Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. The population was 154,705 as of the 2020 census. Its county seat and largest city is Hagerstown. The county is part of the Western Maryland region of the state.

Washington County was the first county in the United States to be named for the Revolutionary War general (and later President) George Washington. Washington County is one of three Maryland counties recognized by the Appalachian Regional Commission as being part of Appalachia. The county borders southern Pennsylvania to the north, Northern Virginia to the south, and the Martinsburg Panhandle of West Virginia to the south and west. Washington County is included in the Hagerstown metropolitan area, which is also included in the Washington metropolitan area.

History

For thousands of years, Native Americans inhabited the lands that would later form Washington County. Archaeological evidence suggests that an Iroquoian people known as the Susquehannock occupied this region around 1600. In the early 17th century, England began to settle lands on the Chesapeake Bay to the east of present-day Washington County. Contact between the Susquehannock and these English settlers was limited until English merchant William Claiborne from Virginia began trading with the Susquehannock in the 1630s.

In 1634, England established the Province of Maryland as an English colony with their founding of St. Mary's City to the southeast of present-day Washington County. English-Susquehannock relations then began to deteriorate, as Maryland formed an alliance with the Piscataway people, who were the frequent target of Susquehannock raids. The founding of the province also disrupted their trade alliance with Claiborne as he refused to acknowledge Maryland's authority. In 1641, the Governor of Maryland declared the Susquehannock "enemies of the province", and Susquehannock raids on Maryland and the Piscataway continued intermittently until 1652.

Acquisition by Maryland

In the winter of 1652, the Susquehannock were attacked by the Mohawk, and although the attack was repulsed, it led to the Susquehannock negotiating the Articles of Peace and Friendship with Maryland. In 1696, the province incorporated its western portions (including its claims to present-day Washington County) into Prince George's County. In 1707, Maryland became a British colony as the result of the union of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland.

In the 1730s, European settlers arrived in present-day Washington County, The county's history includes riots during the Whiskey Rebellion, several Civil War battles including the Battle of Antietam, the site where the abolitionist John Brown planned his raid on Harpers Ferry, and the location of railroads that facilitated westward expansion of the United States.

Washington County is located in the Appalachian Mountains, stretching from the Ridge-and-Valley Country in the west to South Mountain in the east, which is an extension of the Blue Ridge. Much of the county lies in the broad Hagerstown Valley between these two zones; the valley is part of the Great Appalachian Valley that continues southward into Virginia and West Virginia as the Shenandoah Valley and northward into Pennsylvania as the Cumberland Valley.

The county is bordered to the north by the Mason–Dixon line with Pennsylvania, to the south by the Potomac River and the states of Virginia and West Virginia, to the west by Sideling Hill Creek and Allegany County, Maryland, and to the east by Frederick County and South Mountain.

Adjacent counties

  • Fulton County, Pennsylvania (northwest)
  • Franklin County, Pennsylvania (north)
  • Frederick County (east)
  • Loudoun County, Virginia (southeast)
  • Jefferson County, West Virginia (south)
  • Berkeley County, West Virginia (south)
  • Morgan County, West Virginia (southwest)
  • Allegany County (west)

Major highways

thumb|right|View south along I-81 from I-70 in Washington County

  • 20px Interstate 68
  • 20px Interstate 70
  • 20px Interstate 81
  • 20px U.S. Route 11
  • 20px U.S. Route 40
  • 20px<br />20px U.S. Route 40 Alternate
  • 25px U.S. Route 340
  • 25px U.S. Route 522
  • 20px Maryland Route 34
  • 20px Maryland Route 56
  • 20px Maryland Route 57
  • 20px Maryland Route 58
  • 20px Maryland Route 60
  • 20px Maryland Route 62
  • 20px Maryland Route 63
  • 20px Maryland Route 64
  • 20px Maryland Route 65
  • 20px Maryland Route 66
  • 20px Maryland Route 67
  • 20px Maryland Route 68
  • 20px Maryland Route 77
  • 25px Maryland Route 144
  • 25px Maryland Route 180
  • 25px Maryland Route 418
  • 25px Maryland Route 491
  • 25px Maryland Route 494
  • 25px Maryland Route 550
  • 25px Maryland Route 615
  • 25px Maryland Route 632

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Washington County, Maryland – Racial and ethnic composition<br><small></small>

!Race / Ethnicity <small>(NH = Non-Hispanic)</small>

!Pop 1980

!Pop 1990

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020

!% 1980

!% 1990

!% 2000

!% 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020

|-

|White alone (NH)

|107,067

|112,325

|117,518

|122,748

|style='background: #ffffe6; |115,223

|94.68%

|92.53%

|89.08%

|83.26%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |74.48%

|-

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|4,718

|7,124

|10,150

|13,836

|style='background: #ffffe6; |17,241

|4.17%

|5.87%

|7.69%

|9.38%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |11.14%

|-

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|103

|216

|223

|244

|style='background: #ffffe6; |253

|0.09%

|0.18%

|0.17%

|0.17%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.16%

|-

|Asian alone (NH)

|426

|772

|1,043

|2,042

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,083

|0.38%

|0.64%

|0.79%

|1.39%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.99%

|-

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|x

|x

|52

|61

|style='background: #ffffe6; |63

|x

|x

|0.04%

|0.04%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.04%

|-

|Other race alone (NH)

|107

|51

|150

|201

|style='background: #ffffe6; |731

|0.09%

|0.04%

|0.11%

|0.14%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.47%

|-

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|x

|x

|1,217

|3,194

|style='background: #ffffe6; |7,822

|x

|x

|0.92%

|2.17%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |5.06%

|-

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|665

|905

|1,570

|5,104

|style='background: #ffffe6; |10,289

|0.59%

|0.75%

|1.19%

|3.46%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |6.65%

|-

|Total

|113,086

|121,393

|131,923

|147,430

|style='background: #ffffe6; |154,705

|100.00%

|100.00%

|100.00%

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

|}

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 154,705. The median age was 41.0 years. 21.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 101.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 101.4 males age 18 and over. 67.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 32.2% lived in rural areas.

The racial makeup of the county was 75.9% White, 11.4% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.0% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.0% from some other race, and 7.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 6.7% of the population. The population density was . There were 60,814 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 85.1% white, 9.6% black or African American, 1.4% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 1.1% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.5% of the population.

Of the 55,687&nbsp;households, 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.6% were non-families, and 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.01. The median age was 39.7 years.

2000 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 147,430 people, 49,726 households, and 34,112 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 52,972 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 89.71% White or Caucasian, 7.77% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.80% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. 1.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race, 32.1% identified as being of German ancestry, 21.4% American, 8.8% Irish, and 8.4% English ancestry.

There were 49,726 households, out of which 31.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.00% were married couples living together, 10.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.40% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.40% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 31.30% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.00 males.

Communities

thumb|right|200px|Hagerstown

thumb|right|200px|Williamsport

City

  • Hagerstown (county seat)

Towns

  • Boonsboro
  • Clear Spring
  • Funkstown
  • Hancock
  • Keedysville
  • Sharpsburg
  • Smithsburg
  • Williamsport

Census-designated places

The Census Bureau recognizes the following census-designated places in the county:

  • Antietam
  • Bagtown
  • Bakersville
  • Beaver Creek
  • Big Pool
  • Big Spring
  • Breathedsville
  • Brownsville
  • Cavetown
  • Cearfoss
  • Charlton
  • Chewsville
  • Dargan
  • Downsville
  • Eakles Mill
  • Edgemont
  • Ernstville
  • Fairplay
  • Fairview
  • Fort Ritchie
  • Fountainhead-Orchard Hills
  • Gapland
  • Garretts Mill
  • Greensburg
  • Halfway
  • Highfield-Cascade
  • Indian Springs
  • Jugtown
  • Kemps Mill
  • Leitersburg
  • Mapleville
  • Maugansville
  • Mercersville
  • Middleburg
  • Mount Aetna
  • Mount Briar
  • Mount Lena
  • Paramount-Long Meadow
  • Pecktonville
  • Pinesburg
  • Pondsville
  • Reid
  • Ringgold
  • Robinwood
  • Rohrersville
  • Saint James
  • San Mar
  • Sandy Hook
  • Tilghmanton
  • Trego-Rohrersville Station
  • Wilson-Conococheague
  • Yarrowsburg

thumb|right|200px|Hancock

Unincorporated communities

thumb|right|200px|Sharpsburg

  • Appletown
  • Benevola
  • Broadfording
  • Burtner
  • Huyett
  • Pen Mar
  • Samples Manor
  • Spielman
  • Trego
  • Van Lear
  • Weverton
  • Woodmont
  • Zittlestown

Politics and government

Federal representation

The county is located within Maryland's 6th congressional district. The representative of the district currently is April McClain Delaney (D).

Like most of Appalachia, German-influenced and Unionist Western Maryland, Washington County is solidly Republican. The last Democrat to carry Washington County at a Presidential level was Lyndon Johnson during his 1964 landslide win over Barry Goldwater, although between 1888 and 1940 the county was a consistent bellwether for all Presidential elections.

Voter registration

{| class=wikitable

! colspan = 6 | Voter registration and party enrollment as of June 2025

|-

|

| Republican

| align = center |

| align = center |

|-

|

| Democratic

| align = center |

| align = center |

|-

|

| Unaffiliated

| align = center |

| align = center |

|-

|

| Other parties

| align = center |

| align = center |

|-

! colspan = 2 | Total

! align = center |

! align = center |

|}

<!-- PresRow should be -->

|}

State representation

Washington County is represented by two senators in the Maryland State Senate. Member Mike McKay (R), serves the 1st district in Maryland and Paul D. Corderman (R), serves in the 2nd district. The county also is represented in Maryland General Assembly’s other primary division, the Maryland House of Delegates. Delegates who stand for Washington County include: Terry Baker (R) for District 1C, William Valentine (R) and William J. Wivell (R) for District 2A and Matthew Schindler (D) for District 2B.

County government

Washington County’s “leader” is known as the County Administrator. Currently, Michelle Gordon serves as the County Administrator. However, Washington County's County Commissioners exercise executive powers as they exist in the government of the county.

The County Commissioners in Washington County comprise the traditional form of county government in Maryland. Current members include: John Barr (President) (R), Jeffrey A. Cline (Vice President) (R), Randall Wagner (R), Derek Harvey (R), and Randy Leatherman (R). thumb|right|200px|Boonsboro

Economy

In 2000, the median income for a household in the county was $40,617, and the median income for a family was $48,962. Males had a median income of $34,917 versus $24,524 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,062. About 7.00% of families and 9.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.30% of those under age 18 and 9.50% of those age 65 or over.

According to the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, the following were the major employers in the county (excluding post offices, state government, and local governments, but including public institutions of higher education):

{| class="wikitable"

|-

! Employer

! Employees<br />(Nov. 2014)

Parks and recreation

thumb|250px|[[Sideling Hill man-made mountain pass on I-68/U.S. 40 near Hancock]]

National parks

  • Antietam National Battlefield
  • Appalachian National Scenic Trail
  • Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
  • Harpers Ferry National Historical Park

State parks

  • Fort Frederick State Park
  • Fort Tonoloway State Park
  • Gathland State Park
  • Greenbrier State Park
  • South Mountain State Park
  • Washington Monument State Park

Museums, historic sites, and other points of interest

  • Bowman House, Boonsboro
  • Crystal Grottoes, the only show caves in Maryland.
  • Discovery Station, Hagerstown
  • Hager House, Hagerstown
  • Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum, Hagerstown
  • Price-Miller House, Hagerstown
  • Sideling Hill, man-made mountain pass on Interstate 68/U.S. Route 40 roughly west of Hancock shows off 100 million years+ of rock formation with Information Center and walkways on the premises.
  • Springfield Farm, Williamsport
  • Stoney Creek Farm, Boonsboro
  • Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, Hagerstown
  • Washington County Rural Heritage Museum, Boonsboro

Education

Washington County Public Schools administers public schools in the county. See Washington County Public Schools – School Directory for a detailed listing of elementary, middle, high, and other schools.

High schools

Public high schools

  • Antietam Academy, Hagerstown
  • Barbara Ingram School for the Arts, Hagerstown
  • Boonsboro High School, Boonsboro
  • Clear Spring High School, Clear Spring
  • Evening High School, Hagerstown
  • Hancock High School, Hancock
  • North Hagerstown High School, Hagerstown
  • Smithsburg High School, Smithsburg
  • South Hagerstown High School, Hagerstown
  • Washington County Technical High School, Hagerstown
  • Williamsport High School, Williamsport

Private high schools

  • Broadfording Academy, Hagerstown
  • Emmanuel Christian School, Hagerstown
  • Gateway Academy, Williamsport
  • Grace Academy, Hagerstown
  • Heritage Academy, Hagerstown
  • Highland View Academy, Hagerstown
  • St. James School, Saint James
  • St. Maria Goretti High School, Hagerstown
  • Truth Christian Academy, Hagerstown

Colleges and universities

  • Antietam Bible College, Biblical Seminary, and Graduate School
  • Hagerstown Community College, two-year public community college
  • Kaplan College (formerly Hagerstown Business College)
  • Mount Saint Mary's University, Hagerstown Campus, offers Master of Business Administration (MBA) program.
  • University System of Maryland at Hagerstown, branch of the University System of Maryland; offers various associate's, bachelor's, and master's degree programs in connection with other state colleges and universities in Maryland.

Notable residents and natives

  • See People from Washington County.

See also

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Washington County, Maryland
  • Washington County Closed-Circuit Educational Television Project

References

  • Washington County government
  • Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce
  • Hagerstown-Washington County Convention & Visitor's Bureau
  • Washington County Free Library
  • WHILBR – Western Maryland's Historical Library
  • Washington County Free Library – Historic Newspaper Indexing Project
  • Washington County Museum of Fine Arts
  • Washington County Economic Development Commission