Population 17,302 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bel Air
Household size in Bel Air
| Period | Bel Air | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.62 | 2.61 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.55 | 2.65 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.48 | 2.65 | 2.74 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.44 | 2.59 | 2.68 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.17 | −0.02 | +0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Bel Air run small, averaging 2.44 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.62, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the west.
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 Bel Air
| Period | Bel Air | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.9 | 38.7 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.4 | 39.5 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.9 | 40.2 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.1 | 40.3 | 40.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.2 | +1.6 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Bel Air skews older than the country: its median age is 44.1, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 41.9, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the northeast and oldest in the south.
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 Bel Air
| Period | Bel Air | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 12.6% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 12.3% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.3% | 11.6% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Bel Air: 5.2% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 3.0 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 245 Maryland cities with 5,000+ people, only 21 have a lower 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 Bel Air
Renters in Bel Air
| Period | Bel Air | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.6% | 32.0% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.4% | 33.5% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.9% | 33.5% | 33.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.7% | 33.1% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +13.2 pts | +1.1 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Bel Air own their homes; 28.7% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 40.1% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share is up 13.2 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Bel Air
| Period | Bel Air | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 9.3% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 9.3% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 9.4% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 7.2% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −2.1 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Bel Air than nationally: 6.1%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of 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 Bel Air
| Period | Bel Air | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1971 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1972 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1973 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1975 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Bel Air are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1981, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in the Baltimore area overall, where the median home dates to 1975. The median year built has moved up from 1978 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the northeast has the oldest housing.
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 Bel Air
| Period | Bel Air | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,034 | $1,179 | $1,249 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,132 | $1,293 | $1,363 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,426 | $1,477 | $1,576 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,443 | $1,778 | $1,869 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$410 | +$599 | +$620 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Bel Air costs $1,443 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $410 a month from 2006–10, a 40% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 33.2% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the east and lowest in the west.
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 Bel Air
Bachelor's degrees in Bel Air
| Period | Bel Air | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.8% | 35.6% | 36.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 38.5% | 37.3% | 37.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.6% | 40.8% | 40.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 44.7% | 44.1% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.9 pts | +8.5 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than four in ten adults 25 and older in Bel Air (44.7%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 8.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the northwest.
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 Bel Air
| Period | Bel Air | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.8% | 87.8% | 88.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.3% | 89.5% | 89.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.6% | 91.1% | 90.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.9% | 92.1% | 90.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | +4.3 pts | +2.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Bel Air is above the national rate: 93.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 2.0 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Bel Air
| Period | Bel Air | Baltimore area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 6.6% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 8.3% | 8.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.9% | 5.2% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 4.8% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | −1.8 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Bel Air runs below the national rate: 4.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. That is in line with the rest of the Baltimore area. 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).
Bel Air compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bel Air | 2.44 | 44.1 | 5.2% | 28.7% | 6.1% | 1981 | $1,443 | 44.7% | 93.9% | 4.2% |
| Bel Air North | 2.82 | 41.4 | 7.3% | 10.9% | 2.9% | 1990 | $1,674 | 48.9% | 96.6% | 3.1% |
| Bel Air South | 2.63 | 39.2 | 9.4% | 20.2% | 3.4% | 1990 | $1,791 | 48.7% | 96.2% | 3.7% |
| Pleasant Hills | 2.54 | 49.3 | 2.6% | 3.1% | 7.2% | 1990 | $2,768 | 58.6% | 96.3% | 3.2% |
| Churchville | 2.80 | 45.3 | 4.9% | 13.7% | 3.7% | 1972 | $1,411 | 47.6% | 96.2% | 1.8% |
| Forest Hill | 2.90 | 44.4 | 8.6% | 3.6% | 1.9% | 1989 | $2,167 | 42.2% | 96.4% | 1.7% |
| Abingdon | 2.86 | 43.1 | 5.3% | 8.8% | 3.2% | 1997 | $1,892 | 41.7% | 97.4% | 3.8% |
| Joppa | 2.44 | 47.9 | 6.8% | 15.2% | 8.4% | 1974 | $1,482 | 28.4% | 91.3% | 5.5% |
| Riverside | 2.57 | 35.5 | 8.5% | 28.0% | 3.5% | 1995 | $1,875 | 41.6% | 98.5% | 2.0% |
| Belcamp | 2.42 | 38.6 | 13.9% | 25.7% | 3.9% | 1995 | $1,947 | 39.9% | 97.0% | 2.5% |
| Fallston | 2.90 | 45.0 | 6.4% | 7.1% | 2.0% | 1983 | $2,015 | 53.1% | 97.9% | 0.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Chaparral, NM · Beech Grove, IN · Wilmington, OH · Whitewater, WI · Bellevue, WI · Bellingham, MA · Bennettsville, SC · White Center, WA · Westwood, MA · Webster, MA
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 Bel Air. 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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