Towson, Maryland
Among the top 8% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 14% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 5% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 35% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 92% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 48% of US places
- top 6% for walkability
- top 8% for airport distance
- bottom 8% for violent crime
Towson is a mid-size city in Maryland with about 58,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and F for weather. Standout strengths include walkability, airport distance, and natural disaster risk. It rates lower on sunny days and violent crime.
Official websitetowson.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot summers · Cool winters · Wet · Snowy
v.cold
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warm
hot
warm
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cool
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57%46%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.7 in3.5 in
muggy 77%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$98k84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$56kbetter than 18% of US places
Home Value$408k86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 11% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 12% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.08%better than 45% of US places
Income Tax9.00%better than 17% of US places
State 5.80% + Local 3.20%
Sales Tax6.00%better than 86% of US places
Estimated total tax burden15.47%better than 16% of US places
Unemployment4.6%better than 43% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)36°F61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation50.2 in79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall19.3 inbetter than 47% of US places
Sunny Days180 daysbetter than 9% of US places
Summer Humidity66°Fbetter than 38% of US places
Comfortable Days77 daysbetter than 37% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk34.2better than 87% of US places
Air Quality47 AQIbetter than 45% of US places
School Quality66.2better than 61% of US places
Violent Crime2006/100kbetter than 8% of US places
Property Crime1982/100kbetter than 20% of US places
Community
Population57,61798th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age33.918th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4679th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.8623rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+289th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)69.5%30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)16.0%88th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.7%56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)5.6%92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.4%66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time26 minbetter than 47% of US places
Walkability12.7/20better than 94% of US places
Airport Distance15 mibetter than 92% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.2%better than 73% of US places
Amenities Nearby120.10better than 59% of US places
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 19% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Towson an affordable place to live?
- Towson is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $56k, better than 18% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Towson?
- The median home value in Towson is $408k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Towson?
- Median household income in Towson is $98k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Towson?
- Median gross rent in Towson is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Towson safe?
- Towson is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2006/100k (better than 8%). Property crime is 1982/100k.
- What is the weather like in Towson?
- Towson averages 80°F in July and 36°F in January, with 50.2 in of annual precipitation and about 180 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Towson?
- Public-school quality in Towson is above average, scoring better than 61% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Towson?
- The average one-way commute in Towson is 26 min.
Other places in Baltimore County
Places near Towson
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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)