Bordering states
Delaware vs Maryland
Short answer
- DE
- 1,051,917
- MD
- 6,263,220
The two states, county by county
Both maps share one density scale, so the same shade means the same number of people per square mile on either side of the border. Darker counties are denser. Select a county to open its page.
Delaware
Maryland
- < 116
- < 290
- < 381
- < 1,354
- ≥ 1,354
Side by side
| Measure | Delaware | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Residents, 2024 | 1,051,917 | 6,263,220 |
| Rank by population | 45th | 18th |
| Land, sq mi | 1,949 | 9,711 |
| People per sq mi | 539.8 | 645.0 |
| County-equivalents | 3 | 24 |
| Median county residents | 271,134 | 111,399 |
| Median county income | $78,092 | $87,200 |
| Most populous county | New Castle County | Montgomery County |
| Largest county by land | Sussex County | Frederick County |
| Capital | Dover | Annapolis |
| Daylight at capital, June 21 | 14 h 56 min | 14 h 54 min |
| Census division | South Atlantic | South Atlantic |
Population and density
Maryland has 6,263,220 residents, 6.0 times Delaware's 1,051,917. Delaware ranks 45th and Maryland 18th of the 50 states and DC. Maryland is the more crowded, with 645.0 people per square mile against 539.8, 19% more.
Land area
Maryland has 9,711 square miles of land, 5.0 times Delaware's 1,949. The largest county-equivalent in Delaware is Sussex County at 936 square miles; in Maryland it is Frederick County at 661.
Counties
Maryland is divided into 24 county-equivalents and Delaware into 3, so an average Maryland county covers 405 square miles against 650. The typical county in Delaware has 271,134 residents, against 111,399 in Maryland. The most populous are New Castle County (588,093) and Montgomery County (1,082,273).
1 county name appears on both sides of the border: Kent. Use the FIPS code, not the name, when joining data across the two states.
Household income
The median county in Maryland has a household income of $87,200, 12% above Delaware's $78,092. The highest county incomes are New Castle County ($86,798) in Delaware and Howard County ($140,113) in Maryland, from SAIPE 2023.
Capitals and daylight
Dover and Annapolis are 54 miles apart in a straight line; from Dover the initial bearing is 257°, WSW. On June 21, 2026, Dover gets 14 h 56 min of daylight and Annapolis 14 h 54 min; on December 21 the figures are 9 h 25 min and 9 h 26 min. Month by month tables are on the Dover and Annapolis daylight pages.
Where they sit
Both are in the Census South Atlantic division of the South region. By county internal points, Delaware spans 1 UTM zone and Maryland 2.
Questions people ask
Which is bigger, Delaware or Maryland?
Maryland, with 9,711 square miles of land against 1,949, 4.98 times as large.
Which has more people, Delaware or Maryland?
Maryland has 6,263,220 residents, 6.0 times Delaware's 1,051,917.
How far is Dover from Annapolis?
54 miles in a straight line, heading WSW (257°) from Dover.
Do Delaware and Maryland have counties with the same name?
Yes, 1: Kent.
Sources and data as of
Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.
- 01Census Vintage 2024 county population estimates
- 02Census 2024 Gazetteer, counties
- 03Census SAIPE 2023 state and county estimates
- 04Census Bureau regions and divisions of the United States (last verified 2026-09-30)
How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.