Table 55. Selected Operator Characteristics for Principal, Second, and Third Operator: 2012 
[For meaning of abbreviations and symbols, see introductory text.] 
Characteristics 
All operators 1 
Principal operator 
Second operator 
Third operator 
Operators number 
19,055 
12,256 
5,693 
1,106 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
12,918 
9,960 
2,328 
630 
Spouse of principal operator 
841 
(X) 
819 
22 
Female 
6,137 
2,296 
3,365 
476 
Spouse of principal operator 
2,975 
(X) 
2,861 
114 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
8,876 
5,996 
2,371 
509 
Other 
10,179 
6,260 
3,322 
597 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
15,008 
9,898 
4,481 
629 
Not on farm operated 
4,047 
2,358 
1,212 
477 
Days worked off farm: 
None 
7,325 
4,860 
2,086 
379 
Any 
11,730 
7,396 
3,607 
727 
1 to 49 days 
1,679 
1,082 
506 
91 
50 to 99 days 
759 
426 
244 
89 
100 to 199 days 
1,628 
971 
536 
121 
200 days or more 
7,664 
4,917 
2,321 
426 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
841 
371 
318 
152 
3 or 4 years 
969 
480 
376 
113 
5 to 9 years 
2,869 
1,606 
1,023 
240 
10 years or more 
14,376 
9,799 
3,976 
601 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
672 
279 
250 
143 
3 or 4 years 
806 
378 
323 
105 
5 to 9 years 
2,475 
1,331 
930 
214 
10 years or more 
15,102 
10,268 
4,190 
644 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
387 
75 
132 
180 
25 to 34 years 
1,230 
528 
510 
192 
35 to 44 years 
1,944 
1,037 
722 
185 
45 to 54 years 
4,675 
2,853 
1,595 
227 
55 to 64 years 
5,259 
3,475 
1,597 
187 
65 to 74 years 
3,661 
2,740 
835 
86 
75 years and over 
1,899 
1,548 
302 
49 
Average age 
56.4 
59.0 
53.1 
43.9 
Number of persons living in household 
40,093 
32,940 
5,290 
1,863 
1 Data were collected for a maximum of three operators per farm. 
42 Maryland 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
