Housing decision brief
St. Mary's County, MD Housing Market
St. Mary's County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a manageable 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.
14th lowest home value out of 24 Maryland counties with data | 17th lowest rent out of 24
Median home value
$390,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,692/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,884/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.4x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
27.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$192/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
27.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
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
- No strong fit signal was available in the current dataset.
Poor Fit For
- 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 St. Mary's County 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. | $390,900 | $357,700 | $281,900 | 9% pressure9% above Maryland county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,692 | $1,369 | $1,163 | 24% pressure24% above Maryland county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,884 | $1,595 | $1,672 | 18% pressure18% above Maryland county median |
Median household income | $114,580 | $91,025 | $74,755 | 26% favorable26% above Maryland county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.87% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 13% favorable13% below Maryland county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 27.00% | 30.00% | N/A | 10% favorable27.00% 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
+$46,900
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$33,837
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
For renters in St. Mary's County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $1,692/month in gross rent, with 27.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
Renters in St. Mary's County pay $1,692/month on average, compared to $1,884/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 10%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $67,680/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $80,743/year. With a median household income of $114,580, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 27.0% of renter households in St. Mary's County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Prince George's County where rent averages $1,761/month, St. Mary's County is approximately 4% less expensive.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick County, MD | $437,700 | $1,706/mo | Same-state comparison near $437,700 home value and $1,706/mo rent. |
| Harford County, MD | $367,300 | $1,557/mo | Same-state comparison near $367,300 home value and $1,557/mo rent. |
| Queen Anne's County, MD | $441,800 | $1,611/mo | Same-state comparison near $441,800 home value and $1,611/mo rent. |
| Charles County, MD | $402,300 | $1,897/mo | Same-state comparison near $402,300 home value and $1,897/mo rent. |
| Prince George's County, MD | $404,300 | $1,761/mo | Same-state comparison near $404,300 home value and $1,761/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for St. Mary's County
Is St. Mary's County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in St. Mary's County?
How much income do you need for housing in St. Mary's County?
What should I double-check before moving to St. Mary's County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.