State Housing Overview

Rent & Housing in Maryland

Based on comprehensive economic data across 202 tracked municipalities, Maryland presents diverse cost of living environments. Macroeconomic modeling identifies Cumberland as the most cost-efficient market, contrasting starkly with the elevated real estate valuations found in Potomac. Maryland assesses a 5.75% progressive income tax, while residential property taxes average 1.07%. Financial planning in MD requires careful alignment of localized housing costs against state-level tax obligations.

Use this state hub to understand the statewide housing baseline first, then drop into city pages for a household-level feasibility verdict. The key question here is not just whether Maryland is “cheap” or “expensive”, but which cities look most livable once rent, home values, taxes, and household income are considered together.

Data Updated: March 2026

State Housing Snapshot

Average Rent Burden

19%

Avg annual rent vs household income

Average Price-to-Income

Avg home value vs household income

Best Cost Baseline

Cumberland, MD

Index 70

Highest Pressure

Potomac, MD

Index 239

Statewide Housing Verdict

Mixed

Maryland sits in the middle: neither uniformly cheap nor uniformly unaffordable. The statewide baseline is 19% average rent burden and 4x home-price-to-income, so the best next step is to compare lower-pressure cities against higher-cost metros rather than assuming the whole state behaves the same way.

Average rent burden: 19%Average price-to-income: 4xBest baseline city: Cumberland, MDHighest-pressure city: Potomac, MD

Maryland Tax Radar

Max Income Tax

5.75%

Progressive Brackets

Est. Sales Tax

Local + State Avg

Effective Property Tax

1.07%

Statewide Average

Interactive | Enter Gross Income:

Default set to 2023 National Median ($74,580)

At a gross income of $74,580, the localized Maryland marginal tax brackets exact an effective state penalty of 4.4%. This results in an absolute "tax drag" drain of $3,253/year compared to states with no income tax.

Cities Tracked

202

Avg Home Value

$457,736

National: $303,400

Avg Rent

$1,815

National: $1,348

Avg Income

$113,685

National: $78,538

Lower Housing Pressure Cities

These city pages have comparatively lower rent burden inside Maryland, making them strong candidates for the next housing-feasibility clicks.

Ashton-Sandy Spring, MD

Rent burden 10% · Home $812,000

Honeygo, MD

Rent burden 10% · Home $463,500

Severna Park, MD

Rent burden 12% · Home $727,153

Brunswick, MD

Rent burden 12% · Home $404,751

Walkersville, MD

Rent burden 12% · Home $460,945

Taneytown, MD

Rent burden 12% · Home $392,185

Biggest Move-Market Cities

These are the highest-population city pages in the state, useful when you want the major relocation targets before exploring the full table.

Baltimore, MD

Population 577,193 · Index 92

Columbia, MD

Population 105,871 · Index 134

Germantown, MD

Population 90,521 · Index 122

Waldorf, MD

Population 82,541 · Index 128

Silver Spring, MD

Population 82,129 · Index 136

Frederick, MD

Population 80,617 · Index 129

Rent Pressure Outliers

These city pages show the highest rent burden inside Maryland. They are useful when you want to see where renting starts to materially squeeze household budgets.

Leisure World, MD

Rent burden 44% · Rent $2,111/mo

Baltimore, MD

Rent burden 34% · Rent $1,708/mo

Marlow Heights, MD

Rent burden 34% · Rent $1,638/mo

Salisbury, MD

Rent burden 33% · Rent $1,563/mo

Bladensburg, MD

Rent burden 32% · Rent $1,652/mo

Silver Hill, MD

Rent burden 31% · Rent $1,569/mo

Buy Pressure Outliers

These city pages have the toughest home-price-to-income ratios in Maryland, making them the first places to inspect when buy-side affordability is the core concern.

Chestertown, MD

Price-to-income 8.1x · Home $381,378

Takoma Park, MD

Price-to-income 6.9x · Home $671,676

Bel Air, MD

Price-to-income 6.5x · Home $454,997

White Oak, MD

Price-to-income 6.5x · Home $520,200

Mount Rainier, MD

Price-to-income 6.5x · Home $440,920

Elkton, MD

Price-to-income 6.4x · Home $362,553

Most Affordable

Most Expensive

239

229

227

215

All Cities in Maryland

City	Pop.	Home Value	Rent	Income	Index
Baltimore	577,193	$187,545	$1,708	$59,623	92
Columbia	105,871	$505,044	$2,162	$129,173	134
Germantown	90,521	$418,836	$1,985	$112,149	122
Waldorf	82,541	$431,539	$2,319	$115,453	128
Silver Spring	82,129	$540,988	$1,954	$98,880	136
Frederick	80,617	$461,493	$2,099	$95,150	129
Ellicott City	73,737	$723,949	$2,278	$157,891	161
Glen Burnie	72,772	$388,319	$1,607	$88,291	114
Gaithersburg	69,225	$521,654	$2,244	$107,496	137
Bethesda	67,403	$1,127,788	$2,895	$191,348	215
Rockville	67,218	$609,205	$2,285	$122,384	148
Dundalk	65,441	$219,759	$1,412	$62,349	93
Severn	58,041	$508,178	$2,082	$130,627	133
Bowie	57,771	$517,661	$2,240	$141,831	137
Bel Air South	57,702	$384,000	$1,666	$120,721	111
Towson	57,683	$462,157	$1,784	$100,481	125
Aspen Hill	53,752	$538,000	$1,925	$109,026	131
Wheaton	52,172	$483,100	$2,151	$107,349	127
North Bethesda	49,498	$712,100	$2,161	$128,970	154
Potomac	46,230	$1,364,791	$2,616	$239,205	239
Odenton	45,585	$468,984	$2,406	$126,455	133
Hagerstown	43,490	$296,552	$1,041	$49,957	94
Catonsville	42,717	$410,608	$1,697	$110,051	118
Annapolis	40,744	$609,479	$2,199	$104,257	146
Essex	40,670	$287,099	$1,307	$67,082	99
Woodlawn CDP (Baltimore County)	40,476	$269,800	$1,440	$78,591	95
Severna Park	39,499	$727,153	$1,617	$168,091	154
Clinton	38,756	$436,230	$1,665	$120,967	121
Olney	36,000	$656,415	$2,409	$171,766	155
Randallstown	35,975	$364,857	$1,537	$88,544	111
Owings Mills	35,626	$394,059	$1,815	$94,046	117
Chillum	35,163	$397,380	$1,733	$78,513	117
College Park	34,397	$431,271	$1,846	$74,867	122
Pikesville	34,253	$422,155	$1,646	$97,218	119
Montgomery Village	34,161	$387,172	$1,883	$96,487	118
Salisbury	33,080	$261,321	$1,563	$56,402	97
Pasadena	32,717	$448,043	$2,247	$119,393	128
Milford Mill	31,939	$269,900	$1,576	$76,676	96
Middle River	31,616	$329,459	$1,639	$74,198	108
Bel Air North	31,599	$422,700	$1,651	$137,995	115
Eldersburg	30,626	$478,800	$1,655	$146,598	121
Parkville	30,423	$279,441	$1,471	$78,405	100
Crofton	29,878	$486,816	$2,193	$147,250	132
Laurel	29,594	$472,744	$1,912	$94,063	128
Clarksburg	29,246	$632,579	$2,298	$178,641	150
Perry Hall	28,908	$421,833	$1,604	$104,709	118
Carney	28,624	$337,916	$1,786	$84,619	110
Reisterstown	27,764	$405,136	$1,599	$79,812	116
South Laurel	27,736	$443,100	$1,795	$90,715	119
Lochearn	27,591	$307,151	$1,433	$76,256	103
Ilchester	27,552	$498,500	$1,963	$150,783	127
Elkridge	26,183	$482,284	$2,206	$135,412	132
Fairland	26,183	$440,800	$1,851	$87,924	119
Ballenger Creek	25,866	$369,800	$1,913	$108,385	112
Fort Washington	25,843	$444,732	$2,724	$145,942	134
North Laurel	25,201	$442,800	$1,913	$119,533	120
Edgewood	25,170	$262,708	$1,435	$86,355	98
Suitland	24,667	$312,600	$1,684	$71,886	102
Greenbelt	24,572	$279,611	$1,807	$86,352	104
Landover	24,558	$301,400	$1,659	$68,679	101
North Potomac	23,994	$892,285	$2,433	$186,438	182
Arnold	23,866	$586,678	$2,177	$137,799	143
Cockeysville	23,265	$468,253	$1,553	$85,422	123
Camp Springs	22,174	$415,119	$2,175	$115,157	124
Langley Park	22,057	$374,006	$1,675	$82,038	114
Arbutus	20,869	$296,800	$1,238	$97,215	96
Hyattsville	20,861	$402,371	$1,831	$94,231	119
Rosedale	20,845	$308,284	$1,392	$83,957	103
Westminster	20,257	$455,959	$1,410	$79,431	120
Beltsville	19,086	$454,122	$1,989	$97,115	127
East Riverdale	19,043	$362,231	$1,649	$82,401	112
Redland	18,976	$519,600	$2,145	$123,587	131
Cumberland	18,938	$120,800	$728	$47,819	70
Maryland City	18,669	$392,500	$2,199	$109,530	117
Seabrook	18,495	$377,900	$1,817	$96,033	112
Oxon Hill	18,491	$345,500	$1,673	$94,989	106
Lake Shore	18,263	$471,500	$1,793	$127,453	122
Parole	17,910	$521,100	$2,187	$119,591	132
Calverton	17,721	$468,600	$2,208	$108,315	126
Glassmanor	17,687	$316,500	$1,494	$69,778	101
Takoma Park	17,522	$671,676	$1,388	$97,872	145
Adelphi	17,210	$439,626	$1,757	$80,833	122
Easton	17,202	$348,400	$1,177	$73,460	101
Ferndale	17,076	$325,400	$1,708	$92,391	104
Damascus	16,864	$550,317	$1,665	$153,994	134
Aberdeen	16,831	$337,957	$1,339	$76,019	105
Cloverly	16,726	$652,200	$2,031	$146,316	146
Glenmont	16,529	$542,300	$1,959	$115,058	132
White Oak	16,458	$520,200	$1,784	$80,118	127
Elkton	15,867	$362,553	$1,368	$56,565	108
Brooklyn Park	15,799	$298,947	$1,453	$84,276	102
Hillcrest Heights	15,670	$340,500	$1,446	$77,696	103
Summerfield	15,635	$339,800	$2,032	$92,042	109
Mays Chapel	15,616	$447,300	$1,768	$118,462	119
Rossville	15,088	$297,288	$1,465	$91,469	102
Lake Arbor	14,932	$416,889	$2,293	$128,616	126
Glenn Dale	14,896	$632,927	$1,627	$139,625	143
Havre de Grace	14,857	$398,315	$1,314	$106,798	112
Bensville	14,792	$475,800	$2,680	$161,568	132
Kemp Mill	14,437	$567,300	$2,105	$160,750	136
Colesville	14,075	$593,900	$1,906	$131,022	137
Urbana	13,897	$596,400	$2,571	$178,231	145
Kettering	13,866	$416,500	$2,285	$124,036	121
Flower Hill	13,743	$426,900	$2,032	$107,987	120
New Carrollton	13,544	$393,135	$1,745	$80,292	117
Lexington Park	13,419	$378,709	$1,693	$89,167	110
Brock Hall	13,400	$605,700	$3,138	$190,896	153
Joppatowne	13,397	$315,000	$1,600	$109,589	102
Accokeek	13,226	$546,914	$3,066	$144,719	149
California	13,223	$391,996	$1,805	$112,717	113
Green Valley	13,187	$579,100	$2,683	$174,221	144
Cambridge	13,094	$254,400	$971	$46,261	88
Linganore	13,044	$498,100	$2,281	$173,763	130
Riviera Beach	12,608	$334,000	$1,945	$110,136	108
Annapolis Neck	12,484	$723,100	$2,805	$171,833	162
Overlea	12,430	$249,500	$1,315	$86,296	91
Rosaryville	12,206	$457,600	$2,542	$148,558	129
Ocean Pines	12,028	$352,600	$1,923	$91,400	110
Honeygo	12,022	$463,500	$1,224	$144,156	115
Westphalia	12,020	$478,200	$1,947	$158,055	124
Lanham	11,956	$413,800	$2,132	$95,488	119
Largo	11,753	$362,200	$2,138	$106,875	113
Friendly	11,673	$407,800	$2,345	$136,485	121
Mitchellville	11,325	$490,400	$2,372	$152,795	131
Travilah	11,128	$1,225,300	$3,385	$250,001	227
Brandywine	10,989	$500,949	$0	$158,258	125
Halfway	10,974	$284,792	$1,183	$69,600	95
Timonium	10,880	$478,800	$1,790	$130,732	123
Forestville	10,839	$324,700	$1,694	$80,028	104
Bel Air	10,616	$454,997	$1,526	$69,912	121
Linthicum	10,545	$368,800	$1,901	$122,424	111
White Marsh	10,480	$513,217	$1,847	$123,302	131
La Plata	10,470	$476,246	$1,483	$121,707	124
Garrison	10,449	$316,770	$2,019	$96,916	111
Scaggsville	10,441	$629,800	$3,205	$183,125	156
Marlton	10,223	$398,900	$1,857	$119,486	114
Burtonsville	10,063	$472,632	$2,222	$130,000	131
Fallston	9,954	$559,757	$2,159	$154,400	140
Mount Airy	9,746	$626,550	$1,939	$154,514	146
Walker Mill	9,626	$356,681	$1,501	$74,200	110
Bladensburg	9,552	$315,560	$1,652	$62,400	107
Chevy Chase	9,484	$1,216,118	$3,264	$213,764	229
Coral Hills	9,372	$323,464	$1,770	$83,899	109
Chesapeake Ranch Estates	9,307	$286,600	$1,794	$97,139	100
Marlboro Village	9,200	$364,700	$2,153	$122,313	114
Bryans Road	9,174	$424,646	$2,044	$117,117	124
Jessup	9,147	$514,261	$2,056	$122,574	134
Cape St. Claire	9,016	$475,700	$1,868	$136,064	123
North Kensington	8,980	$571,000	$1,766	$126,782	133
Lansdowne	8,879	$201,500	$1,298	$72,845	85
Edgemere	8,778	$368,470	$1,336	$109,734	109
Temple Hills	8,740	$320,634	$1,743	$70,097	109
Leisure World	8,693	$265,100	$2,111	$58,125	102
Stevensville	8,693	$533,122	$1,735	$131,618	133
Baltimore Highlands	8,564	$258,000	$1,352	$64,284	92
Mayo	8,322	$583,300	$2,323	$146,206	141
Edgewater	8,297	$564,895	$2,230	$111,000	141
Savage	8,284	$581,637	$2,106	$117,353	142
Mount Rainier	8,235	$440,920	$1,434	$68,281	119
Fairwood	8,108	$695,300	$3,579	$191,319	168
South Kensington	8,057	$905,000	$3,141	$193,793	187
Brunswick	7,994	$404,751	$1,139	$115,972	111
Robinwood	7,822	$370,856	$1,345	$81,406	106
Four Corners	7,785	$606,100	$2,785	$200,110	149
Wildewood	7,765	$363,100	$2,036	$124,247	112
Taneytown	7,295	$392,185	$799	$78,726	106
Riverdale Park	7,249	$447,000	$1,668	$104,583	118
Woodlawn CDP (Prince George's County)	7,221	$346,200	$1,651	$90,565	106
Frostburg	7,025	$172,600	$865	$51,052	77
Ocean City	6,887	$436,988	$1,187	$69,675	113
Darnestown	6,835	$1,002,738	$3,619	$217,679	208
Bowleys Quarters	6,795	$351,800	$1,455	$107,339	104
Lutherville	6,670	$425,200	$1,428	$119,214	113
Forest Glen	6,650	$604,800	$1,553	$127,196	135
Thurmont	6,439	$391,029	$1,011	$92,391	109
Chesapeake Beach	6,428	$451,746	$1,490	$135,888	121
Fountainhead-Orchard Hills	6,364	$321,900	$1,518	$97,743	103
Walkersville	6,352	$460,945	$1,390	$137,218	121
Glenarden	6,320	$410,832	$1,684	$96,875	118
Hampstead	6,311	$432,197	$1,229	$96,802	115
Riverside	6,149	$237,300	$1,805	$102,262	95
Marlow Heights	6,144	$366,700	$1,638	$58,268	108
Cheverly	6,107	$464,633	$1,786	$117,633	125
Fulton	5,946	$973,099	$3,052	$240,219	198
District Heights	5,888	$338,827	$1,377	$81,750	107
Abingdon	5,727	$371,348	$1,940	$147,652	116
Spring Ridge	5,720	$443,800	$1,804	$143,079	119
Poolesville	5,704	$719,006	$0	$216,653	150
Fruitland	5,698	$250,423	$1,354	$64,352	94
Chestertown	5,548	$381,378	$1,090	$47,047	108
Manchester	5,446	$455,497	$1,329	$112,679	119
Ashton-Sandy Spring	5,418	$812,000	$1,415	$178,214	157
Layhill	5,392	$582,600	$1,953	$119,453	137
Peppermill Village	5,268	$331,400	$1,176	$89,375	99
Cresaptown	5,238	$148,400	$838	$53,804	74
Deale	5,182	$504,283	$0	$123,176	125
Berlin	5,161	$434,987	$1,079	$78,883	112
Hampton	5,138	$592,700	$0	$171,969	131
West Ocean City	5,124	$418,700	$1,546	$93,776	113
Middletown	5,108	$559,387	$1,695	$159,342	135
Silver Hill	5,068	$283,900	$1,569	$61,566	98

FAQ: Living in Maryland

What is the most affordable city to live in Maryland?+

Among the cities we track, Cumberland stands out as the most affordable option in Maryland. The median home value there is $120,800, and monthly rent typically runs around $728. The local median household income is $47,819, which tends to go further here than in much of the state.

What is the most expensive city in Maryland?+

Potomac is currently the priciest market in MD. Homes there are valued at a median of $1,364,791, and renters can expect to pay around $2,616/month. Incomes are higher too — the median household earns $239,205 — but whether that fully offsets the cost premium depends on your lifestyle.

How are taxes in Maryland?+

Maryland has a progressive income tax with a top rate of 5.75%. Property taxes average 1.07% statewide. Combined state and local sales tax can reach 6%.

How much does housing vary across Maryland?+

There's a huge range. In Cumberland, the median home costs around $120,800. In Potomac, that number jumps to $1,364,791 — roughly 10x more. Rents follow a similar pattern: approximately $728/month vs. $2,616/month. Where you choose to settle within MD can make a dramatic difference in your monthly budget.

Is Maryland a good state to move to?+

It depends on your priorities and budget. Maryland offers a wide range of living costs depending on the city. You can find very affordable communities alongside expensive metro areas. Home prices range from around $120,800 in budget-friendly areas to $1,364,791 in premium markets. Use the city comparison tool to compare housing, rent, property tax, and everyday cost pressure across locations in MD.

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Reviewed by LivabilityCalc Research Team

Financial Data Analysts · Census & Economic Data Specialists

Data Sources & Methodology

Real Estate & Housing: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI, Smoothed & Seasonally Adjusted) and Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). Structural fallback utilizes U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Goods, Utilities & Services: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Metropolitan Area Regional Price Parities (MARPP), incorporating verified State Nonmetropolitan averages.
Mortgage Rates: Freddie Mac 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States (PMMS) via Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED).
Tax Context: State-level property, sales, and income-tax context used for place-side relocation planning. Personal take-home pay and offer analysis are handled by salary.city.
Index Methodology: Weighting matrix derived from Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CEX) distributional models. Baseline standardized at 100. (Read methodology details)

Last data update: March 2026 · Mortgage rates updated monthly