Population 573,243 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Baltimore City: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Baltimore City
Household size in Baltimore City
| Period | Baltimore City | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.54 | 2.61 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.51 | 2.65 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.50 | 2.65 | 2.74 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.29 | 2.59 | 2.68 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.26 | −0.02 | +0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Baltimore City are small: just 2.29 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.54, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Baltimore City
| Period | Baltimore City | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.0 | 38.7 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.6 | 39.5 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.4 | 40.2 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.6 | 40.3 | 40.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.5 | +1.6 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Baltimore City is 37.6 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 36.0, mirroring the country. Only one other Maryland county is younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Baltimore City
| Period | Baltimore City | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.7% | 12.6% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.9% | 12.3% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 17.3% | 11.6% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.8% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.9 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Baltimore City: 15.8% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 3.9 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. No other Maryland county has a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Baltimore City
Renters in Baltimore City
| Period | Baltimore City | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.2% | 32.0% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 52.8% | 33.5% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 52.5% | 33.5% | 33.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 52.5% | 33.1% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +1.1 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Baltimore City: 52.5% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. More than a third of owners (35.7%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 2.3 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. No other Maryland county has a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Baltimore City
| Period | Baltimore City | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.8% | 9.3% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.5% | 9.3% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 18.0% | 9.4% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.4% | 7.2% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.5 pts | −2.1 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Baltimore City than nationally: 13.4%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has fallen 5.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Baltimore City
| Period | Baltimore City | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1949 | 1971 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1948 | 1972 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1949 | 1973 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1953 | 1975 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Baltimore City is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1953, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1949 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the west has the oldest housing. No other Maryland county has older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Baltimore City
| Period | Baltimore City | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $924 | $1,179 | $1,249 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,008 | $1,293 | $1,363 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,161 | $1,477 | $1,576 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,395 | $1,778 | $1,869 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$471 | +$599 | +$620 | +$606 |
The median renter in Baltimore City pays $1,395 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $471 a month from 2006–10, a 51% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 34.3% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the southeast; the most affordable are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Baltimore City
Bachelor's degrees in Baltimore City
| Period | Baltimore City | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.5% | 35.6% | 36.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.2% | 37.3% | 37.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.0% | 40.8% | 40.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 36.4% | 44.1% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.9 pts | +8.5 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Baltimore City as nationally: 36.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is lower than in the Baltimore area as a whole (44.1%). The share with a degree is up 8.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Baltimore City
| Period | Baltimore City | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.1% | 87.8% | 88.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.4% | 89.5% | 89.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.3% | 91.1% | 90.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.1% | 92.1% | 90.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.0 pts | +4.3 pts | +2.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Baltimore City never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 9.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Baltimore City has a lower share of high school graduates than at least four in five Maryland counties.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Baltimore City
| Period | Baltimore City | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.6% | 6.6% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.5% | 8.3% | 8.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.9% | 5.2% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.3% | 4.8% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −1.8 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Baltimore City than nationally: unemployment was 7.3%, against 5.4%. Only one other Maryland county has higher unemployment. Unemployment has fallen 4.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Baltimore City compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore City | 2.29 | 37.6 | 15.8% | 52.5% | 13.4% | 1953 | $1,395 | 36.4% | 87.1% | 7.3% |
| Baltimore County | 2.59 | 40.9 | 11.9% | 33.6% | 6.4% | 1973 | $1,680 | 42.2% | 91.6% | 4.9% |
| Howard County | 2.84 | 40.6 | 9.1% | 28.5% | 4.4% | 1991 | $2,257 | 64.5% | 94.8% | 3.6% |
| Kent County | 2.15 | 47.2 | 12.0% | 27.5% | 18.6% | 1977 | $1,310 | 38.7% | 91.2% | 2.9% |
| Frederick County | 2.78 | 39.9 | 10.2% | 23.0% | 5.4% | 1991 | $1,932 | 47.0% | 93.5% | 3.2% |
| Jefferson County | 2.59 | 41.7 | 11.0% | 19.7% | 8.4% | 1991 | $1,157 | 34.3% | 89.8% | 3.8% |
| Berkeley County | 2.58 | 39.9 | 14.1% | 24.0% | 6.5% | 1994 | $1,304 | 25.5% | 90.7% | 4.7% |
| Cumberland County | 2.81 | 37.9 | 16.7% | 33.5% | 7.0% | 1969 | $1,302 | 18.3% | 80.6% | 7.0% |
| Hampshire County | 2.80 | 45.8 | 11.9% | 17.3% | 31.8% | 1986 | $816 | 19.6% | 88.9% | 8.6% |
| Atlantic County | 2.59 | 42.3 | 12.3% | 31.3% | 10.8% | 1977 | $1,538 | 31.0% | 89.4% | 8.9% |
| Mineral County | 2.38 | 44.2 | 10.1% | 19.0% | 11.8% | 1978 | $817 | 23.4% | 94.1% | 6.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Plymouth County, MA · Utah County, UT · Richmond County, NY · Sonoma County, CA · Bernalillo County, NM · Washoe County, NV · Brevard County, FL · Ocean County, NJ · Bucks County, PA · Camden County, NJ
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Baltimore City. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.