Talbot 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 Talbot County: 19 seats on 7 elected bodies. 16 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.
On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
How many local governments Talbot County has
The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 8 local governments in Talbot 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)
2
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 Talbot 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 Talbot County
37,917people
51.2median ageU.S.: 38.9
$84,811 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
9.3%below the U.S.: 12.5%
42%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$409,700median home valueU.S.: $332,700
4.3%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
8%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
8.3%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
3.9%U.S.: 8.4%
51.5%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
32.6%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 9.6% · White 73.8% · Black 12.2% · Asian 1.4% · Other or more than one race 2.9% (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 Talbot County
3.3%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.3%. Maryland: 3.5%.
585people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
17,162people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
17,747in the September 2026, preliminary.
Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.
Every month, last two years
Month
Rate
Unemployed
Employed
Labor force
September 2026 (preliminary)
3.3%
585
17,162
17,747
August 2026
3.5%
625
17,309
17,934
July 2026
3.8%
679
17,186
17,865
June 2026
3.5%
650
17,829
18,479
May 2026
3.4%
619
17,418
18,037
April 2026
4.2%
742
17,026
17,768
March 2026
4.5%
793
16,733
17,526
February 2026
5.4%
922
16,285
17,207
January 2026
4.8%
827
16,266
17,093
December 2025
3.6%
637
16,882
17,519
November 2025
4.0%
712
16,889
17,601
October 2025
not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 2025
4.3%
751
16,870
17,621
August 2025
4.3%
765
17,038
17,803
July 2025
4.2%
762
17,237
17,999
June 2025
3.9%
701
17,476
18,177
May 2025
3.4%
606
17,141
17,747
April 2025
3.4%
603
16,927
17,530
March 2025
3.9%
696
16,962
17,658
February 2025
4.3%
746
16,429
17,175
January 2025
4.0%
685
16,462
17,147
December 2024
3.1%
540
16,689
17,229
November 2024
3.5%
600
16,543
17,143
October 2024
3.4%
585
16,839
17,424
Yearly averages
Year
Rate
Unemployed
Employed
Labor force
2025 (11 months)
4.0%
697
16,938
17,635
2024
3.4%
592
16,767
17,359
2023
2.4%
404
16,601
17,005
2022
3.4%
547
15,575
16,122
2021
5.3%
849
15,098
15,947
2020
6.3%
1,045
15,546
16,591
2019
3.5%
639
17,467
18,106
2018
3.9%
721
17,758
18,479
2017
4.2%
774
17,651
18,425
2016
4.3%
789
17,412
18,201
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 Talbot County
268.4 per 100,0002025. Maryland: 358.0.
1,121.3 per 100,0002025. Maryland: 1,819.7.
0murders2025, 107 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
Year
Violent
Rate
Property
Rate
2025
107
268.4
447
1,121.3
2024
94
236.0
496
1,245.2
2023
101
255.9
510
1,291.9
2020
109
287.0
368
969.0
2019
74
196.5
463
1,229.4
2018
66
175.1
576
1,528.2
2017
49
131.9
656
1,765.5
2016
75
201.5
663
1,781.3
By police agency (4)
Agency
Year
Violent
Property
People served
Talbot County Sheriff's Office
2025
18
122
17,624
Easton Police Department
2025
86
281
17,444
St. Michaels Police Department
2025
2
23
1,079
Oxford Police Department
2024
0
7
597
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
2.59 per 1,000 residents2025, 4 agencies serving 36,746 people.
95sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
13civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (4), 2025
Agency
Officers
Civilians
People served
Talbot County Sheriff's Office
46
4
17,624
Easton Police Department
42
8
17,444
St. Michaels Police Department
5
1
1,079
Oxford Police Department
2
0
599
Earlier years
Year
Officers
Per 1,000
Civilians
Agencies
2025
95
2.59
13
4
2024
90
2.43
17
4
2023
90
2.43
14
4
2021
85
2.34
19
4
2019
89
2.43
12
4
2018
90
2.45
12
4
2016
90
2.42
12
5
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 Talbot County Clerk of the Circuit Court?
Kathleen M. (Kathi) Duvall (Republican) is the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Talbot County, Maryland. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Talbot County Chief Judge of the Orphans' Court?
The office of Talbot County Chief Judge of the Orphans' Court is vacant. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Talbot County Judge of the Orphans' Court?
Paul S. Carroll (Republican) is the Judge of the Orphans' Court of Talbot County, Maryland. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Talbot County Judge of the Orphans' Court?
David J. Wheeler (Republican) is the Judge of the Orphans' Court of Talbot County, Maryland. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Talbot County Register of Wills?
Patricia E. Campen (Democratic) is the Register of Wills of Talbot County, Maryland. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Talbot County Sheriff?
Joseph J. Gamble (Republican) is the Sheriff of Talbot County, Maryland. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Talbot County State's Attorney?
Joseph Irvin Coale (Republican) is the State's Attorney of Talbot County, Maryland. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Talbot County commissioners?
Charles F. (Chuck) Callahan III (County Council Member); Ronald E. (Pete) Lesher, Jr. (County Council Member); Keasha N. Haythe (County Council Member); Lynn Leonhardt Mielke (County Council Member); David C. Stepp (County Council Member).
Who is on the Talbot County School Board?
Emily L. Jackson (District 4); Amy R. Dodson (District 3); Dyshekia W. M. Strawberry (District 1); Ann C. O'Connor (District 2); Karla L. Wieland-Cherry (District 5); Cynthia M. Jurrius (District 6); Deborah Bridges (District 7).
What is the population of Talbot County?
About 37,917 people, with a median age of 51.2; the median household income is $84,811 and 9.3% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Talbot County?
3.3% in September 2026 (preliminary): 585 people unemployed in a labor force of 17,747, against 4.3% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Talbot County?
8 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 5 municipal and 2 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.
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