Research » Legal Deserts » Maryland

Maryland Legal Deserts: Law Offices by County

1 of Maryland’s 24 counties (4%) have fewer than three law offices with paid employees, according to 2023 Census data. 25,044 people live in it. Nationally, 27% of counties fall below that line.

Part of Lawbamba’s national legal deserts study, based on U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns.

1 of 24counties with fewer than 3 law offices
#42among the 50 states and D.C. by number of desert counties
4.2law offices per 10,000 residents (U.S.: 4.9)
−10%change in law offices, 2013–2023
Map of Maryland counties shaded by number of law offices with paid employees in 2023; red areas have fewer than 3.
Law offices with paid employees, 2023: ■ fewer than 3 ■ 3–9 ■ 10–49 ■ 50 or more

What stands out in Maryland

  • The most populous county with fewer than three law offices is Somerset County, home to 25,044 people.
  • Statewide, law offices fell 10% between 2013 and 2023 (counting areas with three or more). 1 county dropped below three law offices over that decade.

Law offices in every Maryland county

Sorted from fewest law offices to most. “Fewer than 3” means Census reports 0, 1 or 2. 2013 uses the same cutoff.

AreaLaw offices 20232013PopulationResidents per officeSelf-employed legal businesses
Somerset County Fewer than 3 4 25,044 – 5
Garrett County 5 10 28,502 5,700 14
Caroline County 6 8 33,838 5,640 13
Kent County 9 11 19,441 2,160 20
Dorchester County 10 11 32,922 3,292 14
Queen Anne's County 13 16 52,682 4,052 49
St. Mary's County 14 19 115,479 8,249 24
Cecil County 14 25 105,676 7,548 41
Calvert County 22 22 94,828 4,310 65
Worcester County 23 24 54,229 2,358 41
Allegany County 24 28 67,296 2,804 20
Talbot County 30 20 38,067 1,269 46
Charles County 34 38 172,268 5,067 82
Washington County 41 53 156,116 3,808 43
Carroll County 43 55 176,735 4,110 98
Wicomico County 46 65 105,585 2,295 45
Harford County 57 67 264,771 4,645 135
Frederick County 80 83 294,154 3,677 182
Howard County 153 137 337,341 2,205 370
Prince George's County 213 241 956,533 4,491 630
Anne Arundel County 225 230 599,965 2,667 536
Baltimore city 380 476 567,517 1,493 390
Baltimore County 532 579 848,676 1,595 848
Montgomery County 636 689 1,069,397 1,681 1,923

Need a lawyer in Maryland?

Lawyers licensed in Maryland can usually take cases anywhere in the state, and many offer phone or video consultations. Browse Maryland lawyers on Lawbamba.

About this data

Law offices are establishments in NAICS 541110 (Offices of Lawyers) with at least one paid employee, from the U.S. Census Bureau’s County Business Patterns. Solo lawyers with no staff and government lawyers are not counted. Self-employed legal businesses come from Census Nonemployer Statistics (NAICS 5411) and also include paralegal, notary and title services. Population is the July 1, 2023 Census estimate. See the full methodology or download the data for every county (CSV). Free to reuse with credit to Lawbamba and a link to this page.