Figure 8 DEMOGRAPHIC INDICATORS Residential growth continues and when compared to enrollments, indicates additional school capacity may be needed. WCPS implemented a School Boundary Adjustment in SY 2025-2026 to better balance enrollments across the district. Wicomico County’s total population as estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimate is 104,117 (county + municipalities). The County’s population has increased 11 out of 12 years between 2010 and 2022 and is projected to continue on a growth trend. While births in Wicomico County have seen a slight increase, Net International Migration is also trending upward, aligning with growth in the population under age 20 across fiveyear age cohorts. This pattern suggests that households are continuing to move into Wicomico County from other areas. Between the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates for 2014-2018 and 2019-2023, the estimated foreign-born population increased by approximately 14%, with a corresponding 12% increase in non-U.S. citizens. These demographic trends are consistent with growth in the Multilingual Learner (ML) population experienced by WCPS in recent years. Despite these underlying growth indicators, overall student enrollment declined during the 2025-2026 school year, with more pronounced impacts among multilingual learners. Statewide data indicates that school districts with higher concentrations of immigrant families, including Wicomico County, are particularly sensitive to enrollment fluctuations driven by non-educational factors, such as heightened fear and uncertainty related to immigration enforcement and national political rhetoric, which may discourage enrollment and consistent participation in public school. This if being followed closely to see if a trend develops. 14.7% 32.9% 23.9% 16.2% 12.2% Children (0-9 years) Teens (10-19) Young Adults (20-44) Adults (45-64) Seniors (65+) Wicomico County Demographics 113
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