States / Maryland
Maryland
72%
Population of State Living in Coastal Areas
$106 Billion
Coastal Employment
Annual Wages
24
Climate and Weather Disasters
(Affecting Maryland 2010 to 2018)*
Coastal Demographics
Of the total population of approximately 5.9 million in Maryland, 4.25 million people live in coastal portions of the state.
Coastal Economy
Coastal Maryland employs 1.8 million people annually, earning a total of almost $106 billion. This equates to over $277 billion in gross domestic product.
Natural Hazards
Six billion-dollar weather disasters affected Maryland in 2018—and a total of 24 affected the state between 2010 and 2018. Severe storms made up the majority of these events, with a total of 12 affecting Maryland between 2010 and 2018. In May 2018, a derecho event—a widespread long-lived wind storm—caused significant high-wind damage in Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Massachusetts, and Connecticut, with total costs of $1.4 billion.
Sources:
American Community Survey Five-Year Estimates (NOAA Data)
*Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (NOAA Website)
(All economic and demographic facts represent the latest data available [2015] and are regularly updated as new data become available)
Making a Difference
in Maryland
Coast Smart Program Cuts Hazard Risks for Communities
The Takeaway: Over $1.6 million benefits 23 coastal communities. Many projects are using natural infrastructure to make communities more resilient.
Learn MoreEnvironmental Educators Tailor Lessons to Diverse Student Needs
The Takeaway: Students of the coast love to learn when educators reach them where they are—whether that’s online, in the field, or through the wisdom of their own culture and stewardship traditions.
Learn MoreFirst-Ever National Marsh Assessment Tool
The Takeaway: Research reserves determine methodology for calculating sea level rise impact on the marsh and test it in 16 locations. Methodology standardizes the effort and creates a national approach.
Learn MoreMaryland Hosts New NOAA National Marine Sanctuary
The Takeaway: Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary protects wetlands and the nation’s maritime history, aided by the state’s coastal zone management program.
Learn MoreNOAA Blue Carbon Enterprises Lessen Climate Change Damage
The Takeaway: Coastal wetlands research, restoration, tools, data, workshops, and partners—NOAA brings every blue carbon asset to the fight against climate-change-related hazards and harm.
Learn MoreNew Program Enriches 25 Years of Environmental Education
The Takeaway: A stewardship program for older schoolchildren soon will join a popular, two-day field trip for fourth graders at Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay Research Reserve.
Learn MorePrograms Improve Public Access for All
The Takeaway: NOAA safeguards coastal public access and inclusive adventures through the efforts of the National Coastal Zone Management Program and National Estuarine Research Reserve System.
Learn MoreTool Reduces Ocean Conflicts
The Takeaway: Offering a cohesive approach to offshore management, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Ocean Action Plan aids industries connected to offshore energy, tourism, undersea cables, and marine traffic.
Learn More