Wicomico County, Maryland

Wicomico County (/waɪˈkɒmɪkoʊ/[1]) is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Maryland, on the Delmarva Peninsula. As of the 2010 census, the population was 98,733.[2] The county seat is Salisbury.[3] The county was named for the Wicomico River, which in turn derives from Algonquian language words wicko mekee, meaning "a place where houses are built," apparently referring to an native American town on the banks.

Wicomico County
U.S. county
Flag
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Maryland
Maryland's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°22′N 75°38′W
Country United States
State Maryland
Founded1867
Named forWicomico River
SeatSalisbury
Largest citySalisbury
Area
 • Total400 sq mi (1,000 km2)
 • Land374 sq mi (970 km2)
 • Water26 sq mi (70 km2)  6.4%%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total98,733
 • Estimate 
(2019)
103,609
 • Density250/sq mi (95/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitewww.wicomicocounty.org

Wicomico County is included in the Salisbury, MD-DE Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The newspaper of record is The Daily Times.

History

Wicomico County was created from Somerset and Worcester counties in 1867.

Politics and government

Wicomico County was granted a charter form of government in 1964.

In the period after the Reconstruction era, Wicomico County became solidly Democratic due to its strong support for secession and state efforts to disenfranchise most blacks by raising barriers to voter registration. Independent insurgent white groups worked to intimidate and discourage black voters, especially in rural areas.[4]

Maryland was a one-party state, like others in the South, until after the passage of civil rights legislation in the mid-1960s to protect the right to vote. No Republican carried Wicomico County until 1928, when Herbert Hoover won due to anti-Catholic sentiment in the heavily Protestant county against Democratic candidate Al Smith. The popular general Dwight D. Eisenhower carried Wicomico in 1952. Since the late 20th century, white conservatives, the majority in the county, have increasingly joined the Republican Party. In this same period, African-American voters have tended to favor the Democratic Party.

No Democratic presidential candidate has won Wicomico County since Lyndon Johnson’s landslide in 1964, as white conservatives increasingly moved into the Republican Party.[5] Bill Clinton, a son of the South, came within 384 votes of beating Bob Dole in 1996. Barack Obama attracted a much higher proportion of the county vote in 2008 and 2012, likely among younger people, the educated, and other minorities.

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[6]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2016 52.2% 22,198 42.4% 18,050 5.4% 2,299
2012 51.5% 21,764 46.5% 19,635 2.0% 860
2008 52.2% 21,849 46.4% 19,436 1.4% 569
2004 58.7% 21,998 40.4% 15,137 1.0% 368
2000 51.4% 16,338 45.5% 14,469 3.1% 988
1996 46.5% 12,687 45.1% 12,303 8.4% 2,296
1992 44.8% 13,560 37.9% 11,481 17.3% 5,231
1988 63.2% 16,272 36.6% 9,413 0.3% 70
1984 66.3% 16,124 33.5% 8,160 0.2% 48
1980 51.3% 11,229 43.1% 9,431 5.7% 1,245
1976 52.8% 10,537 47.2% 9,412
1972 69.7% 13,115 29.3% 5,510 1.0% 190
1968 47.2% 8,707 29.2% 5,392 23.6% 4,356
1964 46.1% 7,448 53.9% 8,695
1960 54.1% 8,671 45.9% 7,350
1956 63.9% 9,377 36.1% 5,289
1952 60.6% 9,061 39.3% 5,878 0.2% 26
1948 48.1% 5,062 51.5% 5,415 0.4% 39
1944 47.0% 5,040 53.0% 5,674
1940 39.5% 4,741 59.9% 7,198 0.6% 73
1936 38.2% 4,545 61.1% 7,273 0.8% 95
1932 35.4% 3,812 64.1% 6,895 0.5% 48
1928 59.0% 5,923 40.8% 4,095 0.2% 15
1924 43.8% 2,604 51.6% 3,068 4.6% 271
1920 45.4% 4,225 54.3% 5,054 0.3% 30
1916 42.9% 2,539 55.5% 3,285 1.7% 98
1912 35.3% 2,038 55.0% 3,176 9.7% 558
1908 43.9% 2,273 53.1% 2,751 3.1% 158
1904 44.5% 2,179 52.9% 2,593 2.6% 128
1900 44.2% 2,376 52.0% 2,793 3.8% 205

Wicomico County's government, since 2006, is that of a council-elected executive system where the voters elect members of the council and executive. Prior to 2006, the county operated under a council-administrator system where the voters elect council members and the council appoints an administrator to oversee the government.[7]

County council

The legislative functions of government are vested in the County Council. The County Council consists of seven members, five of whom are elected from single-member districts; the other two are elected at-large. This method tends to produce a council with members weighted toward the majority population, and members need to ensure they do not under-represent the minority.

Wicomico County Council[8]
District Name Party  
District 1 Ernest F. Davis Democratic
District 2 Marc Kilmer Republican
District 3 Larry W. Dodd Republican Council Vice President
District 4 Joshua Hastings Democratic
District 5 Joseph Holloway Republican
At-Large John T. Cannon Republican Council President
At-Large William R. McCain Democratic

County executive

The County Executive[9] oversees the executive branch of the County government that consists of a number of offices and departments. The executive branch is charged with implementing County law and overseeing the operation of County Government. The position of County Executive was established by a modification in the County's Charter in 2006.

Wicomico County Executive
Name Party From To
Richard M. Pollitt, Jr. Democratic 2006 2014
Robert L. Culver, Jr. Republican 2014 Present

Sheriff

Law enforcement in the county is provided by the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff, Mike Lewis, a Republican, is an elected official.[10] Municipal police agencies exist in the towns of Delmar and Pittsville, along with the cities of Fruitland and Salisbury.

State's attorney

The Wicomico County State's Attorney is responsible for prosecuting the felony, misdemeanor, and juvenile cases occurring in the county. The current State's Attorney is Jamie Dykes, Esq.[11]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 400 square miles (1,000 km2), of which 374 square miles (970 km2) is land and 26 square miles (67 km2) (6.4%) is water.[12]

The county's boundary with Delaware is composed of the Mason-Dixon line and the Transpeninsular Line. The intersection of these two historical lines is the midpoint of the Transpeninsular Line, fixed by Mason and Dixon between 1763 and 1767. The midpoint is located about 8 miles (13 km) northwest of Salisbury, near the center of the Delmarva Peninsula. The county is generally flat, characteristic of the region, with a few small hills in the northeast. The lowest elevation is at sea level and the highest elevation is 98 ft (30 m).

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
187015,802—
188018,01614.0%
189019,93010.6%
190022,85214.7%
191026,81517.3%
192028,1655.0%
193031,22910.9%
194034,53010.6%
195039,64114.8%
196049,05023.7%
197054,23610.6%
198064,54019.0%
199074,33915.2%
200084,64413.9%
201098,73316.6%
Est. 2019103,609[13]4.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[14]
1790-1960[15] 1900-1990[16]
1990-2000[17] 2010–2018[2]

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 84,644 people, 32,218 households, and 21,779 families living in the county. The population density was 224 people per square mile (87/km²). There were 34,401 housing units at an average density of 91 per square mile (35/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 72.58% White, 23.29% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.75% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.80% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. 2.18% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

The largest ancestry groups in Wicomico County are 23% African American, 14% English American, 13% German, 12% Irish and 4% Italian.[18]

There were 32,218 households out of which 32.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.20% were married couples living together, 14.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.40% were non-families. 24.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county the population was spread out with 24.80% under the age of 18, 11.80% from 18 to 24, 28.00% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 12.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,035, and the median income for a family was $47,129. Males had a median income of $32,481 versus $23,548 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,171. About 8.70% of families and 12.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.60% of those under age 18 and 8.80% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 98,733 people, 37,220 households, and 24,172 families living in the county.[19] The population density was 263.7 inhabitants per square mile (101.8/km2). There were 41,192 housing units at an average density of 110.0 per square mile (42.5/km2).[20] The racial makeup of the county was 68.7% white, 24.2% black or African American, 2.5% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 1.9% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.5% of the population.[19] In terms of ancestry, 15.7% were English, 15.1% were German, 13.6% were Irish, 6.0% were American, and 5.6% were Italian.[21]

Of the 37,220 households, 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% were married couples living together, 15.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.1% were non-families, and 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.01. The median age was 35.7 years.[19]

The median income for a household in the county was $50,752 and the median income for a family was $62,150. Males had a median income of $42,408 versus $34,544 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,505. About 7.8% of families and 14.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.7% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.[22]

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Wicomico County Public Schools operates public schools in the county.

Colleges and universities

Economy

Perdue Farms, Inc., a multi-national poultry and grain corporation, is headquartered in Salisbury, the county seat of Wicomico County. Piedmont Airlines is headquartered in unincorporated Wicomico County,[23] at the airport and near the City of Salisbury.[24] Other major employers in Wicomico County include: Salisbury University, Verizon, Peninsula Regional Medical Center, The Knowland Group, Cadista Pharmacueticals, Chesapeake Ship Builders, Dove Pointe, and Pepsi Bottling of Delmarva.

Other industries in Wicomico County include electronic component manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, shipbuilding, and agriculture.

Media

Periodicals
  • Coastal Style - bimonthly magazine
  • The Daily Times - daily newspaper
  • Metropolitan Magazine - monthly magazine
  • Salisbury Independent - weekly newspaper
  • Salisbury Star - monthly newspaper

Television

Salisbury is the focus city of a larger Delmarva television market, which includes Dover and the northern Eastern Shore of Virginia. Most of the market's major-network affiliates are based in Salisbury, including WBOC-TV (CBS, Telemundo, NBC, and Fox), WMDT (ABC and The CW), and Maryland Public Television station WCPB (PBS).

Communities
Salisbury

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Notable people

See also

References
  1. Weiner,Tim. "Ex-Director of C.I.A. Disappears While Canoeing on Choppy River", The New York Times, April 30, 1996. Retrieved on April 25, 2009.
  2. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. Levine, Mark V.; "Standing Political Decisions and Critical Realignment: The Pattern of Maryland Politics, 1872-1948"; The Journal of Politics, volume 38, no. 2 (May, 1976), pp. 292-325
  5. Sullivan, Robert David; "How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century"; America Magazine published in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016.
  6. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-06-12.
  7. "Wicomico County Executive Race". www.wboc.com. Retrieved 2019-06-16.
  8. "County Council Members". Wicomico County government. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  9. "County Executives". Maryland State Archives. December 5, 2014. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  10. "Mike Lewis Sworn in as Wicomico Sheriff". Retrieved 2017-11-10.
  11. "Coming home: Dykes ready to lay groundwork as Wicomico County interim state's attorney". Delmarva Daily Times. Retrieved 2017-11-10.
  12. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 13, 2014. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  13. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  14. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  15. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  16. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  17. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  18. "Wicomico County, MD Ancestry & Family History". Podunk, Inc. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
  19. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  20. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  21. "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  22. "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  23. "Career Opportunities Archived 2009-05-24 at the Wayback Machine." Piedmont Airlines. Retrieved on May 20, 2009.
  24. "About Piedmont Archived 2009-06-27 at the Wayback Machine." Piedmont Airlines. Retrieved on May 20, 2009.
  25. Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.
  26. "GEN. Lewis J. Fields DIES". washingtonpost.com. The Washington Posts Websites. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  27. Nothing is Strange with You: The Life and Crimes of Gordon Stewart Northcott. Bloomington, Indiana: Xlibris Corporation. 2008.

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