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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.
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.
Why Baltimore ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. And in practical terms, at 96 on the cost index, residents save roughly 16% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,708/month while the median household pulls in $59,623/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 88, though Healthcare (99) lags behind. Home prices average $187,545 — $279,825 below the national median.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
#1 Ranked: Baltimore — cost index 96, rent $1,708/mo, income $59,623
1 of 1 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
565,239 residents · Maryland
Baltimore earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 96 cost index sits 16 points below the national baseline, and the $59,623 — we had to double-check this one — median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $187,545 — $279,825 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 88, while Healthcare trails at 99.
Cities are ranked by total population from the latest Census estimates. Growing populations typically signal economic opportunity — but also rising costs. We pair population data with affordability metrics for context. 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.
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.