Baltimore vs Baltimore County
Baltimore, Maryland versus Baltimore County, Maryland: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Baltimore and Baltimore County score about the same overall (36 vs 37 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Baltimore | Baltimore County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $58k | $88k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $56k |
| Home Value | $203k | $311k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.51% | 1.15% |
| Income Tax | 9.00% | 9.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.23% | 15.02% |
| Unemployment | 6.9% | 5.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 36°F | 35°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.7 in | 48.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.1 in | 25.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 180 days | 180 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 77 days | 77 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 95.0 | 94.0 |
| Air Quality | — | 45 AQI |
| School Quality | 94.3 | 66.2 |
| Violent Crime | 3456/100k | 2006/100k |
| Property Crime | 3454/100k | 1982/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 584,548 | 850,737 |
| Median Age | 36.0 | 39.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.54 | 0.59 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.88 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | D+78 | D+28 |
| White (%) | 27.0% | 54.1% |
| Black (%) | 60.7% | 29.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.9% | 6.1% |
| Asian (%) | 2.5% | 6.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.9% | 4.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 30 min | 29 min |
| Walkability | 14.2/20 | 10.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 8 mi | 20 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 81.0% | 89.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 24.39 | 3.83 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Baltimore or Baltimore County more affordable?
- Baltimore has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Baltimore's $48k and Baltimore County's $56k. Median rent is $1k in Baltimore versus $1k in Baltimore County.
- Is Baltimore or Baltimore County safer?
- Baltimore County has the lower violent crime rate. Baltimore reports 3456/100k and Baltimore County reports 2006/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Baltimore or Baltimore County?
- The median home value is $203k in Baltimore and $311k in Baltimore County, so homes are more affordable in Baltimore.