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Salisbury ( ) is a city in and the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of
Wicomico County, Maryland Wicomico County ( ) is a County (United States), county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Maryland, on the Delmarva Peninsula. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 103,588. The county seat is ...
, United States. Salisbury is the largest city in the state's Eastern Shore region, with a population of 33,050 at the 2020 census. Salisbury is the principal city of the Salisbury, Maryland Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is a commercial hub of the Delmarva Peninsula.


History

Salisbury's location at the head of Wicomico River was a major factor in growth. At first, it was a small colonial outpost set up by Lord Baltimore. Salisbury was established in 1732. Salisbury's location at the head of the Wicomico River was seen to be a convenient location for trading purposes. Due to the similar physical attributes as well as the nationality of Salisbury's founders, many historians believe that the name was inspired by the city of Salisbury, England, an ancient cathedral city. Salisbury was officially incorporated as a city in 1854. Salisbury also had a role in the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
, as it served as a location where Union forces encamped in order to search for sympathizers from the South. These Union forces also worked to inhibit the movement of contraband to Confederate forces in the South. Fires struck Salisbury in both 1860 and 1886, burning through two-thirds of the Town. Despite the fires, Salisbury and the country that surrounded it continued to grow, and Salisbury was considered to be the major town of the county. In 1909, the Humphrey's Dam burst, flooding portions of Salisbury. In 1867, when Wicomico County was formed out of parts of both
Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...
and Worcester Counties, Salisbury became the government seat. In 1898 and 1931, three Black men were lynched in Salisbury. Town leaders, including the fire chief and police chief, were allegedly complicit in the lynchings. In 1968, protests occurred in Salisbury after a police officer fatally shot a deaf and mute African-American man. The protests prompted Maryland Governor
Spiro Agnew Spiro Theodore Agnew (; November 9, 1918 – September 17, 1996) was the 39th vice president of the United States, serving from 1969 until his resignation in 1973. He is the second of two vice presidents to resign, the first being John C. ...
to declare
Martial Law Martial law is the replacement of civilian government by military rule and the suspension of civilian legal processes for military powers. Martial law can continue for a specified amount of time, or indefinitely, and standard civil liberties ...
and send the Maryland National Guard to Salisbury. Today, Salisbury attracts a wide variety of different businesses in addition to the county, state, and federal government offices. Adding to the diversity of Salisbury, the City is host to a wide variety of events celebrating local culture and the arts. These events includ
3rd Friday
an event held in downtown Salisbury on the third Friday of each month, celebrating local music, artists, and nonprofit organizations. Salisbury is also home to a historical City Park, the Salisbury Zoo, The Centre at Salisbury shopping mall, and the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center. The Gillis-Grier House, Honeysuckle Lodge, Sen. William P. Jackson House, Pemberton Hall, Perry-Cooper House, Poplar Hill Mansion,
Union Station A union station, union terminal, joint station, or joint-use station is a railway station at which the tracks and facilities are shared by two or more separate railway company, railway companies, allowing passengers to connect conveniently bet ...
, and F. Leonard Wailes Law Office are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
. On 7 August 2017, an EF1 tornado went through downtown Salisbury. The damage marker leading to the rating goes as follows, "Small Retail Building ast Food RestaurantsUplift of roof decking; significant loss of roof covering." The tornado reached maximum intensity over Dogwood Park, Salisbury.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The city is situated above sea level. The nearest major cities are
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
, away, Washington, D.C., away, and
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, away.


Climate

Salisbury's location on the
Atlantic Coastal Plain The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...
in Maryland gives it a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
(
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
''Cfa''), with hot, humid summers and, on average, cool to mild winters. The monthly daily average temperature at nearby Wicomico Regional Airport ranges from in January to in July; on average, there are 30 days of + highs annually and 7 days where the high fails to rise above freezing. On average, Salisbury annually receives around of precipitation, with of snowfall per year. Record temperatures range from on January 11, 1942, up to on July 21, 1930 and August 7, 1918. However, temperatures reaching and lower, or and higher, are rare, having last occurred January 9, 2017 and July 27, 2012, respectively.


Demographics

Salisbury is the principal city of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of
Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...
, Wicomico, and Worcester counties in
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...
and Sussex County in
Delaware Delaware ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states, South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey ...
.


2000 census

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, there were 23,743 people, 9,061 households, and 4,802 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 9,612 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 60.71%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 32.32%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.23% Native American, 3.19% Asian, 0.03%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 1.47% from other races, and 2.06% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 3.39% of the population. There were 9,061 households, out of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.4% were married couples living together, 18.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.0% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.00. In 2005, 324 new single family homes were built, with an average value of $119,358. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 21.8% under the age of 18, 21.8% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 17.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.9 males. The median income for a household in the city was $29,191, and the median income for a family was $35,527. Males had a median income of $26,829 versus $21,920 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $15,228. About 16.5% of families and 23.8% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 28.9% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.


2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 30,343 people, 11,983 households, and 6,040 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 13,401 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 55.7%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 34.4%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.3% Native American, 3.2% Asian, 0.1%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 3.1% from other races, and 3.2% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 7.0% of the population. There were 11,983 households, of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 26.4% were married couples living together, 19.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 49.6% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.04. The median age in the city was 28.1 years. 21.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 22.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.4% were from 25 to 44; 18.8% were from 45 to 64; and 11.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.3% male and 53.7% female.


2020 census

As of the census of 2020, there were 33,050 people and 12,542 households in the city. The population density was . The racial makeup of the city was 41.2%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 42.0%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.5% Native American, 3.7% Asian, 0.1%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, and 7.4% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 9.2% of the population. The average household had 2.50 persons. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 6.9% under the age of 5, 16.0% from 5 to 17, 65.6% from 18 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 45.7% male and 54.3% female. The median income for a household in the city was $41,905. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $21,990. About 24.7% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
.


Crime


Notable crimes

Garfield King () was a black man lynched by a mob in Salisbury. He was hung next to the courthouse after he reportedly shot Herman Kenney, a 22-year-old white man with a revolver after arguing with him. In December 1931, Salisbury was the site of another lynching of a black man. Matthew Williams was accused of murdering his white employer, Daniel J. (DJ) Elliot, at his office on Lake Street. The authorities found D.J. Elliot dead at his desk, his son, James Elliot present, and Matthew Williams incapacitated by several gunshot wounds. After being taken to Peninsula General Hospital, a 300-man white mob threw Williams from a second-floor window to the crowd below, where he was stabbed, tied to a truck and dragged three blocks to the county court house. There they hanged him from a tree, before he had any chance of a trial. The mob paraded Williams' body through the black part of Salisbury for intimidation, and mutilated and burned him. It was the 32nd lynching in Maryland since 1882. No one was prosecuted for Williams' killing, as was typical in lynchings. As of 2007, there was no commemoration of the extrajudicial killing. A 2017 memorial for Matthew Williams reignited the call for commemoration of the lynchings, with the known location of Matthew Williams' lynching (Wicomico County Circuit Courthouse lawn) emerging as the focal point. On this site, however, stood a sign some saw as antithetical to the sacred nature of the site as the location of one of the last lynchings in Maryland: a marker commemorating Confederate General John H. Winder. A 2018 documentary film (''The Sign'') was produced, documenting and unraveling the complexities of this conflict, "exposing deep wounds from the complicated history of the Eastern Shore." In January 2020, Mayor Jake Day announced the formation of a Lynching Memorial Task Force which was tasked with "coordinating with the Equal Justice Initiative's Community Remembrance Project to facilitate the creation of a permanent monument in honor and solemn remembrance of the three American citizens who lost their lives at the hands of lynch mobs in Wicomico County." On July 5, 2023, a mass shooting occurred during a block party just outside of the city limits, leading to the death of a 14-year-old child and seven other injuries. Following an investigation involving the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office and the Salisbury Police Department, the suspected shooter was arrested on September 11.


Statistics

Crime in 2019 was the lowest in the city's history, with the five safest years on record being 1986, 1996, 2016, 2018, and 2019. Part One crimes, which are included in the table to the right, consist of the more serious crimes, including shoplifting, burglary, assault, theft, and rape.


Government

Salisbury is a municipality within Wicomico County. The form of government is strong-mayor, as defined by the City Charter. In this form, executive functions are vested in a popularly elected
mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
who serves a four-year term; currently John 'Jack' R. Heath. The Mayor is the chief executive officer and the head of the administrative branch of the city government. In that role, he is responsible for overseeing the various departments in the city, ensuring that the ordinances of the city are executed, providing an annual report on the financial condition and accomplishments of the city, appointing the heads of all departments and members of committees and commissions, prepare an annual budget, and supervise the City Administrator who manages day-to-day functions. The City Administrator is the supervisor of all department heads, except the City Clerk and City Attorney. The City Administrator may also perform all other tasks delegated by the Mayor. Legislative and oversight functions are the purview of the elected council. The five council members are elected to four-year terms from the city's five districts. City elections are non-partisan. The council meets in regular session the second and fourth Monday of each month in Council Chambers. Council work sessions are held the first and third Monday of each month. The council also holds the ability to fill vacancies in the council or appoint an acting mayor when a vacancy occurs.


Mayors of Salisbury

there have been 29 mayors of Salisbury, listed to the right. During times of extended absence, a mayor may delegate the majority of their duties to the City Administrator, such in 2020 when Mayor Jacob R. Day was deployed to Africa as an information operations officer with the 110th Information Operations Battalion of the Maryland Army National Guard. Mayor Day said "City Administrator Julia Glanz will take over executive duties for the duration of the deployment". Vacancies in the office of the mayor are filled by a majority vote of the City Council, with an Acting Mayor.


All-America City Award

On June 18, 2010 Salisbury received the All-America City Award. The City received the award for three projects: * The revitalization of Rose and Lake Street neighborhoods in partnership with nonprofit organization Salisbury Neighborhood Housing, Inc, the State of Maryland, Parkside High School CTE program, Hebron Savings Bank, and a grant from the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore. * The Youth Leadership Academy which developed leadership in students in grades 8–11. * Homeless initiatives including the Code Blue Shelter operated by nonprofit organization Hope And Life Outreach (HALO) with assistance for veterans from nonprofit NATRA, Inc., which provides counseling services.


Economy and businesses

According to the US Conference of Mayors, the Salisbury MD-DE Metropolitan Statistical Area had the 7th fastest rate of job growth in the nation in 2016, with a 4.2% increase in employment. Perdue Farms, a multi-national poultry corporation, is headquartered in Salisbury. Other industries in Salisbury include healthcare, accommodation and foodservice,
electronic component An electronic component is any basic discrete electronic device or physical entity part of an electronic system used to affect electrons or their associated fields. Electronic components are mostly industrial products, available in a singula ...
manufacturing,
pharmaceuticals Medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal product, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy ( pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the ...
,
shipbuilding Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other Watercraft, floating vessels. In modern times, it normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation th ...
, and
agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...
. Some of the major employers in Salisbury include: Salisbury University, Verizon, Peninsula Regional Medical Center, The Knowland Group, Handy Seafood and Pepsi Bottling of Delmarva. Peninsula Regional Medical Center employs more Salisbury residents than any other company, while Perdue Farms is the largest employer headquartered in Salisbury (with nearly 22,000 employees). The labor market for Wicomico County is 45,033 and for the lower shore three counties a total of 86,798 (as of May 2017). Piedmont Airlines, a regional airline, is headquartered in unincorporated Wicomico County, on the grounds of Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico Regional Airport near Salisbury.


Education

Public schools are under the jurisdiction of Wicomico County Public Schools. Several private institutions maintain academic programs within the city. Post secondary:
Public: Salisbury University and Wor-Wic Community College Secondary:
Public: James M. Bennett High School, Parkside High School, Wicomico High School, Salisbury Middle School, Wicomico Middle School, and Bennett Middle School
Private: Faith Baptist School, Salisbury Baptist Academy, St. Francis de Sales, Salisbury Christian School, Stepping Stones Learning Academy, The Salisbury School, and Wicomico Day School Elementary:
Public: Chipman, East Salisbury, Glen Avenue, North Salisbury, Pemberton, Pinehurst, Prince Street, West Salisbury, and Westside Intermediate
Private: Faith Baptist School, Salisbury Christian School, St. Francis de Sales, Stepping Stones Learning Academy, The Salisbury School, and Wicomico Day School Libraries: Some of the libraries in Salisbury are branches of the Wicomico Public Library. The Paul S. Sarbanes branch, the largest branch in the system, is located in downtown Salisbury.


Media


Periodicals

* '' The Daily Times'' * Salisbury Independent – weekly publication of Independent Newsmedia Inc. * ''The Metropolitan Magazine'' – monthly magazine * ''Wicomico Weekly'' – weekly publication of the ''Daily Times''


Radio

* WGBZ – 88.3 FM – Christian contemporary * W206AY – 89.1 FM –
Religious Religion is a range of social- cultural systems, including designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relate humanity to supernatural ...
* W282AW – 104.3 FM – Classic hits * WSCL – 89.5 FM –
National Public Radio National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...
, Classical * W204AY – 89.9 FM –
Religious Religion is a range of social- cultural systems, including designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relate humanity to supernatural ...
* WDIH – 90.3 FM –
Religious Religion is a range of social- cultural systems, including designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relate humanity to supernatural ...
* WESM – 91.3 FM –
Jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
* W220CT – 91.9 FM – Christian contemporary * WNKZ-FM – 92.5 FM – Christian contemporary * WZBH – 93.5 FM – Rock * WKDB – 95.3 FM –
Adult contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...
* WKZP – 95.9 FM –
Top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is a list of the 40 currently most popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "To ...
* WXSU – 96.3 FM –
College A college (Latin: ''collegium'') may be a tertiary educational institution (sometimes awarding degrees), part of a collegiate university, an institution offering vocational education, a further education institution, or a secondary sc ...
* WAVD – 97.1 FM – Classic hits * WKTT – 97.5 FM –
Hip-Hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...
* WUSX – 98.5 FM –
Country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
* WSBY – 98.9 FM – Urban adult contemporary * WWFG – 99.9 FM –
Country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
* WRBY-LP – 100.5 FM – multi-categorical broadcasting in
Haitian Creole Haitian Creole (; , ; , ), or simply Creole (), is a French-based creole languages, French-based creole language spoken by 10 to 12million people worldwide, and is one of the two official languages of Haiti (the other being French), where it ...
* WICO-FM – 101.1 FM Classic country * WJKI-FM – 103.5 FM –
Classic rock Classic rock is a radio format that developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, it comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the early-1990s, primarily focusing on comm ...
* WRDE-FM – 103.9 FM –
Country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
* WQHQ – 104.7 FM –
Adult contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...
* W286AX – 105.1 FM – Christian contemporary * WLDW – 105.5 FM – Gospel/Christian * WGBG-FM – 107.7 FM –
Classic rock Classic rock is a radio format that developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, it comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the early-1990s, primarily focusing on comm ...
* WTGM – 960 AM –
Sports Sport is a physical activity or game, often competitive and organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The number of participants in ...
* WJKI – 1320 AM –
Classic rock Classic rock is a radio format that developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, it comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the early-1990s, primarily focusing on comm ...
* WJDY – 1470 AM –
Fox Sports Radio Fox Sports Radio is an Radio in the United States, American Sports radio, sports radio network. Based in Los Angeles, California, the network is operated and managed by Premiere Networks in a content partnership with Fox Corporation's Fox Sports ...


Television

* WBOC Channel 16, DT 16.1 CBS * WBOC-DT2 (Fox 21 Delmarva) DT 21.2 Fox * WBOC-LD (Telemundo Delmarva) Channel 42, DT 42.1/42.2 Telemundo * WRDE-LD Channel 31, DT 31.1 NBC * WRDE-LD2 (MyCoziTV) DT 31.2
MyNetworkTV MyNetworkTV (stylized as mynetworkTV; unofficially abbreviated MNT or MNTV) is an American commercial broadcast television syndication service and former television network owned by Fox Corporation, operated by its Fox Television Stations ...
& Cozi TV * WMDT Channel 47, DT 47.1 ABC * WMDT-DT2 (The CW 3 Delmarva) DT 47.2
The CW The CW Network, LLC (commonly referred to as The CW or simply CW) is an American commercial broadcast television network which is controlled by Nexstar Media Group through a 75% ownership interest. The network's name is derived from the firs ...
* WMDT-DT3 (MeTV) DT 47.3 MeTV * WGDV-LD ( Azteca América) Channel 32, DT 32.1 * WCPB Channel 28, DT 58.1 & 58.2 PBS—additional subchannels 58.3–58.5 * PAC 14 Public, Educational, and Government Access Television Channel 14 (Comcast)


Culture

Museums and other historic facilities include: Salisbury University Arboretum, Salisbury Zoo, Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Edward H. Nabb Center for Delmarva History and Culture, Chipman Cultural Center, and Poplar Hill Mansion.


Parks, playgrounds, and community centers

The City, with input from its Parks and Recreation Committee, maintains numerous parks including Comfort Safety Zone Playground, Doverdale Park and Playground, Elizabeth W. Woodcock Park and Playground, Jeannete P. Chipman Boundless Playground (fully handicapped accessible), Lake Street Park and Playground, Newtown Park, Newtown – Camden Tot Lot Playground, Riverwalk Park, Salisbury City Park and Zoo, Waterside Park, and Naylor Mill Forest Trail. Naylor Mill Forest Trail, at over 92 acres, contains the largest conservation easement inside a municipality, in the State of Maryland. Additionally, the Port of Salisbury Marina is located near downtown Salisbury, in the Marina District. The community manages three Community Gardens, located in Waterside Park, Newton-Camden Tot Lot Playground, and Jeannete P. Chipman Boundless Playground. Wicomico County Public Schools maintains recreational fields and courts at each of the county schools. The county also maintains other parks in the Salisbury area: Billy Gene Jackson Sr. Park, Coulbourn Mill Pond Park, Crooked Oak Playground, Indian Village Playground, Leonards Mill Park, Pemberton Historical Park, Schumaker Park, and Winterplace Park. The City operates two community centers, the Truitt Street Community Center and the Copeland House at Newton Community Center. These centers provide recreational opportunities in addition to arts & crafts, poetry & creative writing, music, and homework assistance for youth and continuing education courses for adults through a partnership with Wor-Wic Community College.


Sports

The Eastern Shore Baseball League was headquartered in Salisbury; two franchises, the Salisbury Cardinals and the Salisbury Indians, called the city home. Today, the Delmarva Shorebirds represent the town in the Low-A East. The Eastern Shore Baseball Hall of Fame is housed at the Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. The Shorebirds are a Single-A Affiliate of the
Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...
. Salisbury also is home to Division 3 Salisbury Seagulls. The Seagulls have been dominant in football, field hockey, baseball, Men's Rugby and lacrosse, including multiple NCAA lacrosse national titles. Seagull Stadium hosts the university's football team while Maggs Gymnasium hosts basketball. Salisbury also has the Wicomico Stallions, a minor league football team; the Salisbury Rollergirls, an all-female, competitive, WFTDA-member, flat-track roller derby league; Doverdale Youth Lacrosse; the Salisbury Rhinos Youth Football; and many programs through the county's Recreation and Parks department.


Events

* Maryland Folk Festival - Began as the National Folk Festival, which was hosted in Salisbury in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022. The City continued the festival as the Maryland Folk Festival, beginning in 2023. * SBY Marathon – A
marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of kilometres ( 26 mi 385 yd), usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There ...
, half-marathon, and 5K held in Salisbury. The marathon is a qualifier for the Boston and New York City Marathons. * Sea Gull Century – Cycle or of Maryland's Eastern Shore each October (hosted by Salisbury University). *Dance for Kindness – Freeze mob/flash mob held in downtown Salisbury each Sunday prior to World Kindness Day. Celebrating kindSBY and Salisbury's designation as USA's first World Kindness USA City by the World Kindness Movement.


Organizations

Community participation through various groups fosters friendliness and betterment. Organizations that sponsor events within the city include: Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce, The Salisbury Junior Chamber of Commerce (aka Salisbury Jaycees), Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore, Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Salisbury Symphony Orchestra, Salisbury Community Band, Community Players of Salisbury, and the Peace Alliance of the Lower Shore. Several churches within the community also boast impressive musical programs, notably Wicomico Presbyterian Church and Asbury United Methodist Church. Salisbury also contains a number of scout troops, chartered at organizations across the city.


Sister cities

Salisbury's
sister cities A sister city or a twin town relationship is International relations, a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there ar ...
are: * Salinas, Ecuador *
Salisbury Salisbury ( , ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers River Avon, Hampshire, Avon, River Nadder, Nadder and River Bourne, Wi ...
, England, United Kingdom *
Tartu Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia after Tallinn. Tartu has a population of 97,759 (as of 2024). It is southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres (152 miles) northeast of Riga, Latvia. Tartu lies on the Emajõgi river, which connects the ...
, Estonia


Transportation

Salisbury is served by two major highways— U.S. Route 13, one of the major north–south routes of the Delmarva Peninsula, and
U.S. Route 50 U.S. Route 50 or U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching from Interstate 80 (I-80) in West Sacramento, California, to Maryland Route 528 (MD 528) in Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlantic ...
, one of the major east–west routes on the peninsula. US 13 connects Salisbury to
Dover, Delaware Dover ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and the List of municipalities in Delaware, second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, Delaware, Kent County and the princ ...
and
Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. It had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Virginia, third-most populous city ...
and is known as the Ocean Highway, while US 50 serves as the main route between the
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
/ Washington region and many of the major cities on Delmarva, including Ocean City; it is known as the Ocean Gateway. US 13 and US 50 originally passed through the central business district, but have been subsequently rerouted onto the Salisbury Bypass, a 3/4 beltway around the city that allows through traffic on US 13 and US 50 to bypass the downtown area; earlier routes of both highways are now U.S. Route 13 Business and U.S. Route 50 Business. Earlier still, US 13 was routed along Division Street and US 50 along Main Street. The city is also served by Maryland Route 12, a rural highway that connects Salisbury to the town of Snow Hill, and Maryland Route 349, a rural highway that connects Salisbury to Nanticoke and Quantico. The Delmarva Central Railroad provides freight rail service to Salisbury. The city is served by daily scheduled American Eagle service to both
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
and
Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 United ...
at the Wicomico Regional Airport. Additionally, the Port of Salisbury offers respite for recreational boaters and commercial tug boats. Salisbury's navigable stop on the Wicomico River is the second largest and second busiest commercial port in
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...
. The city is also served by Shore Transit, which provides local bus service throughout the city, and also services points outside the city within the tri-county area, such as Ocean City's public transportation system. The major transfer point is on Calvert Street, in downtown Salisbury. Greyhound Lines provides intercity bus service to Salisbury from a bus stop at the Shore Transit Tri-County facility. From this stop, direct service is provided to various locations including the Port Authority Bus Terminal in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
,
Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington is the List of municipalities in Delaware, most populous city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish colonization of the Americas, Swedish settlement in North America. It lie ...
, the Baltimore Greyhound Terminal in
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
,
Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. It had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Virginia, third-most populous city ...
, and
Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...
. BayRunner Shuttle offers shuttle service from the Baltimore-Washington International Airport and the BWI Rail Station to Salisbury. Amtrak Thruway service is available via the BayRunner Shuttle to the BWI Rail Station.


Notable people

* Alex Azar, former secretary of the
United States Department of Health and Human Services The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a cabinet-level executive branch department of the US federal government created to protect the health of the US people and providing essential human services. Its motto is ...
* James Cannon Jr., bishop for the
Methodist Episcopal Church The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself nationally. In 1939, th ...
* Norman Conway, Maryland state delegate from 1987–2014 * Alexis Denisof, actor * John Glover, actor * Fernando Guerrero, professional boxer *
Linda Hamilton Linda Carroll Hamilton (born September 26, 1956) is an American actress. Known for portraying tough, resilient characters, she made her film debut in 1979 before achieving fame with her starring role as Sarah Connor (Terminator), Sarah Connor i ...
, actress * John Woodland Hastings, expert in bioluminescence * Bruce Howard, MLB pitcher *
William Humphreys Jackson William Humphreys Jackson (October 15, 1839 – April 3, 1915) represented Maryland's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1901 to 1905 and from 1907 to 1909. His son, William P. Jackson, was a U ...
, Congressman from 1901–1905 and 1907–1909 * William Purnell Jackson, Maryland Congressman from 1912–1914, State Treasurer 1918–1920 * Reid Klopp, professional soccer player * Ogden Nash, author and poet * Frank Perdue, businessman * Jessica Lee Rose, actor *
Paul Sarbanes Paul Spyros Sarbanes (; February 3, 1933 – December 6, 2020) was an American politician and attorney from Maryland. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served in both chambers of the United States Congr ...
, Maryland's second longest-serving U.S. Senator, retired 2007 * Mike Seidel, meteorologist at
The Weather Channel The Weather Channel (TWC) is an American pay television television channel, channel owned by Weather Group, LLC, a subsidiary of Allen Media Group. The channel's headquarters are located in Atlanta, Georgia. Launched on May 2, 1982, the channel ...
since 1992 *
Kevin Shaffer Kevin Carl Shaffer (born March 2, 1980) is a former American football offensive tackle. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL draft. He played college football at Tulsa. Shaffer also played for the Clevel ...
, NFL football player * Matthew Williams, victim of racial violence * Darnell Savage Jr., NFL football player for the Jacksonville Jaguars


See also

* Salisbury Municipal Incinerator


References


External links

* *
City of Salisbury official website
{{Authority control Populated places established in 1732 Cities in Maryland Cities in Wicomico County, Maryland Port cities and towns in Maryland County seats in Maryland Salisbury metropolitan area 1732 establishments in Maryland