Worcester 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 Worcester County: 21 seats on 7 elected bodies. 18 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.
County Council or Board of County Commissioners
Worcester County Board of County Commissioners
Each member is elected by the voters of their district.
On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
How many local governments Worcester County has
The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 24 local governments in Worcester 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
4
0
School districts (school boards)
0
1
Special districts (elected boards)
19
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 Worcester 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 Worcester County
53,700people
50.7median ageU.S.: 38.9
$81,745 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
9.9%below the U.S.: 12.5%
35.3%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$374,700median home valueU.S.: $332,700
6.7%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
4.7%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
8.4%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
5%U.S.: 8.4%
55.3%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
33.3%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 4% · White 77.8% · Black 12% · Asian 1.4% · Other or more than one race 4.7% (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 Worcester County
3.3%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.2%. Maryland: 3.5%.
937people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
27,479people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
28,416in 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%
937
27,479
28,416
August 2026
3.4%
1,025
29,387
30,412
July 2026
3.6%
1,113
29,463
30,576
June 2026
3.6%
1,118
29,650
30,768
May 2026
4.2%
1,187
26,870
28,057
April 2026
5.5%
1,425
24,371
25,796
March 2026
6.9%
1,744
23,362
25,106
February 2026
9.0%
2,170
22,041
24,211
January 2026
9.9%
2,391
21,813
24,204
December 2025
6.6%
1,650
23,319
24,969
November 2025
6.2%
1,547
23,598
25,145
October 2025
not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 2025
4.2%
1,175
26,725
27,900
August 2025
4.0%
1,193
28,442
29,635
July 2025
3.9%
1,175
29,010
30,185
June 2025
3.8%
1,135
29,038
30,173
May 2025
3.8%
1,053
26,587
27,640
April 2025
4.7%
1,199
24,201
25,400
March 2025
6.1%
1,530
23,746
25,276
February 2025
7.5%
1,843
22,845
24,688
January 2025
8.7%
2,087
21,915
24,002
December 2024
6.0%
1,474
23,202
24,676
November 2024
5.1%
1,262
23,407
24,669
October 2024
3.8%
996
25,526
26,522
Yearly averages
Year
Rate
Unemployed
Employed
Labor force
2025 (11 months)
5.3%
1,417
25,402
26,819
2024
4.4%
1,172
25,479
26,651
2023
3.5%
902
25,150
26,052
2022
4.7%
1,187
23,940
25,127
2021
7.2%
1,840
23,723
25,563
2020
10.9%
2,744
22,497
25,241
2019
6.8%
1,832
25,020
26,852
2018
7.6%
2,029
24,615
26,644
2017
8.1%
2,161
24,516
26,677
2016
8.6%
2,263
23,919
26,182
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 Worcester County
220.1 per 100,0002024. Maryland: 425.4.
1,827.2 per 100,0002024. Maryland: 2,065.1.
1murders2024, 122 violent crimes in all.
2024 is the latest year with complete reporting here: at least one of the county's police agencies didn't send the FBI a full year of figures since, so later totals would be undercounts.
Earlier years
Year
Violent
Rate
Property
Rate
2024
122
220.1
1,013
1,827.2
2023
105
191.9
1,013
1,851.0
2022
166
308.1
1,134
2,104.5
2020
220
421.5
1,223
2,343.3
2019
125
242.2
1,232
2,387.3
2018
117
228.1
1,336
2,604.1
2017
162
315.1
1,657
3,223.2
2016
140
273.1
1,710
3,336.3
By police agency (6)
Agency
Year
Violent
Property
People served
Worcester County Sheriff's Office
2025
33
154
23,313
Ocean Pines Police Department
2025
3
24
12,272
Ocean City Police Department
2024
51
602
6,938
Berlin Police Department
2025
2
34
5,423
Pocomoke City Police Department
2025
28
136
4,456
Snow Hill Police Department
2024
5
21
2,315
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
4.91 per 1,000 residents2025, 6 agencies serving 54,626 people.
268sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
69civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (6), 2025
Agency
Officers
Civilians
People served
Ocean City Police Department
129
33
6,893
Worcester County Sheriff's Office
91
21
23,313
Pocomoke City Police Department
15
5
4,456
Berlin Police Department
13
5
5,423
Ocean Pines Police Department
13
5
12,272
Snow Hill Police Department
7
0
2,269
Earlier years
Year
Officers
Per 1,000
Civilians
Agencies
2025
268
4.91
69
6
2024
253
4.56
69
6
2023
249
4.55
72
6
2022
229
4.25
50
6
2021
222
4.17
55
6
2020
209
4.00
56
6
2019
205
3.97
54
6
2018
196
3.82
58
6
2017
196
3.81
55
6
2016
195
3.80
55
6
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 Worcester County Clerk of the Circuit Court?
Susan Richardson Braniecki (Republican) is the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Worcester County, Maryland. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Worcester County Chief Judge of the Orphans' Court?
Michael T. Diffendal (Republican) is the Chief Judge of the Orphans' Court of Worcester County, Maryland. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Worcester County Judge of the Orphans' Court?
Linda M. Hess (Republican) is the Judge of the Orphans' Court of Worcester County, Maryland. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Worcester County Judge of the Orphans' Court?
Cheryl Kelley Jacobs (Republican) is the Judge of the Orphans' Court of Worcester County, Maryland. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Worcester County Register of Wills?
Terri Delaney Westcott (Republican) is the Register of Wills of Worcester County, Maryland. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Worcester County Sheriff?
Matthew Crisafulli (Republican) is the Sheriff of Worcester County, Maryland. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Worcester County State's Attorney?
Kristin Heiser (Republican) is the State's Attorney of Worcester County, Maryland. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Worcester County commissioners?
Theodore J. (Ted) Elder (District 4); Eric J. Fiori (District 3); Caryn G. Abbott (District 1); Diana W. Purnell (District 2); Anthony W. (Chip) Bertino, Jr. (District 5); Madison J. (Jim) Bunting, Jr. (District 6); Joseph M. Mitrecic (District 7).
Who is on the Worcester County School Board?
Todd A. Ferrante (District 7); William E. Buchanan (District 1); Donald C. Smack, Sr. (District 2); Jon Michael Andes (District 3); William L. Gordy (District 4); Elena J. McComas (District 5); Jackie M. Cutlip (District 6).
What is the population of Worcester County?
About 53,700 people, with a median age of 50.7; the median household income is $81,745 and 9.9% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Worcester County?
3.3% in September 2026 (preliminary): 937 people unemployed in a labor force of 28,416, against 4.2% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Worcester County?
24 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 4 municipal and 19 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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