mile | 253rd | 326 |
| Median household income | 202nd | 322 |
| Per capita income | 41st | 326 |
| Median home value | 159th | 323 |
| Median gross rent | 187th | 288 |
| Poverty rate | 151st | 230 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 185th | 325 |
| Median age | 28th | 326 |
| Owner-occupied share | 127th | 323 |
| Work from home | 287th | 293 |
| Travel time to work | 314th | 325 |
West Ocean City's figures with every place in Maryland (CSV)
Every place in Maryland, sortable · Compare West Ocean City 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 West Ocean City?
16 of the 57 figures for West Ocean City 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 West Ocean City 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' school search.