Dundalk vs Essex
Dundalk, Maryland versus Essex, Maryland: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Dundalk and Essex score about the same overall (42 vs 40 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Dundalk | Essex |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $61k | $68k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $48k |
| Home Value | $185k | $236k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.30% | 1.21% |
| Income Tax | 9.00% | 9.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.89% | 15.21% |
| Unemployment | 6.9% | 6.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 36°F | 35°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.7 in | 48.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 19.3 in | 19.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 180 days | 180 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 77 days | 77 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 7.0 | 15.1 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 66.2 | 66.2 |
| Violent Crime | 3456/100k | 3456/100k |
| Property Crime | 3454/100k | 3454/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 66,321 | 40,842 |
| Median Age | 37.3 | 40.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.50 | 0.55 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 0.90 |
| Political Leaning | D+78 | D+78 |
| White (%) | 63.9% | 56.7% |
| Black (%) | 16.5% | 31.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 11.9% | 5.3% |
| Asian (%) | 2.4% | 1.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 30 min |
| Walkability | 12.5/20 | 11.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 15 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.7% | 86.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 67.85 | 84.72 |
| 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 Dundalk or Essex more affordable?
- Essex has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Dundalk's $48k and Essex's $48k. Median rent is $1k in Dundalk versus $1k in Essex.
- Is Dundalk or Essex safer?
- Essex has the lower violent crime rate. Dundalk reports 3456/100k and Essex reports 3456/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Dundalk or Essex?
- The median home value is $185k in Dundalk and $236k in Essex, so homes are more affordable in Dundalk.