Somerset County Economic Development Commission
Somerset County
Somerset County, Maryland
Somerset County Labor Profile
Somerset County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore is bounded by the Chesapeake Bay to the west and Virginia to the south, and is the state’s southernmost county. It is located approximately 100 miles from the Baltimore/Washington, Wilmington/ Philadelphia, and Norfolk/Hampton Roads metro areas. Crisfield and Princess Anne are the major business and industrial centers. Somerset’s 420 businesses employ 3,740 workers; major employers include Sysco Eastern Maryland, Handy International, Mountaire Farms, PNC, Rubberset, Eastern Correctional Institute and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
 
Somerset is a major seafood processor and poultry producer, and provides a rich agricultural harvest. Princess Anne is the county seat and home of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, which offers a doctoral program in marine, estuarine and environmental sciences. The county has a 792 acre Enterprise Zone in Crisfield and a 1,155 acre Enterprise Zone in Princess Anne. Somerset participates in the One Maryland Program, which offers significant tax credits for capital investments that create jobs. Plans for a hotel conference center are moving forward along with the future development of an industrial park in the City of Crisfield. The Economic Development Commission is working to assist in the commercial development of the Crisfield waterfront and to attract aerospace industry, natural gas, wind, solar and energy projects.




Employer                                           Product/Service       Employment

·        University of Maryland       Higher education               895

Eastern Shore (UMES)

·        Sysco Eastern Maryland      Food products distribution 450

·        Somerset Community          Services for the disabled    425

Services

·        McCready Health                         Medical services                300

·        Aurora Sr. Living of Manokin    Nursing care                 175

·        Sherwin Williams / Rubberset  Paint brushes                 150

·        So. Connection Seafood*    Seafood processing,          130

distribution

·        Three Lower Counties        Medical services                  105

Community Services

·        Metompkin Bay Oyster*   Seafood processing, distrib. 70

·        Eastern Shore Drywall        Drywall, insulation contract . 60

·        Mountaire Farms                 Chicken hatchery                       50

·        Tidewater Express               Trucking services                 40

·        Northrop Grumman            Engineering services            35

·        Halal Poultry                        Food processing                   30

·        Handy International*        Seafood processing             30

·        PNC Financial Services Grp.    Banking services            30

·        Peaky’s Restaurant               Restaurant                          25

·        Smith Island Baking             Cake manuf. and distribution  25

·        U.S. Coast Guard**              Mariner assistance            25

·        Washington Inn & Tavern   Restaurant                          25

Somerset County