The Town FilesBaltimore, Maryland
City in Baltimore city · population 585,708 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $229,600
- Household income
- $62,177
- Jan low / Jul high
- 30° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 22 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 36.2
Baltimore is a city of 585,708 people in Baltimore city, Maryland. The median home is worth $229,600, below the typical Maryland town ($412,300). It ranks more walkable than 99% of Maryland towns, hipper than 96% of Maryland towns, more vibrant than 93% of Maryland towns.
How Baltimore ranks
Percentile among Maryland towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maryland towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Baltimore is worth $229,600, below the typical Maryland town ($412,300). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $62,177, which is more affordable than 57% of Maryland towns. Median rent is $1,331 a month. 47.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Baltimore | Typical Maryland town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $229,600 | $412,300 |
| Median rent | $1,331 | $1,748 |
| Median household income | $62,177 | $108,677 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 47.5% | 77.3% |
| Median year built | 1947 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Baltimore
| People | Baltimore | Typical Maryland town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.2 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.3% | 16.4% |
| Under 18 | 20.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.1% | 39.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.7% | 7.1% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.3% | — |
| Work from home | 17.8% | 17.4% |
| Average commute | 29.1 min | 31.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.4% | 94.3% |
Weather in Baltimore
July highs average 90.1°F and January lows 30.0°F. About 43.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 22.4 inches of snow (typical Maryland town: 15.9 in). Expect about 43 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 52 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Baltimore since 1950, compared with 18 for the typical Maryland town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 9, 1961 about 5.6 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 9 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 28, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 100 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on June 18, 1970.
Severe weather in Baltimore city since 1996
Baltimore city has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3634: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4491: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3430: Covid-19 |
| March 4, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4261: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| November 20, 2012 | Hurricane | DR-4091: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Baltimore city
Baltimore city had 348,184 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $82,818 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Baltimore itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Public schools in Baltimore
271 public schools with 151,639 students, about 15.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dundalk High | 9-12 | 2,159 | 15.9 |
| Parkville High | 9-12 | 2,021 | 14.0 |
| Perry Hall High | 9-12 | 2,020 | 16.7 |
| Kenwood High | 9-12 | 1,963 | 15.2 |
| Woodlawn High | 9-12 | 1,896 | 16.1 |
| Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High | 9-12 | 1,757 | 16.9 |
| Catonsville High | 9-12 | 1,733 | 16.0 |
| Digital Harbor High School | 9-12 | 1,722 | 20.3 |
| Perry Hall Middle | 6-8 | 1,694 | 16.9 |
| Baltimore Polytechnic Institute | 9-12 | 1,580 | 19.0 |
| Milford Mill Academy | 9-12 | 1,470 | 16.3 |
| Baltimore City College | 9-12 | 1,421 | 17.3 |
Towns near Baltimore
- Baltimore Highlands, MD4.7 mi · 7,740 people · home $267,200
- Lansdowne, MD5.3 mi · 9,004 people · home $214,000
- Brooklyn Park, MD5.6 mi · 16,112 people · home $284,300
- Rosedale, MD5.8 mi · 19,961 people · home $276,200
- Arbutus, MD5.9 mi · 21,655 people · home $322,600
- Dundalk, MD6.5 mi · 67,796 people · home $212,700
- Towson, MD6.5 mi · 59,553 people · home $469,000
- Parkville, MD6.5 mi · 31,812 people · home $260,400
Baltimore questions
Is Baltimore, Maryland a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Baltimore scores better for retirees than 17% of Maryland towns and quieter than 10%. 15.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.2).
How much does a house cost in Baltimore?
The median owner-occupied home in Baltimore is valued at $229,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,177, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,331 a month.
What is the weather like in Baltimore?
July highs average 90.1°F and January lows 30.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.7 inches of precipitation a year and 22.4 inches of snow.
Does Baltimore get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Baltimore since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 9, 1961. The typical Maryland town has had 18.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)