Charles County, Maryland
Among the top 14% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 5% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 26% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 55% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 50% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 86% of US counties
- top 7% for broadband access
- top 7% for airport distance
- bottom 1% for commute time
Charles County is a county in Maryland with about 167,000 residents. It grades A for lifestyle & connectivity and F for affordability. Standout strengths include broadband access, airport distance, and sales tax. It rates lower on monthly rent and commute time.
Official websitecharlescountymd.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
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60%50%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.4 in3.3 in
muggy 87%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$117k99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$71kbetter than 2% of US counties
Home Value$383k94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 1% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 3% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.06%better than 35% of US counties
Income Tax8.80%better than 9% of US counties
State 5.80% + Local 3.00%
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden14.26%better than 10% of US counties
Unemployment4.9%better than 47% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)37°F58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation46.7 in60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall14.3 inbetter than 48% of US counties
Sunny Days217 daysbetter than 29% of US counties
Summer Humidity66°Fbetter than 43% of US counties
Comfortable Days80 daysbetter than 52% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk44.1better than 55% of US counties
Air Quality42 AQIbetter than 56% of US counties
School Quality74.2better than 78% of US counties
Violent Crime953/100kbetter than 38% of US counties
Property Crime1104/100kbetter than 40% of US counties
Community
Population167,03587th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age38.826th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6195th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9310th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+423rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)35.3%8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)48.3%97th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)6.7%61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)3.2%90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)6.5%88th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time44 minbetter than 1% of US counties
Walkability6.3/20better than 58% of US counties
Airport Distance26 mibetter than 93% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.3%better than 93% of US counties
Amenities Nearby1.56better than 43% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 76% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Charles County an affordable place to live?
- Charles County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $71k, better than 2% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Charles County?
- The median home value in Charles County is $383k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Charles County?
- Median household income in Charles County is $117k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Charles County?
- Median gross rent in Charles County is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Charles County safe?
- Charles County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 953/100k (better than 38%). Property crime is 1104/100k.
- What is the weather like in Charles County?
- Charles County averages 80°F in July and 37°F in January, with 46.7 in of annual precipitation and about 217 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Charles County?
- Public-school quality in Charles County is above average, scoring better than 78% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Charles County?
- The average one-way commute in Charles County is 44 min.
Other counties in Maryland
Explore Maryland
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)