These Counties in Maryland Where Children have the Best Opportunity for Economic Mobility

Americans know that where they are born can greatly impact their future. Researchers have also found that early-life things like their location and friends can be linked to how much money they might earn later.

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Recent Harvard University studies, using extensive social networking data, have shed light on economic mobility—the ability to improve one's socio-economic status over a lifetime. The Wealth Enhancement Group analysed data from Harvard's Social Capital Atlas project to identify Maryland areas offering the best and worst chances for children to achieve upward economic mobility.

The research utilised a dataset of 21 billion Facebook friendships from Meta's Data for Good project and anonymous tax records. It evaluated areas based on the economic interactions between low- and high-income residents over a decade. However, it doesn't cover around 180 out of 3,000 U.S. counties.

This study aims to understand American economic mobility better by considering extensive social networks. It found that the ability to form friendships across different socio-economic groups is key to a child's potential to out-earn their parents, a concept termed economic connectedness.

Read further to discover where economic connectedness is most pronounced in Maryland.

1. Carroll County

- Economic connectedness: 1.21
- Median Income: $104,708
- Population: 172,148

2. Calvert County

- Economic connectedness: 1.2
- Median Income: $120,295
- Population: 92,515

3. Howard County

- Economic connectedness: 1.15
- Median Income: $129,549
- Population: 329,248

4. Harford County

- Economic connectedness: 1.11
- Median Income: $98,495
- Population: 259,162

5. Queen Anne's County

- Economic connectedness: 1.07
- Median Income: $99,597
- Population: 49,702

These are the 5 best counties where children have the best opportunity for economic mobility in Maryland.

Disclaimer: This article is only for informational & educational purposes.