1st Advantage MortgageThe median Allegany County household earns $59,603, and 17% of residents live below the poverty line. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Maryland license first.
On this page
- A quick profile of Allegany County
- Work, industries and travel time in Allegany County
- What Allegany County households earn
- Rent, home values and ownership in Allegany County
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Allegany County
- Allegany County next to its neighbors
- More Allegany County figures
- Local borrowing considerations for Allegany County
- Debt-to-income at Allegany County's medians
- Before you sign
- Checking a lender's license in Maryland
- More guides for Allegany County
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Allegany County
With an estimated 67,452 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Allegany County ranks 16th of 24 in Maryland for population. It covers 422 square miles of land, or about 160 people per square mile. Under the July 2023 OMB definitions, Allegany County is not part of any metropolitan area. Of the 44 Census places inside Allegany County, Cumberland leads by population with about 18,804; 7 of the 44 are incorporated.
Work, industries and travel time in Allegany County
Education and health care employs 27% of working residents, the largest share; retail trade is next with 13%. Compared with Maryland, the county leans toward retail trade (13% against 9%). Averaged over the five survey years, 5.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking. About 79% drive to work alone and 11% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Only 9.1% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Where residents work | Allegany County | Difference from Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.8% | +2.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 13.4% | +4.5 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.5% | +2.0 pts |
| Public administration | 8.9% | -2.2 pts |
| Manufacturing | 8.8% | +4.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 7.8% | -8.7 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
What Allegany County households earn
Allegany County households have a median income of $59,603 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 24th of 24 in Maryland.
| Households earning | Allegany County | +/- vs Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 30.1% | +14.0 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.3% | +12.0 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 22.2% | -9.1 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 3.4% | -16.9 pts |
Some 30% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 26% have six-figure incomes. 16.9% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 9.4%). Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.439 here. None of these numbers decides a Allegany County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Rent, home values and ownership in Allegany County
Renters in Allegany County pay a median of $805 a month, 53% below the Maryland figure of $1,705. By the Census definition, 44% of Allegany County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $154,900, a typical Allegany County house costs 2.6 times what the median household earns in a year. 71% of Allegany County households own their home and 29% rent. Median construction year: 1959.
| Allegany County | Maryland | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $805/mo | $1,705/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $154,900 | $419,900 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 71% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 44% | 51% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 20% | 27% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 4.5% | 1.3% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 16% | 8% | n/a |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Allegany County
44 Census places fall mainly inside Allegany County; the 14 biggest are below. They account for 51,145 residents, leaving about 24% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Grahamtown has the highest median household income on the list ($104,274) and Ellerslie the lowest ($37,240), counting places with at least 500 residents. Rent is cheapest in Mount Savage ($649) and steepest in Potomac Park ($963). This guide covers each of the 44 places and the rural areas around them.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cumberland | city | 18,804 | $48,162 | $741 | 4 mi |
| Frostburg | city | 6,977 | $52,977 | $945 | 12 mi |
| Cresaptown | CDP | 5,121 | $68,370 | $777 | 7 mi |
| La Vale | CDP | 4,196 | $77,500 | $871 | 8 mi |
| Bel Air | CDP | 1,837 | $97,685 | $695 | 8 mi |
| Westernport | town | 1,588 | $47,688 | $822 | 20 mi |
| Bowmans Addition | CDP | 1,102 | $82,475 | n/a | 6 mi |
| Potomac Park | CDP | 978 | $53,221 | $963 | 6 mi |
| Bowling Green | CDP | 966 | $76,140 | $899 | 6 mi |
| Lonaconing | town | 889 | $54,250 | $719 | 15 mi |
| Eckhart Mines | CDP | 670 | $64,100 | $806 | 11 mi |
| Barton | town | 663 | $50,972 | $863 | 18 mi |
| Corriganville | CDP | 622 | $76,023 | n/a | 8 mi |
| Midland | town | 589 | $63,906 | $696 | 13 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
Allegany County next to its neighbors
Distances run center to center, from Mineral County at 20 miles out to Somerset County at 31. Income ranges from $59,992 in Bedford County to $72,179 in Morgan County; all six of these neighbors top Allegany County's median. The list crosses into Pennsylvania, West Virginia, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegany County | - | $59,603 | $805/mo | 71% |
| Mineral County, WV | 20 mi | $69,375 | $809/mo | 81% |
| Hampshire County, WV | 21 mi | $63,116 | $720/mo | 83% |
| Morgan County, WV | 24 mi | $72,179 | $794/mo | 84% |
| Bedford County, PA | 29 mi | $59,992 | $784/mo | 78% |
| Garrett County, MD | 31 mi | $67,688 | $765/mo | 80% |
| Somerset County, PA | 31 mi | $61,446 | $753/mo | 80% |
More Allegany County figures
Degree holders: 21% of adults over 25. 3.8% of residents have no health coverage.
| Measure | Allegany County | Maryland statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.2 | 39.4 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 21.1% | 43.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 9.6% | 8.9% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 3.8% | 6.3% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 9.1% | 8.8% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 9.1% | 19.3% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 16.9% | 9.4% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.0% | 4.9% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 34.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 44.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 10.2% |
| 45 to 59 min | 4.0% |
| 60+ min | 7.3% |
Local borrowing considerations for Allegany County
A few patterns in the Allegany County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Allegany County borrower sees (free reports).
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Allegany County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
Debt-to-income at Allegany County's medians
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Allegany County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Median income divided by twelve: $4,967 before taxes
- Median rent: $805, or 16 cents of every gross dollar
- Under a 35% cap, $1,738 total minus rent leaves $933
- With a 45% ceiling, about $1,430 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Before you sign
Quick steps for Allegany County:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Ask a Allegany County credit union about member loans.
Checking a lender's license in Maryland
The Maryland Office of Financial Regulation is the place to verify any lender's Maryland license. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. See the Maryland state guide for the statewide picture.
More guides for Allegany County
The Maryland guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Allegany County a high-income county?
Its $59,603 median ranks 24th of 24 Maryland counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How much is rent in Allegany County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $805 a month; 44% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
Should Allegany County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 71% of Allegany County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
I live in a small Allegany County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Cumberland, Frostburg, Cresaptown, La Vale, Bel Air and 39 more.
Can Allegany County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every Maryland county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.