Kent County, MD elected officials: county council or commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities
Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Kent County: 15 seats on 7 elected bodies. 13 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.
The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 9 local governments in Kent County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.
Kind of government
Census count (2022)
Listed on this page
County government
1
1
Cities, towns, villages and townships
5
0
School districts (school boards)
0
1
Special districts (elected boards)
3
0
Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).
About these counts
The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments (1 in Kent County), though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.
Who lives in Kent County
19,346people
48.6median ageU.S.: 38.9
$80,147 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
9.7%below the U.S.: 12.5%
39.6%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$330,900median home valueU.S.: $332,700
3%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
3.7%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
7.2%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
6.1%U.S.: 8.4%
59.6%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
35.4%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 5.8% · White 75.9% · Black 14% · Asian 1.3% · Other or more than one race 3% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)
Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).
About these figures
The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.
Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.
Jobs in Kent County
3.6%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.6%. Maryland: 3.5%.
328people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
8,760people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
9,088in the September 2026, preliminary.
Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.
Every month, last two years
Month
Rate
Unemployed
Employed
Labor force
September 2026 (preliminary)
3.6%
328
8,760
9,088
August 2026
3.6%
349
9,242
9,591
July 2026
3.8%
366
9,155
9,521
June 2026
3.8%
369
9,417
9,786
May 2026
3.5%
334
9,116
9,450
April 2026
4.6%
413
8,601
9,014
March 2026
4.8%
434
8,597
9,031
February 2026
5.9%
527
8,350
8,877
January 2026
5.8%
508
8,199
8,707
December 2025
4.0%
376
9,094
9,470
November 2025
4.1%
382
8,988
9,370
October 2025
not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 2025
4.6%
411
8,572
8,983
August 2025
4.6%
429
8,977
9,406
July 2025
4.4%
418
9,087
9,505
June 2025
4.0%
392
9,404
9,796
May 2025
3.7%
349
9,120
9,469
April 2025
3.7%
340
8,806
9,146
March 2025
4.2%
390
8,915
9,305
February 2025
5.1%
458
8,494
8,952
January 2025
5.4%
470
8,160
8,630
December 2024
3.6%
331
8,939
9,270
November 2024
3.6%
331
8,832
9,163
October 2024
3.4%
320
9,104
9,424
Yearly averages
Year
Rate
Unemployed
Employed
Labor force
2025 (11 months)
4.3%
401
8,874
9,275
2024
3.6%
332
8,892
9,224
2023
2.7%
242
8,834
9,076
2022
3.6%
320
8,683
9,003
2021
5.4%
473
8,316
8,789
2020
6.8%
619
8,514
9,133
2019
4.0%
387
9,360
9,747
2018
4.4%
435
9,346
9,781
2017
4.6%
447
9,205
9,652
2016
4.9%
476
9,149
9,625
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Maryland's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.9% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.
Crime reported in Kent County
107.1 per 100,0002025. Maryland: 358.0.
479.5 per 100,0002025. Maryland: 1,819.7.
1murders2025, 21 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
Year
Violent
Rate
Property
Rate
2025
21
107.1
94
479.5
2024
13
66.3
142
723.9
2023
25
128.3
106
544.0
2022
34
175.1
157
808.4
2020
22
114.1
117
607.1
2019
20
104.2
173
901.7
2018
26
136.0
140
732.4
2017
26
132.4
180
916.4
2016
37
188.9
248
1,265.8
By police agency (3)
Agency
Year
Violent
Property
People served
Kent County Sheriff's Office
2025
2
14
12,652
Chestertown Police Department
2025
19
77
5,749
Rock Hall Police Department
2025
0
3
1,203
Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Maryland · the U.S.
Police staffing
2.04 per 1,000 residents2025, 3 agencies serving 19,604 people.
40sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
3civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (3), 2025
Agency
Officers
Civilians
People served
Kent County Sheriff's Office
27
2
12,652
Chestertown Police Department
10
1
5,749
Rock Hall Police Department
3
0
1,203
Earlier years
Year
Officers
Per 1,000
Civilians
Agencies
2025
40
2.04
3
3
2024
38
1.94
4
3
2023
37
1.90
4
3
2022
36
1.85
4
3
2021
35
1.81
4
3
2020
38
1.97
7
3
2019
39
2.03
6
3
2018
37
1.94
5
3
2017
43
2.19
4
3
2016
43
2.19
4
3
Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.
Quick answers
Who is the Kent County Clerk of the Circuit Court?
Sherise L. Kennard (Democratic) is the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Kent County, Maryland. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Kent County Chief Judge of the Orphans' Court?
Elroy G. Boyer, Jr. (Democratic) is the Chief Judge of the Orphans' Court of Kent County, Maryland. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Kent County Judge of the Orphans' Court?
Susan W. Pritchett (Republican) is the Judge of the Orphans' Court of Kent County, Maryland. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Kent County Judge of the Orphans' Court?
Allan W. Schauber (Democratic) is the Judge of the Orphans' Court of Kent County, Maryland. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Kent County Register of Wills?
A. Kristin (Kristi) Osborn (Democratic) is the Register of Wills of Kent County, Maryland. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Kent County Sheriff?
Dennis W. Hickman, Jr. (Republican) is the Sheriff of Kent County, Maryland. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Kent County State's Attorney?
Bryan P. DiGregory (Democratic) is the State's Attorney of Kent County, Maryland. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Kent County commissioners?
Ronald H. Fithian (County Commissioner); Albert H. Nickerson (County Commissioner); John F. Price IV (County Commissioner).
Who is on the Kent County School Board?
Patricia K. (Trish) McGee (School Board Member); Laura K. McKenzie (School Board Member); Aretha L. Dorsey (School Board Member); Frank B. Rhodes (School Board Member); John M. Queen (School Board Member).
What is the population of Kent County?
About 19,346 people, with a median age of 48.6; the median household income is $80,147 and 9.7% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Kent County?
3.6% in September 2026 (preliminary): 328 people unemployed in a labor force of 9,088, against 4.6% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Kent County?
9 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 5 municipal and 3 special district governments.
Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the Maryland Manual On-Line published by the Maryland State Archives; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.
See your members of Congress and every race and measure on your ballot in Kent County, from your address. Your address stays in your browser.Look up my races