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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 111. Baltimore stands out at 100 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 111. Baltimore stands out at 100 on the index, with rent of $1,708/month and household income of $59,623. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
A closer look at Baltimore: the cost index of 100 breaks down to a Healthcare index of 100 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 100 (weakest). Median rent is $1,708/month — 10% below the national median — while household income sits at $59,623, meaning locals spend about 34% of income on rent. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median.
What's equally notable: State context matters: Maryland's 1 cities average a 100 cost index with $1,708/month median rent and $59,623 household income. DC-adjacent salaries with suburban costs. That tracks. In the comparison grid, two cities swap places when you switch from rent to total cost.
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.
#1 Ranked: Baltimore — cost index 100, 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
565,239 residents · Maryland
Dive into Baltimore's numbers: cost index 100 (11 points below national average), rent $1,708/month, income $59,623, and a home price of $187,545. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Healthcare is the cheapest category at 100, while Healthcare runs 100. As a major city with 565,239 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Baltimore | 5.75% | 6% | 0.87% | $22,612 |
We model what a $30K salary looks like after taxes in each city: federal income tax (marginal brackets), FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. Then we compare take-home against local rent and costs to determine where the salary stretches furthest. 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 100 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.