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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The numbers are clear: 1 of 1 cities in Maryland beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. Baltimore stands out at 96 on the index, with rent of $1,708/month and household income of $59,623. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
#1 Ranked: Baltimore — cost index 96, rent $1,708/mo, income $59,623
0 of 1 cities keep rent under 30% of $30K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The numbers are clear: 1 of 1 cities in Maryland beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. Baltimore stands out at 96 on the index, with rent of $1,708/month and household income of $59,623. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
The numbers for Baltimore are straightforward: 96 on the cost index, $1,708/month rent, $59,623 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. Moving on.
And there's one more thing: The 1 cities we track in Maryland paint a clearly affordable picture. Average cost index: 96. Median rent: $1,708/month. Household income: $59,623. Maryland is known for DC-adjacent salaries with suburban costs — and the data backs that reputation convincingly.
If you're ready to act on this, three things to do next: 1) Click into the city pages for the top 3 and check rent trends — direction matters more than the snapshot. And for the typical household, 2) Run your income through the salary calculator for a personalized cost comparison. 3) Compare your top two picks head-to-head on our comparison page. The data is here; the decision is yours.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Baltimore | 5.75% | 6% | 0.87% | $22,612 |
565,239 residents · Maryland
The #1 spot goes to Baltimore, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,708/month — saving renters $2,244 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 88, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 99. The 34% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
We calculate what percentage of a $30K 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 $30K salary in Baltimore, rent would consume about 68% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. It's tight — consider a roommate or nearby suburb.
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 $30K in Baltimore is approximately $22,612/year ($1,884/month). After median rent of $1,708/month, you'd have roughly $2,116/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.