Welcome to the cheapest places to live in Maryland, where you’ll find affordability at the Mason Dixon line in the Old Line State.
Maryland’s affordable cities offer a range of lifestyle options. There are trendy cities like Baltimore and North Bethesda. Ocean City North and South provide affordable staycations. And for those who love the great outdoors, Chesapeake Bay cities like Rock Hall and Deale offer crabbing and fishing.
With Saturday Night Science, we analyzed factors such as the cost of living, home prices, and overall affordability to find the cheapest places to live in Maryland.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 most affordable places to live in Maryland
What is the most affordable place to live in Maryland? The most affordable place to live in Maryland is Cumberland based on the cost of living adjusted for income.
If you care about home values, cost of living, and gold star quality of life, look at the list below to see where your Maryland dollar will let you live like a Baltimore Raven on a crabber’s salary.
Check out some more reading about Maryland and the cheapest places in the country:
The 10 Cheapest Places To Live In Maryland For 2024
/10
Population: 19,041
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 88
Median Income: $45,915
Median Home Price: $139,025
Median Rent: $712
Cumberland’s motto is “Come for a Visit, Stay for Life,” and that might just happen to you after you realize how inexpensive the city really is. Cumberland’s population has been slowly diminishing in recent years, which is great news for newcomers who can buy the cheapest homes in Maryland. And if you’re a cyclist, you’ll have all the free entertainment you’ll ever need journeying through the Great Allegheny Passage.
While the rent in Cumberland is the cheapest you’ll see on this list at at $712/month, that’s not what earned Cumberland the #1 spot on this list. It’s really because at a median price of $139,025 for homes and a median income of $45,915 for residents, the city has the best home price to income ratio in the state.
More on Cumberland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 43,374
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 97
Median Income: $48,481
Median Home Price: $260,493
Median Rent: $977
Hagerstown, in Maryland’s Great Appalachian Valley, offers an affordable lifestyle with an overall cost of living index of 97. It has a $260,493 average home price that is the seventh lowest in the state, according to Zillow.
The city thrives as Washington County’s economic epicenter, coupling a low 7.73% unemployment rate with a $977 average rental price. That means you can have your blue crab and eat it too.
More on Hagerstown: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Town has little job opportunities and has some drug problems.9
Indian restaurant, good sushi, lots of stores.
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Population: 32,960
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 98
Median Income: $53,309
Median Home Price: $241,424
Median Rent: $1,189
Salisbury, nestled in eastern Maryland, ranks as the third most economical city in Maryland with a compelling mix of low living costs and a strong local economy. Housing costs propel it to its current ranking, including a modest $241,424 and attractive $1,189. Home prices are typically the big drivers in cost from town to town in Maryland.
Salisbury has an 98 overall cost of living index, which comes in 23 points lower than the state average. You’ll love the affordable things to do in town, like visiting the Salisbury Zoological Park for an afternoon with the kids.
More on Salisbury: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 13,058
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 98
Median Income: $44,114
Median Home Price: $242,774
Median Rent: $956
Cambridge, another city on the state’s Eastern Shore, is the fourth most affordable city in Maryland for 2024. A low 98 cost of living index complements a $242,774 average home price and a $44,114 average income.
The low cost of living in Cambridge makes it a “Charm on the Shore,” where you can visit DC or Baltimore for a long weekend without worrying about your wallet.
More on Cambridge: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Lived in Cambridge for years! Best little redneck town I have been too! Going to the wal mart was awesome you could stay there for hours people watching and never get bored!!
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Population: 7,118
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 100
Median Income: $44,658
Median Home Price: $164,894
Median Rent: $768
Cheap living and college students practically go hand in hand so it’s fitting that, Frostburg, our fifth most affordable place to live in Maryland is also where Frostburg State University is located.
We’re sure the area’s median rent rate of $768 is popular with pupils and long-term residents alike. The rate also happens to be the second best in Maryland. A rank that makes jumping into homeownership slightly less appealing. However, those who do put down roots here reap financial benefits as well. The area also ranks highly for its median home value, nabbing the No. 2.0 spot for best in the state.
And for all that money burning a hole in your pocket, Frostburg has a decent number of ways for you to spend it. Activities available range from dishing out a few bucks to load up on gas and drive to the nearby scenic spot of Dans Rock Overlook to getting a round of drinks–and maybe a bottle of wine or two — for the gang at Toasted Goat Winery.
More on Frostburg: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 5,603
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 101
Median Income: $61,205
Median Home Price: $227,517
Median Rent: $1,577
Fruitland, charming place to call your home, ranks as the sixth most affordable place to live in Maryland. With a median home value of $227,517 and a median rent of $1,577, it offers some of the most reasonable housing prices in the state.
It’s located a short drive away from Salisbury, making it easy to access all of the amenities that a larger town has to offer.
More on Fruitland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 7,781
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 103
Median Income: $104,700
Median Home Price: $361,416
Median Rent: $1,059
When it comes to living on the cheap in Maryland, there’s basically nowhere better than Brunswick. The city may not have the cheapest homes or lowest rent in the state, but taken as a proportion of income, Brunswick has some of the most affordable housing statewide. Brunswick residents are paid quite well, with a median income of $104,700, which more than covers the median home price of $361,416 with plenty left to spare.
When you’re walking around the historic district sampling wine and chocolate, you’ll have an extra appreciation for Brunswick’s ritzy atmosphere costing so little.
Brunswick is located on the north bank of the Potomac River, across from Virginia.
More on Brunswick: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 584,548
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 104
Median Income: $58,349
Median Home Price: $179,189
Median Rent: $1,235
The biggest city in Maryland, Baltimore just makes the cut for cheapest places in the state.
Charm City has a whole lot of charm for those trying to live on a budget and still have the best dang blue crabs in the country. Historically a working-class port town, Baltimore has kept housing affordable for all its residents. But with over 50 neighborhoods, be warned that not everywhere is going to be equally cheap. If you end up living in Riverside, Inner Harbor or Fell’s Point, Baltimore’s affordability might not be as noticeable to you. The median home price in Baltimore is $179,189 and the median income is $58,349, putting the city in top ten statewide for home price to income ratio. As for renters, Baltimore is actually the least affordable place on this list.
More on Baltimore: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The city has a crime problem, but the citizens of Baltimore are actively working to make their city better. Inner Harbor is beautiful, of course, but the city as a whole is crammed with interesting places to eat and shop. Some of the markets are excellent for people-watching as well as shopping.
Patapsco flea market! Seafood! Ram’s Head Live! Reasonable parking rates!
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Population: 16,422
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 107
Median Income: $74,555
Median Home Price: $314,123
Median Rent: $1,229
The Northeast is notorious for sky-high costs of living and at times, Maryland, can be no exception. However, that’s not the case in Aberdeen. This community is only a 45-minute drive from Baltimore and is an affordable option for those who commute to bigger cities.
Unlike in pricier areas, the median home value here is only $314,123. A price tag that is affordable for those bringing in Aberdeen’s median household income of $74,555. If your budget is tighter, the area’s median rent rate of $1,229 isn’t bad too.
The community doesn’t just have family-friendly prices either, it also has plenty of family-friendly fun, like catching a baseball game at Ripken Stadium. And residents don’t have to worry too much about whether or not they’ll be able to afford tickets to the next game either, considering that Aberdeen has a 3.63% unemployment rate.
More on Aberdeen: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 15,830
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 109
Median Income: $58,593
Median Home Price: $327,018
Median Rent: $1,287
Elkton snuck onto the list of the least expensive locales in Maryland this year. With an overall cost of living index of 109, the city is cheap for Maryland but more expensive than the national average.
Relative to the rest of the list, Elkton scored well for utilities, meaning you’ll pay less for heat and save that money for heating a campfire during a camping trip to Elk Neck State Forest.
More on Elkton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Cheapest places to live in Maryland FAQs
The county in Maryland with the lowest cost of living is Frederick County. The average living wage in Frederick County is $103,539 according to MIT data. Frederick County has the lowest cost of living because it has relatively less expensive childcare and housing costs compared to Maryland as a whole. Childcare costs $19,459 a year in Frederick County for two children compared to the Maryland average of $20,462. Housing costs, defined as a blend of the average rent and average mortgage payment, are $21,180 per year in Frederick County compared to $17,913 on average in Maryland.
The cost of living in Maryland is 12.5% higher than the US average. According to MIT, the required living wage for a family of four with two working parents in Maryland is $100,959 vs the national average for a family of four with two working parents of $89,744. The median income of a Maryland household is $87,063.
The cheapest housing market in Maryland is Cumberland. The average home value in Cumberland is $104,200, the lowest in the state. The average home value in Maryland is $325,400, almost 3.1 times higher than Cumberland.
Methodology: How we determined the most affordable places to live in the Old Line State for 2024
Determining affordability for places in Maryland boils down to how much it costs to live here.
You need to understand your costs relative to what people in the rest of the state are paying.
With that logic in mind, we derived several cost of living statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2018-2022 for Maryland using Saturday Night Science. We indexed the cost of living statistics across the following categories:
- Housing
- Transportation
- Services
- Groceries
- Healthcare
- Utilities
These are then weighted together to produce an overall cost of living index where 100 is the United States average. Anything below 100 is relatively affordable. Anything over 100 is relatively expensive.
We applied the biggest weight to housing as it typically accounts for 25% or more of your budget. Additionally, housing costs are the highest variant cost across a state. We then compare these cost of living metrics for each place in Maryland to figure out which is the least expensive.
The “Cost of Living Index” allows you to rank all of the 41 places in Maryland that have more than 5,000 people from least expensive to most expensive. Any ties went to the larger city.
The place in Maryland with the lowest cost of living according to the data is Cumberland.
We updated this article for 2024. This report reflects our tenth time ranking the cheapest places to live in Maryland.
Maryland Affordabilility Summary
This is an accurate list of the most affordable places to live in Maryland for 2024, if you’re looking at the cost of living numbers in Maryland.
The cheapest cities in Maryland are Cumberland, Hagerstown, Salisbury, Cambridge, Frostburg, Fruitland, Brunswick, Baltimore, Aberdeen, and Elkton.
Here’s a look at the most expensive cities in Maryland according to the data:
- Takoma Park
- Rockville
- Poolesville
For more Maryland reading, check out:
- Worst Places To Live In Maryland
- Most Dangerous Cities In Maryland
- Best Places To Buy A House In Maryland
Cheapest Places To Live In Maryland
| Rank | City | Population | Cost Of Living Index | Median Income | Home Prices | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cumberland | 19,041 | 88 | $45,915 | $139,025 | $712 |
| 2 | Hagerstown | 43,374 | 97 | $48,481 | $260,493 | $977 |
| 3 | Salisbury | 32,960 | 98 | $53,309 | $241,424 | $1,189 |
| 4 | Cambridge | 13,058 | 98 | $44,114 | $242,774 | $956 |
| 5 | Frostburg | 7,118 | 100 | $44,658 | $164,894 | $768 |
| 6 | Fruitland | 5,603 | 101 | $61,205 | $227,517 | $1,577 |
| 7 | Brunswick | 7,781 | 103 | $104,700 | $361,416 | $1,059 |
| 8 | Baltimore | 584,548 | 104 | $58,349 | $179,189 | $1,235 |
| 9 | Aberdeen | 16,422 | 107 | $74,555 | $314,123 | $1,229 |
| 10 | Elkton | 15,830 | 109 | $58,593 | $327,018 | $1,287 |
| 11 | Westminster | 20,099 | 110 | $71,286 | $423,805 | $1,335 |
| 12 | Bladensburg | 9,574 | 111 | $58,619 | $315,966 | $1,608 |
| 13 | Thurmont | 6,313 | 111 | $88,243 | $355,126 | $1,042 |
| 14 | Hampstead | 6,278 | 111 | $87,454 | $397,582 | $1,069 |
| 15 | District Heights | 5,905 | 111 | $84,929 | $327,778 | $1,391 |
| 16 | Easton | 17,118 | 113 | $75,198 | $415,598 | $1,153 |
| 17 | Bel Air | 10,630 | 113 | $66,950 | $432,116 | $1,422 |
| 18 | Taneytown | 7,234 | 113 | $78,333 | $362,419 | $797 |
| 19 | Havre de Grace | 14,743 | 114 | $95,025 | $376,608 | $1,184 |
| 20 | Ocean City | 6,879 | 114 | $62,401 | $449,391 | $1,151 |
| 21 | Greenbelt | 24,646 | 115 | $82,019 | $273,558 | $1,788 |
| 22 | Manchester | 5,403 | 116 | $103,629 | $425,271 | $1,183 |
| 23 | New Carrollton | 13,580 | 117 | $76,386 | $385,956 | $1,689 |
| 24 | Glenarden | 6,335 | 117 | $100,179 | $412,112 | $1,636 |
| 25 | Frederick | 78,390 | 118 | $89,981 | $434,950 | $1,614 |
| 26 | Riverdale Park | 7,284 | 120 | $105,250 | $457,160 | $1,547 |
| 27 | Laurel | 29,581 | 121 | $92,035 | $443,952 | $1,831 |
| 28 | Hyattsville | 20,851 | 121 | $90,329 | $396,591 | $1,734 |
| 29 | College Park | 34,416 | 122 | $76,973 | $418,488 | $1,838 |
| 30 | Mount Rainier | 8,262 | 123 | $64,170 | $471,063 | $1,406 |
| 31 | La Plata | 10,283 | 125 | $117,065 | $458,131 | $1,539 |
| 32 | Walkersville | 6,239 | 125 | $138,190 | $425,026 | $1,458 |
| 33 | Cheverly | 6,132 | 126 | $119,625 | $468,015 | $1,674 |
| 34 | Annapolis | 40,719 | 131 | $97,219 | $571,003 | $1,750 |
| 35 | Gaithersburg | 69,016 | 132 | $104,544 | $498,395 | $1,925 |
| 36 | Bowie | 57,922 | 132 | $138,797 | $495,660 | $2,167 |
| 37 | Chesapeake Beach | 6,358 | 132 | $130,175 | $432,240 | $1,703 |
| 38 | Mount Airy | 9,667 | 134 | $148,779 | $575,869 | $1,606 |
| 39 | Poolesville | 5,686 | 140 | $215,025 | $664,155 | $1,786 |
| 40 | Rockville | 67,142 | 149 | $122,470 | $606,807 | $2,167 |
| 41 | Takoma Park | 17,542 | 150 | $95,316 | $667,796 | $1,318 |