Jobs, pay and daily life in Salisbury, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Salisbury is a city in Maryland with 33,285 residents. The median household earns $58,576 a year and the median rent is $1,318 a month, which is 27.0% of the median household income. It is part of the Salisbury, MD metropolitan area, where BLS counts 53,770 jobs.
How Salisbury compares. Among the 80 largest places in Maryland, Salisbury is #37 by population, #79 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #79 for remote work (#1 = most), #3 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Wicomico County, is #17 of 24 counties for average pay ($56,568).
Salisbury has 33,285 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.5% of the population of Maryland. It covers 14 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,410 people per square mile. The median age is 30.1, 24% younger than the state median (30.1 against 39.4).
The median gross rent is $1,318 a month (rent plus utilities), 23% below the state median ($1,318 against $1,705). Over a year that is 27.0% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $227,300, which is 3.9 times the median household income ($58,576); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 27.1% of households own their home, 60% below the state average (27.1% against 67.6%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Salisbury, MD metropolitan area has 53,770 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $48,710 a year, 4% below the national median ($48,710 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (7,160 jobs, median $46,400); sales and related (4,930 jobs, median $35,140); food preparation and serving related (4,870 jobs, median $33,350). The area is most specialised in office and administrative support (1.2 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are office and administrative support ($46,400). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Wicomico County was 3.6%. 66.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Wicomico County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 74.3% drive alone, 0.8% use public transit, 4.1% walk, 4.9% work from home. 14.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 41% below the state average (14.2% against 24.2%).
25.7% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 41% below the state share (25.7% against 43.5%). 16.2% of residents were born outside the United States, about the same as the state share (16.2% against 16.6%). The poverty rate is 24.3%, 157% above the state rate (24.3% against 9.4%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 79°F (26.1°C), and the coolest is Jan at 35°F (1.4°C). About 1,175 mm (46 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (121 mm) and Jan the driest (75 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Laurel (14 miles, rent 20% lower); Seaford (20 miles, rent 11% lower); Millsboro (21 miles, rent 3% lower); Georgetown (24 miles, rent 7% higher). Rent differences are against Salisbury; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Maryland (655) →State guide: MarylandCountry guideWicomico CountyMaryland rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 655 federal postings open in Maryland (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Maryland →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 1,790 | 1.33 | $33,010 | $31,200 | $42,460 | -7% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,620 | 1.39 | $94,880 | $75,830 | $121,900 | -3% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,590 | 1.19 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $34,770 | +0% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,410 | 1.17 | $91,500 | $48,280 | $194,670 | -13% |
| Cashiers | 1,200 | 1.12 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $36,420 | -5% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,150 | 1.95 | $47,140 | $34,530 | $60,260 | -1% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,010 | 0.68 | $37,570 | $31,200 | $43,030 | +5% |
| Nursing Assistants | 830 | 1.65 | $38,740 | $35,340 | $46,330 | -8% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 810 | 1.07 | $35,650 | $31,200 | $44,010 | -3% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 810 | 0.91 | $37,260 | $31,200 | $57,260 | -17% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 760 | 0.74 | $39,910 | $31,380 | $58,150 | -1% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 730 | 1.47 | $64,370 | $41,410 | $100,330 | -7% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 690 | 0.88 | $35,080 | $31,200 | $61,090 | -0% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 680 | 0.70 | $39,450 | $31,560 | $47,420 | +6% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 640 | 1.21 | $48,160 | $33,300 | $64,110 | -3% |
| Office Clerks, General | 630 | 0.74 | $46,500 | $31,830 | $66,000 | +3% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 630 | 1.32 | $72,250 | $51,160 | $98,440 | +13% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 580 | 1.50 | $42,290 | $34,590 | $66,710 | -13% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 560 | 1.14 | $38,980 | $31,200 | $59,220 | +6% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 540 | 0.75 | $54,360 | $39,430 | $75,500 | -7% |
These figures are for the whole Salisbury, MD metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $48,710 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.7% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 31.2% |
| Manufacturing | 14.7% |
| Retail trade | 12.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.3% |
| Other services | 5.4% |
| Public administration | 4.3% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.8% |
| Construction | 3.4% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.4% |
| Information | 2.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Salisbury lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wicomico County | 104,914 | $7,088 million | $67,556 | 46,139 | 2,657 | $56,568 | +1.2% | 3.6% | 53,791 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 9,930 | 26.5% | $68,381 | 1.50 |
| Retail trade | 6,085 | 16.2% | $38,916 | 1.32 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,507 | 12.0% | $23,533 | 1.07 |
| Manufacturing | 2,897 | 7.7% | $56,466 | 0.76 |
| Construction | 2,382 | 6.4% | $62,332 | 0.98 |
| Administrative and waste services | 2,102 | 5.6% | $49,438 | 0.77 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,645 | 4.4% | $66,039 | 0.90 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,486 | 4.0% | $44,134 | 1.07 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,377 | 3.7% | $74,685 | 0.43 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,197 | 3.2% | $60,785 | 0.61 |
| Finance and insurance | 873 | 2.3% | $78,432 | 0.47 |
| Management of companies | 839 | 2.2% | $175,444 | 1.08 |
| Real estate and rental | 540 | 1.4% | $53,115 | 0.75 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 528 | 1.4% | $17,506 | 0.68 |
| Educational services | 388 | 1.0% | $30,916 | 0.41 |
| Utilities | 387 | 1.0% | $110,376 | 2.21 |
| Information | 328 | 0.9% | $69,082 | 0.38 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 74.3% |
| Public transit | 0.8% |
| Walk | 4.1% |
| Work from home | 4.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 14.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,576 |
| Income per person | $30,170 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,318 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 27.0% |
| Median home value | $227,300 |
| Homeowners | 27.1% |
| Poverty rate | 24.3% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 95.6 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $48,710 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 6.50%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 30.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 87.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 25.7% |
| Born abroad | 16.2% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 66.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1.4 | 35 | 75 |
| Feb | 2.6 | 37 | 75 |
| Mar | 6.6 | 44 | 91 |
| Apr | 12.5 | 54 | 91 |
| May | 17.9 | 64 | 96 |
| Jun | 23.2 | 74 | 106 |
| Jul | 26.1 | 79 | 118 |
| Aug | 25.3 | 78 | 121 |
| Sep | 21.7 | 71 | 107 |
| Oct | 15.5 | 60 | 111 |
| Nov | 9.1 | 48 | 83 |
| Dec | 4.3 | 40 | 101 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurel | DE | 14 mi | 4,152 | $48,644 | $1,056 |
| Seaford | DE | 20 mi | 8,485 | $54,016 | $1,176 |
| Millsboro | DE | 21 mi | 7,424 | $78,707 | $1,277 |
| Georgetown | DE | 24 mi | 7,660 | $49,719 | $1,410 |
| Milton | DE | 31 mi | 3,567 | $80,875 | $1,310 |
| Lewes | DE | 37 mi | 3,505 | $96,393 | $381 |
| Harrington | DE | 38 mi | 3,838 | $72,679 | $1,277 |
| Milford | DE | 38 mi | 12,803 | $59,464 | $1,260 |
| Camden | DE | 50 mi | 4,106 | $63,267 | $1,836 |
| Rising Sun-Lebanon | DE | 50 mi | 4,163 | $113,529 | $1,755 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
33,285 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,318 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 27.0% of the median household income.
$58,576 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.6% (BLS county, Wicomico County (latest month 2026M09)).
Maryland. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.