Housing decision brief
Baltimore city, MD Housing Market
Baltimore city screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
4th lowest home value out of 24 Maryland counties with data | 11th lowest rent out of 24
Median home value
$219,300
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,290/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,402/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
32.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$112/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$219,300 median home value is 39% below Maryland county median
Lower rent
$1,290/mo is 6% below Maryland county median
What to Check
Lower income base
$59,623 median income is 34% below Maryland county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.48% effective property-tax rate is 48% above Maryland county median
Health context
Health score is 43.9 out of 100, so affordability should be weighed against local health indicators.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Baltimore city is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $219,300 | $357,700 | $281,900 | 39% favorable39% below Maryland county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,290 | $1,369 | $1,163 | 6% favorable6% below Maryland county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,402 | $1,595 | $1,672 | 12% favorable12% below Maryland county median |
Median household income | $59,623 | $91,025 | $74,755 | 34% pressure34% below Maryland county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.48% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 48% pressure48% above Maryland county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 32.00% | 30.00% | N/A | 7% pressure32.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$8,023
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
-$463
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Baltimore city is moderately affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $1,290/month representing approximately 26.0% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 32.0%.
Rent vs own
At $1,290/month rent versus $1,402/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $112/month cheaper , a 8% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $51,600/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $60,086/year. With a median household income of $59,623, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 32.0% of renter households in Baltimore city are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Baltimore city sits 4% more expensive than Wicomico County ($1,238/month) in terms of median gross rent.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wicomico County, MD | $238,900 | $1,238/mo | Same-state comparison near $238,900 home value and $1,238/mo rent. |
| Portsmouth city, VA | $229,400 | $1,266/mo | Out-of-state peer near $229,400 home value and $1,266/mo rent. |
| Dorchester County, MD | $252,300 | $959/mo | Same-state comparison near $252,300 home value and $959/mo rent. |
| Philadelphia County, PA | $232,400 | $1,323/mo | Out-of-state peer near $232,400 home value and $1,323/mo rent. |
| Marion County, FL | $220,800 | $1,174/mo | Out-of-state peer near $220,800 home value and $1,174/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Baltimore city
Is Baltimore city affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Baltimore city?
How much income do you need for housing in Baltimore city?
What should I double-check before moving to Baltimore city?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.