Communities throughout Maryland offer a broad range of amenities and lifestyles that are both attractive and affordable.

In Baltimore, living costs are somewhat above the national average, but less than those in urban areas in the northeast and west. Living costs on Maryland's Eastern Shore and in Western Maryland are generally near the national average, and also compare favorably with other smaller metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas in the northeast and midwest United States.

Note: Includes comparative data for approximately 300 urban areas.
Source: ACCRA Cost of Living Index, 2008 annual average.

Cost of Living in Maryland, by County

Towson University's RESI Applied Economics Group has developed a Cost of Living Index for all counties in Maryland.  With the U.S. average equal to 100.0, the indices for Maryland counties plus the City of Baltimore for the year 2005 are as follows:


Source: Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, December 2006.

Additional quality of life data for states, Maryland counties and major metro areas can be found in the Comparisons Tool .