Wicomico County Medicare at a glance
| Wicomico County | Maryland | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 18,040 | 1,066,384 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 17.2% | 17.3% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 22,164 | 1,206,222 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 6,059 | 298,863 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 27.3% | 24.8% statewide |
Data: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 population estimates); CMS, September 2026. Medicare Advantage share is enrollees divided by people with Medicare.
With roughly 18,040 residents age 65 and older, Wicomico County is 13th among 24 Maryland counties for older residents. That group is 17.2% of its population, compared with 17.3% across Maryland. The 6,485 residents now between 60 and 64 will become Medicare-eligible soon, and our turning 65 guide walks through it. Census 2023 estimates show 60% of the 65-plus population is under 75, 31% is 75 to 84 and 9% is 85 or older. CMS data show 27.3% of Wicomico County residents with Medicare chose Medicare Advantage, which is close to the 24.8% average across Maryland. A county average does not tell you which kind of plan fits you. Whether Medicare Advantage or Original Medicare with a Medigap plan is the better fit depends on your doctors, your prescriptions and how you want to handle costs, so we compare both for your ZIP code.
Who has Medicare in Wicomico County
Wicomico County is a metro county; the U.S. Department of Agriculture describes it as: counties in metro areas of fewer than 250,000 population. Metro counties usually have more hospitals and more insurers competing for Medicare members, so there can be more plans to compare.
CMS counts 22,267 Medicare beneficiaries in Wicomico County (2023). Their average age is 72, about the same as the Maryland average of 73. About 22% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, higher than the state figure of 17%. Where many people have both, special plans for dual-eligible members can matter; see our Medicaid and dual eligible guide, since availability varies by plan and area.
Among people in Original Medicare in Wicomico County, CMS reported about 681 emergency room visits and 228 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is higher than the state average for emergency visits (555) and close to it for hospital stays (217). About 10% received home health care. These figures describe how people use care under Original Medicare; they do not show what any plan covers or costs.
Sources: CMS Medicare Geographic Variation, 2023; USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, 2023.
Medicare Advantage and Part D plan availability and provider networks are set county by county, so the plans open to you in Wicomico County may differ from those in a neighboring county. We are not based in Wicomico County; we help Wicomico County residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Wicomico County
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists this hospital in Wicomico County:
- Tidalhealth Peninsula Regional — Salisbury (acute care; nonprofit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 4 of 5)
Being located in the county is not the same as being in your plan’s network. Each Medicare Advantage plan builds its own network, so we confirm that your hospital and your doctors are included before you choose. Ratings are CMS Care Compare overall hospital star ratings; they describe the hospital, not whether a plan covers it. Source: CMS Hospital General Information.
Wicomico County: communities and ZIP codes
The largest communities in Wicomico County by 2023 Census population estimates are Salisbury (33,159), Fruitland (5,869), Delmar (4,569), Pittsville (1,637), Hebron (1,105), Willards (977). Each figure counts only the people living inside the county.
ZIP codes that fall mostly inside Wicomico County include 21801, 21804, 21810, 21814, 21826, 21830, 21837, 21840, 21849, 21850, 21856, 21861, 21865, 21874 and 1 more. Plan availability can change by ZIP code, so have yours ready when we compare plans.
Questions about Medicare in Wicomico County?
Reach out to us: fill out our short form or call (571) 354-0146, and a licensed agent will compare the plans available to you, check your doctors and drugs, and stay with you each year at renewal. For general Medicare information, the federal helpline is 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Medicare resources from official sources
- Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov, searchable by ZIP code.
- Social Security: Medicare to enroll or check status.
- Medicare.gov: Medigap on how Medicare Supplement works.
- Maryland Health Connection, Maryland’s own health insurance exchange, if you are not yet on Medicare.
- Maryland Insurance Administration: Maryland’s insurance regulator, including agent license lookup.
Coverage we offer Wicomico County residents
We work with many carriers, which lets us compare more than one option for Wicomico County households, including life insurance, final expense insurance, annuities, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap), Part D drug plans, ACA health insurance, ICHRA and group health insurance.
Get a clear answer for Wicomico County
A short call is enough to compare your options. Our help is free to you.
Get my plan comparisonPlain-English Medicare answers
- What happens if you do nothing during open enrollment?
- Medicare 101 for families
- Why a Medicare Advantage plan drops a doctor or drug
- When can you switch Medicare plans? Every enrollment window
Wicomico County compared with similar Maryland counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cecil County | 18,651 | 21.8% | 16% | Metro |
| St. Mary's County | 16,904 | 16.9% | 14% | Metro |
| Calvert County | 16,037 | 18.3% | 11% | Metro |
| Charles County | 24,347 | 25.0% | 14% | Metro |
| Queen Anne's County | 11,200 | 17.1% | 10% | Metro |
| Washington County | 28,617 | 24.1% | 20% | Metro |
See every Maryland county in our Maryland directory or go to our Maryland Medicare hub.