Business Climate

Worcester County’s 2,040 businesses employ 20,300 workers; an estimated 13 of these businesses have 100 or more workers. Chicken growing and processing is the major industry in Worcester County. Major private sector employers include Bel-Art Products, Perdue Farms, and Tyson Foods, Inc.

The County has three State Enterprise Zones: a 797-acre zone in Berlin, a 1,117-acre zone in Pocomoke City, and a 325-acre zone in Snow Hill. Worcester County is also one of seven jurisdictions participating in the One Maryland Program which offers significant tax credits for capital investments that create jobs.

LABOR AVAILABILITY

(by place of residence) Worcester County

Civilian Labor Force (2005 annual averages):

  • Total civilian labor force: 27,972
  • Employment: 26,173
  • Unemployment: 1,799
  • Unemployment rate: 6.4%
  • Residents commuting outside the county to work (2000): 5,714 (27.0%)

Employment in selected occupations (2000):

  • Management, professional and related: 6,299 (29.3%)
  • Service: 4,560 (21.2%)
  • Sales and office: 5,971 (27.8%)
  • Production, transp. and material moving: 1,977 (9.2%)

Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, Office of Workforce Information and Performance; U.S. Bureau of the Census.

EMPLOYMENT

(2005, by place of work) Annual

Industry Employment
%
Average
Weekly
Wage
Federal government
201
0.8
$816
State government
327
1.3
643
Local government
3,115
12.7
685
Private sector
20,836
85.1
443
Nat'l. resources and mining
152
0.6
507
Construction
2,086
8.5
575
Manufacturing
998
4.1
614
Trade, transp. and utilities
4,056
16.6
456
Information
125
0.5
702
Financial activities
1,206
4.9
607
Prof. and business services
1,091
4.5
625
Educ. and health services
1,762
7.2
583
Leisure and hospitality
8,643
35.3
310
Other services
714
2.9
399
Unclassified
3
0.0
654
Total
24,479
100.0
480
Note: Percentages may not add due to rounding.
 
Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, Office of Workforce Information and Performance.


SELECTED EMPLOYERS Firm Product Employment

  • Harrison Group Hotels, restaurants 800
  • Atlantic General Hospital, Medical services 599
  • Wal-Mart, Consumer goods 500
  • Clarion Resort Fontainebleau, Hotel/Restaurant 294
  • Candy Kitchen, Candy products 250
  • Castle in the Sand Hotel, restaurant 205
  • Berlin Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Nursing care 200
  • Bel-Art Products Plastic products, laboratory equipment 119
  • Royal Plus Electric, Electrical contractor 112
  • Mid Atlantic Long Term Care, Nursing 70
  • Kelly Foods, Pet foods 65
  • Merial Select, Poultry vaccines 55
  • Paul Jones Lumber, Lumber 50
  • Millville Lumber, Lumber 40
  • Hardwire, Composites 23
  • ARIS, Software 15
  • N.S. Enterprises, Fabric finishing 10
HOURLY WAGE RATES
(2006)
Selected Occupations: Median
Entry
Experienced
Accountants
$21.75
$16.50
$32.00
Bookkeeping/accounting clerks
13.25
10.00
15.25
Computer systems analysts
27.25
17.00
33.75
Customer service representatives
13.00
9.25
16.00
Electrical engineers
32.75
25.50
40.25
Electronic engineering technicians
22.00
14.25
26.25
Freight, stock & mat.movers, hand
9.50
7.25
11.50
Industrial truck operators
12.25
9.50
14.50
Machinists
17.75
15.00
19.75
Maintenance workers, machinery
15.00
9.25
16.75
Mixing & blending mach. operators
13.75
9.00
17.50
Packaging & filling mach. operators
10.75
7.25
13.25
Packers and packagers, hand
6.75
6.00
8.25
Secretaries
12.25
9.00
14.00
Shipping/receiving clerks
11.25
9.00
13.50
Team assemblers
9.25
7.25
13.50

Note: These wages are an estimate of what workers might expect to receive on the Lower Eastern Shore (Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester Counties). Wages may vary by industry, employer, and locality. Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, Office of Workforce Information and Performance.