Farm operations
869
Avg 140 ac / farm
2022 USDA Census MD · FIPS 24043 Upper-middle by state sales HEAVY CROP-LED
Washington County, Maryland - Farm Data
Agricultural and commodity intelligence for Washington County. Ranked #10 of 23 counties in Maryland.
121,251 acres of agricultural land
- Cropland
- 69.7% 84,464 acres
- Other land
- 30.3% 36,787 acres
USDA NASS · 2022 Census of Agriculture
Washington County received $16.25 in Census government payments per agricultural acre, 2.1× the Maryland county median of $7.71.
According to the USDA NASS 2022 Census of Agriculture.
- $16.25
- government payments per agricultural acre
- $7.71
- Maryland county median per acre
- 2.11×
- Maryland median per acre
Payments per acre use the same NASS county table for receipts and acreage. Census county totals are not a roll-up of the USDA ERS state payment series.
According to the 2022 USDA NASS Census of Agriculture, Washington County, Maryland is a CROP-LED county with federal farm payments per acre that stamp HEAVY; commodity sales sit above state median and it shows below-typical federal dependence.
Commodity sales
$167.9M
1.5× state median -- Above state median
Federal payments
$2.0M
1.2% of sales -- Below-typical dependence
Net farm income
$53.0M
2022 cash income -- Typical net income
C
Farm economy grade: C -- Washington County's net farm income sits at the 70th percentile among 3,046 NASS-reporting counties nationally (2022 Census). Percentile-benchmarked, not a same-state comparison like the tier label above.
What the Washington County Farm Data Shows
Washington County, Maryland reads as a CROP-LED county with HEAVY federal payment intensity. In the NASS Census vocabulary this portal uses, cropland is 50% to 75% of agricultural land, a profile where ARC/PLC eligibility and crop insurance density matter more than pasture-side disaster titles; payments per agricultural acre fall in the second-highest national quintile, $11.30 to $18.39 an acre, heavy federal support relative to the acreage.
The state comparisons on this page use the 23 of 23 Maryland counties with published commodity sales, averaging the two central values when the count is even. Payments per acre use the 23 counties that report both receipts and acreage, and net-income peers are the 22 that reported a profit.
Pair the payment peers below before treating any single county as representative of Maryland.
Read with Washington County
Nearest NASS federal-payment peers and $/acre poles for Washington (HEAVY · CROP-LED), replacing the old fixed Related and same-state alphabetical strip.
HEAVY CROP-LED
Marshall County, OK · MID
$2.0M federal receipts is higher by $1K than Washington; land stamp PASTURE-LED vs CROP-LED.
Elmore County, ID · LIGHT
$2.0M federal receipts is higher by $2K than Washington; land stamp MIXED vs CROP-LED.
Shelby County, IN · MID
$2.0M federal receipts is lower by $2K than Washington; land stamp CROP-HEAVY vs CROP-LED.
Huron County, OH · MID
$2.0M federal receipts is lower by $3K than Washington; land stamp CROP-HEAVY vs CROP-LED.
Wadena County (HEAVY $/acre pole)
Wadena sits near Washington on payments-per-acre ($16.23) while total receipts differ.
Northumberland County (HEAVY $/acre pole)
Northumberland sits near Washington on payments-per-acre ($16.42) while total receipts differ.
Maryland ERS state roll-up
Washington stamps HEAVY · CROP-LED inside Maryland's NASS county table, open the state ERS payment stack next.
Census payments leaderboard
Open the national ranking of U.S. counties by NASS federal farm program payments to see the counties around Washington under the HEAVY intensity band.
What to do with this
From Washington County, Maryland, these three pages are the natural next reads:
- See how Maryland compares nationally on ERS farm payments and income. Maryland state page
- Browse the full county table to compare payment intensity across the country. All counties
- Understand what actually drives county-level farm payments. Read the guide
County figures (2022 NASS Census of Agriculture) are a separate population from USDA ERS state and national payment series and must not be summed together.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many farms are in Washington County, Maryland?
Washington County, Maryland has 869 farms (2022 USDA Census). Average farm size 140 acres; land stamp CROP-LED.
What is the total agricultural production value of Washington County?
Washington County's total commodity sales are $167.9M (2022 Census of Agriculture), ranking #10 among 23 counties in Maryland.
How much federal farm assistance does Washington County receive?
Washington County received $2.0M in federal government farm program receipts (2022), stamping HEAVY on NASS payments-per-acre ($16.25/acre) with a CROP-LED land mix.
What is the net farm income in Washington County?
Net cash farm income for operations in Washington County is $53.0M (2022 Census of Agriculture).
State Overview
Maryland
23 counties · View state farm data
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service 2022 Census of Agriculture · 2022
Dollar values reflect calendar year 2022 farm operations data.
PlainFarmData is an independent data portal, not affiliated with USDA, FSA, or any government agency. For official program eligibility or application guidance, contact your local USDA Farm Service Agency office.
Intensity stamp HEAVY · land stamp CROP-LED (NASS payments-per-acre / cropland share bands).
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified. Verify with USDA NASS Census of Agriculture →
County farm figures on this page are rendered from the USDA NASS 2022 Census of Agriculture, no number is typed in by an editor. Census county totals are not a roll-up of the USDA ERS state payment series. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.