Somerset County, Maryland
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 20% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 29% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 58% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 41% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 64% of US counties
- top 5% for school quality
- top 7% for park & nature access
- bottom 9% for income tax
Somerset County is a county in Maryland with about 25,000 residents. It grades B for lifestyle & connectivity and D for affordability. Standout strengths include school quality, park & nature access, and sales tax. It rates lower on estimated total tax burden and income tax.
- The median home value in Somerset County is $157k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Somerset County is $52k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Somerset County is $934 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Somerset County has a violent crime rate of 979/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Somerset County is 24 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
cold
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64%54%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.5 in3.4 in
muggy 93%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$52k26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$46kbetter than 42% of US counties
Home Value$157k49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$934better than 30% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$6kbetter than 59% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.05%better than 36% of US counties
Income Tax8.86%better than 9% of US counties
State 5.80% + Local 3.06%
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden14.00%better than 11% of US counties
Unemployment7.0%better than 16% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)37°F59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)78°F53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation47.1 in62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall8.1 inbetter than 58% of US counties
Sunny Days206 daysbetter than 20% of US counties
Summer Humidity68°Fbetter than 30% of US counties
Comfortable Days86 daysbetter than 68% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk59.6better than 39% of US counties
School Quality100.0better than 96% of US counties
Violent Crime979/100kbetter than 37% of US counties
Property Crime966/100kbetter than 47% of US counties
Community
Population24,67248th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age38.021st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5690th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.2195th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1526th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)51.8%16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)38.9%94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.0%43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.8%62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.5%71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time24 minbetter than 53% of US counties
Walkability5.3/20better than 28% of US counties
Airport Distance85 mibetter than 58% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access80.9%better than 36% of US counties
Amenities Nearby2.03better than 47% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 93% of US counties
Data sources
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Somerset County an affordable place to live?
- Somerset County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $46k, better than 42% of comparable areas. Median rent is $934.
- Is Somerset County safe?
- Somerset County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 979/100k (better than 37%). Property crime is 966/100k.
- What is the weather like in Somerset County?
- Somerset County averages 78°F in July and 37°F in January, with 47.1 in of annual precipitation and about 206 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Somerset County?
- Public-school quality in Somerset County is above average, scoring better than 96% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Somerset County?
- The average one-way commute in Somerset County is 24 min.