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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Finding the right city for a family isn't just about cheap rent — it's about income, healthcare, schools, and room to grow. We scored 1 cities in Maryland on the metrics families care about, and Baltimore comes out on top with a cost index of 96, median income of $59,623, and a healthcare index of 9…
565,239 residents · Maryland
Here's Baltimore by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 96. Rent: $1,708/month — though some people might weigh that differently — . Income: $59,623/year. Home price: $187,545. Population: 565,239. The strongest category is Utilities at 88; the most expensive is Healthcare at 99. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $2,244 per year vs. the national median. If you're a planner, this number should anchor your spreadsheet.
#1 Ranked: Baltimore — cost index 96, rent $1,708/mo, income $59,623
Family-weighted scoring: income $59,623, healthcare index 99, population 565,239 — balancing career, care, and schools
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Finding the right city for a family isn't just about cheap rent — it's about income, healthcare, schools, and room to grow. We scored 1 cities in Maryland on the metrics families care about, and Baltimore comes out on top with a cost index of 96, median income of $59,623, and a healthcare index of 99.
The numbers for Baltimore are straightforward: 96 on the cost index, $1,708/month rent, $59,623 income. And in practical terms, not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. You get the picture.
Our family scoring model prioritizes four dimensions: household income above $60K (supporting a family-sized budget), cost index under 100 (keeping daily expenses manageable), healthcare index under 110 (critical for pediatric care and family premiums), and population above 200K (ensuring access to quality schools and youth programs). And for the typical household, baltimore leads because it scores across all four.
With that foundation in place: Maryland — DC-adjacent salaries with suburban costs. The 1 cities we track here average a cost index of 96 and median income of $59,623. It's a clear buyer's market compared to national norms. The typical rent runs $1,708/month, which is $187 less than the national median.
Look, Bottom line: Baltimore leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers (that's pre-tax, of course).
Our persona scoring model weights cost of living, income, rent, healthcare costs, tax burden, and population size differently based on what matters most to families. Each factor contributes 10-25 points to a 0-100 composite score. Cities with the highest composite rank first. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Baltimore ranks #1 in Maryland for this analysis with a cost index of 96 and median income of $59,623.
Baltimore scores highest for families due to its below-average cost of living, median rent of $1,708/mo, and competitive median income of $59,623.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Baltimore is $1,708/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $187 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Baltimore is $187,545, which is 3.1× the local median income. That's within the standard 3.5× affordability rule for most local earners. The national median home price is $467,370.
Maryland has a 5.75% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 6%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.87%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.