Population 850,796 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Baltimore County
Household size in Baltimore County
| Period | Baltimore County | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.51 | 2.61 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.59 | 2.65 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.63 | 2.65 | 2.74 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.59 | 2.59 | 2.68 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.08 | −0.02 | +0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.59 people per household, Baltimore County sits close to the national average of 2.65. Household size has crept up from 2.51 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southwest.
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 County
| Period | Baltimore County | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.8 | 38.7 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.3 | 39.5 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.9 | 40.2 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.9 | 40.3 | 40.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.2 | +1.6 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
At 40.9, the median age in Baltimore County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 39.8 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the northeast.
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 County
| Period | Baltimore County | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.2% | 12.6% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 12.3% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.7% | 11.6% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.9% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Baltimore County as they are nationally: 11.9%, against 11.6%. Baltimore County has a higher share of single-parent households than most Maryland counties.
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 County
Renters in Baltimore County
| Period | Baltimore County | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.0% | 32.0% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 33.8% | 33.5% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.9% | 33.5% | 33.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 33.6% | 33.1% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +1.1 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Baltimore County rent their homes (33.6%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 32.8% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the west; owners are most common in the northeast. The renter share has edged up 0.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 County
| Period | Baltimore County | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.6% | 9.3% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 9.3% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 9.4% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 7.2% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Baltimore County: 6.4% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across the Baltimore area.
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 County
| Period | Baltimore County | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1970 | 1971 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1972 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1972 | 1973 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1973 | 1975 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Baltimore County run older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1973 against 1980. The median year built has moved up from 1970 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the center has the oldest housing. Only two of Maryland's 24 counties have 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 County
| Period | Baltimore County | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,145 | $1,179 | $1,249 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,254 | $1,293 | $1,363 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,436 | $1,477 | $1,576 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,680 | $1,778 | $1,869 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$535 | +$599 | +$620 | +$606 |
The median renter in Baltimore County pays $1,680 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are lower than in the Baltimore area as a whole ($1,778). Rent has climbed $535 a month since 2006–10, up 47%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 32.8% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 County
Bachelor's degrees in Baltimore County
| Period | Baltimore County | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.9% | 35.6% | 36.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 35.9% | 37.3% | 37.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.1% | 40.8% | 40.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 42.2% | 44.1% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.3 pts | +8.5 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in Baltimore County than nationally: 42.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 7.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the southeast.
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 County
| Period | Baltimore County | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.7% | 87.8% | 88.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.0% | 89.5% | 89.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.5% | 91.1% | 90.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.6% | 92.1% | 90.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +4.3 pts | +2.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Baltimore County is a bit above the national rate: 91.6% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The Baltimore area as a whole looks much the same. The share with a diploma is up 2.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 County
| Period | Baltimore County | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 6.6% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 8.3% | 8.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 5.2% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 4.8% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 4.9%, unemployment in Baltimore County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.2 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
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 County 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 County | 2.59 | 40.9 | 11.9% | 33.6% | 6.4% | 1973 | $1,680 | 42.2% | 91.6% | 4.9% |
| Baltimore City | 2.29 | 37.6 | 15.8% | 52.5% | 13.4% | 1953 | $1,395 | 36.4% | 87.1% | 7.3% |
| 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: Ventura County, CA · San Mateo County, CA · Kern County, CA · San Joaquin County, CA · El Paso County, TX · Essex County, MA · San Francisco County, CA · Hidalgo County, TX · Montgomery County, PA · Middlesex 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 County. 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.
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