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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
In plain English: Dollar for dollar, few states match Maryland's value. 1 out of 1 cities undercut the national cost index of 112. Leading the pack: Baltimore at index 96, where median rent of $1,708/month saves renters $2,244/year versus the national median (not adjusted for inflation, but still te…
#1 Ranked: Baltimore — cost index 96, rent $1,708/mo, income $59,623
1 of 1 cities keep rent under 30% of $150K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Baltimore | 5.75% | 6% | 0.87% | $100,858 |
In plain English: Dollar for dollar, few states match Maryland's value. 1 out of 1 cities undercut the national cost index of 112. Leading the pack: Baltimore at index 96, where median rent of $1,708/month saves renters $2,244/year versus the national median (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
Let's be clear: Baltimore is one of the cheaper options here. And generally speaking, rent is $1,708/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 96. Income sits at $59,623. That's about what we'd expect given the state context. Worth a deeper look.
Bottom line: Baltimore leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. And more often than not, pretty standard for this type of city. 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 (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling). Not flashy. Just effective.
565,239 residents · Maryland
Real talk: Baltimore comes in at #1. Rent is $1,708 a month. Household income is $59,623. The cost of living index is 96. Fairly typical for a city this size (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
We calculate what percentage of a $150K gross salary goes to median rent. Cities where rent consumes less of your paycheck rank higher. We also factor in estimated take-home pay after federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. 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.
Yes. On a $150K salary in Baltimore, rent would consume about 14% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
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.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 5.75% state income tax, estimated take-home on $150K in Baltimore is approximately $100,858/year ($8,405/month). After median rent of $1,708/month, you'd have roughly $80,362/year for all other expenses.
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.