County housing intelligence
Maryland Housing Market by County
Maryland is not one housing market. Across 24 counties, the median county home value is $380,550 and the median county rent is $1,402/mo. The useful question is not whether Maryland is cheap. It is which county fits your income, tax tolerance, and buy-versus-rent plan.
County median home value
$380,550
Median of county medians, less distorted by the largest metros.
County median rent
$1,402/mo
Gross rent includes rent plus utilities where Census reports it.
Counties compared
24
Every county with available ACS housing data in this state.
Fast answers
Start with the housing question.
Market brief
The state-level housing signal
These benchmarks use the median county in the state, not one metro-weighted average. That makes the brief better for county comparison and rural-to-urban screening.
Purchase price
State county median vs national benchmark
Rent
State county median vs national benchmark
Owner cost
State county median vs national benchmark
Income base
State county median vs national benchmark
Tax rate
State county median vs national benchmark
The Maryland Pattern
These are the signals a statewide average hides. Start here before choosing counties to compare.
Price geography
Montgomery County, Howard County, Anne Arundel County sit at the top of the purchase market, while Allegany County, Somerset County, Baltimore city anchor the lower-cost end.
Rent reality
Howard County, Anne Arundel County, Montgomery County lead on rent, while Garrett County, Allegany County, Somerset County show where monthly lease costs are lowest.
Decision lens
Allegany County, Somerset County, Wicomico County screen best for purchase affordability when home values are measured against local household income.
Best Counties by Housing Goal
Different households need different rankings. Price alone is not enough, so these groups compare rent, income, owner costs, and tax exposure.
Cheapest to buy
Lowest median home values. Useful for purchase-price screening.
- 1. Allegany County
$154,900
- 2. Somerset County
$173,200
- 3. Baltimore city
$229,600
- 4. Garrett County
$235,300
- 5. Wicomico County
$254,700
Best buy affordability
Lowest home-value-to-income ratios. Better than price alone.
- 1. Allegany County
2.6x home-value-to-income
- 2. Somerset County
2.7x home-value-to-income
- 3. Wicomico County
3.3x home-value-to-income
- 4. Calvert County
3.4x home-value-to-income
- 5. Harford County
3.4x home-value-to-income
Cheapest to rent
Lowest median gross rent among counties with ACS rent data.
- 1. Garrett County
$765/mo
- 2. Allegany County
$805/mo
- 3. Somerset County
$1,013/mo
- 4. Dorchester County
$1,032/mo
- 5. Caroline County
$1,105/mo
Lowest rent burden
Where typical renters spend the smallest share of income on rent.
- 1. Garrett County
24.6% rent burden
- 2. Allegany County
27.2% rent burden
- 3. St. Mary's County
27.9% rent burden
- 4. Calvert County
28.6% rent burden
- 5. Washington County
28.8% rent burden
Lowest tax-rate signal
Lowest effective property-tax rates in the state data.
- 1. Talbot County
0.65% effective tax rate
- 2. Worcester County
0.73% effective tax rate
- 3. Garrett County
0.78% effective tax rate
- 4. Queen Anne's County
0.78% effective tax rate
- 5. Washington County
0.84% effective tax rate
Owner-cost advantage
Counties where median owner costs are furthest below median rent.
- 1. Somerset County
$58/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 2. Wicomico County
$40/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 3. Baltimore County
$9/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 4. Allegany County
$-17/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 5. Anne Arundel County
$-23/mo cheaper to own than rent
Income-backed value
Higher-income counties that still hold a reasonable value-to-income profile.
- 1. Calvert County
$133,922 income, 3.4x value-to-income
- 2. Howard County
$149,763 income, 4.0x value-to-income
- 3. St. Mary's County
$119,446 income, 3.4x value-to-income
- 4. Charles County
$122,816 income, 3.5x value-to-income
- 5. Anne Arundel County
$124,911 income, 3.7x value-to-income
Tradeoffs to Check
The best page is not the one that crowns a winner. It is the one that shows where a county can surprise you after the headline price looks attractive.
| Signal | County | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap price, weaker income base | Allegany County $154,900 home value, $59,603 income | Low purchase prices can still feel tight when local wages are also low. |
| Affordable homes, higher tax rate | Allegany County $154,900 home value, 1.06% tax rate | A low home price can be offset by the annual property-tax bill. |
| Renter pressure | Dorchester County $1,032/mo rent, 34.60% rent burden | Monthly rent alone does not show whether renters can comfortably absorb the cost. |
| Expensive, but income-supported | Montgomery County $640,300 home value, $132,450 income | Some high-price counties also have stronger incomes, so affordability depends on both sides of the equation. |
Lowest home values
Best value-to-income
Lowest rents
Compare Every Maryland County
Sorted by home-value-to-income ratio so the first rows are not just cheap counties, but counties where purchase prices look smaller relative to local income.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Income | Value/Income | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegany County | $154,900 | $805/mo | $59,603 | 2.6x | 1.06% |
| Somerset County | $173,200 | $1,013/mo | $64,943 | 2.7x | 0.92% |
| Wicomico County | $254,700 | $1,327/mo | $76,210 | 3.3x | 0.85% |
| Calvert County | $460,200 | $1,759/mo | $133,922 | 3.4x | 0.84% |
| Harford County | $386,400 | $1,586/mo | $112,265 | 3.4x | 0.89% |
| St. Mary's County | $407,600 | $1,747/mo | $119,446 | 3.4x | 0.84% |
| Charles County | $428,500 | $1,920/mo | $122,816 | 3.5x | 1.01% |
| Garrett County | $235,300 | $765/mo | $67,688 | 3.5x | 0.78% |
| Anne Arundel County | $467,900 | $2,071/mo | $124,911 | 3.7x | 0.85% |
| Baltimore city | $229,600 | $1,331/mo | $62,177 | 3.7x | 1.46% |
| Carroll County | $434,000 | $1,427/mo | $118,211 | 3.7x | 0.91% |
| Cecil County | $343,400 | $1,377/mo | $92,007 | 3.7x | 0.89% |
| Baltimore County | $349,300 | $1,627/mo | $91,768 | 3.8x | 1.07% |
| Frederick County | $464,600 | $1,774/mo | $122,002 | 3.8x | 0.99% |
| Washington County | $296,100 | $1,147/mo | $77,747 | 3.8x | 0.84% |
| Howard County | $597,900 | $2,099/mo | $149,763 | 4.0x | 1.17% |
| Kent County | $330,900 | $1,209/mo | $80,147 | 4.1x | 0.91% |
| Queen Anne's County | $462,700 | $1,619/mo | $112,826 | 4.1x | 0.78% |
| Caroline County | $290,100 | $1,105/mo | $68,457 | 4.2x | 0.90% |
| Dorchester County | $262,400 | $1,032/mo | $61,839 | 4.2x | 0.94% |
| Prince George's County | $426,000 | $1,799/mo | $101,798 | 4.2x | 1.12% |
| Worcester County | $374,700 | $1,159/mo | $81,745 | 4.6x | 0.73% |
| Montgomery County | $640,300 | $2,068/mo | $132,450 | 4.8x | 0.87% |
| Talbot County | $409,700 | $1,256/mo | $84,811 | 4.8x | 0.65% |
Questions This Page Answers
Each answer is generated from the current county dataset, so it changes when the underlying ACS data changes.
What is the typical home value in Maryland by county?
What is the typical rent in Maryland by county?
Which Maryland counties are most affordable to buy in?
Why do cheap counties still need a closer look?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.