Bel Air South vs Middle River
Bel Air South, Maryland versus Middle River, Maryland: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Bel Air South edges out Middle River on overall objective livability (45 vs 41 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Bel Air South | Middle River |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $114k | $73k |
| Cost of Living | $58k | $48k |
| Home Value | $362k | $240k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.93% | 1.25% |
| Income Tax | 9.00% | 9.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.93% | 15.08% |
| Unemployment | 3.1% | 4.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 34°F | 35°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 78°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.5 in | 48.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.8 in | 19.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 180 days | 180 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 85 days | 77 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 22.1 | 18.3 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 59.8 | 66.2 |
| Violent Crime | 1044/100k | 3456/100k |
| Property Crime | 837/100k | 3454/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 57,109 | 31,155 |
| Median Age | 38.3 | 36.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.37 | 0.61 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.85 |
| Political Leaning | R+12 | D+78 |
| White (%) | 76.2% | 52.1% |
| Black (%) | 9.4% | 28.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.0% | 7.8% |
| Asian (%) | 5.2% | 6.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.1% | 4.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 31 min | 29 min |
| Walkability | 10.8/20 | 10.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 29 mi | 17 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 95.1% | 87.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 42.20 | 98.54 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Bel Air South or Middle River more affordable?
- Middle River has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Bel Air South's $58k and Middle River's $48k. Median rent is $2k in Bel Air South versus $2k in Middle River.
- Is Bel Air South or Middle River safer?
- Bel Air South has the lower violent crime rate. Bel Air South reports 1044/100k and Middle River reports 3456/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Bel Air South or Middle River?
- The median home value is $362k in Bel Air South and $240k in Middle River, so homes are more affordable in Middle River.