Baltimore's D covers 569,997 people, and the city's neighborhoods vary far more than any single grade can show. It ranks 251st of 259 graded places in Maryland. It is among the most walkable places in the country. What weighs on its grade: its schools rank among the lowest in Maryland on tests and graduation, and its police reported 7,578 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 99% of U.S. towns. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 100% of U.S. towns, with 309 places on the National Register. 44% of working residents work locally in Baltimore, where Maryland’s towns sit at 3.1% and U.S. towns at 8%. Its National Register listings include Peale's Baltimore Museum and U.s.s. Constellation. Only 30 of Maryland’s 329 towns score lower on incomes.

StrongestA⁺History A⁺Walkability AHazard riskWeakestD⁻Schools D⁻Safety CHealth

What makes Baltimore stand out

Where Baltimore beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

Peale's Baltimore Museum

HistoryA⁺

Settled in 1729

A history going back 297 years.

Biggest of 10

College	Students
Johns Hopkins University	17,183
Morgan State University	9,119
University of Maryland, Baltimore	5,588

Colleges in town

10 colleges

46,746 students on campus

Students are 8% of residents.

Baltimore City Public Schools

School	Grades	Students
KIPP Harmony Academy	PK–8	1,399
Roland Park Elementary/Middle	PK–8	1,371
Lakeland Elementary/Middle	PK–8	1,070

Worth knowing · SchoolsD⁻

On state tests and graduation

NCES · EDFacts.

Peale's Baltimore Museum · National Register of Historic Places

Baltimore’s story

297 years in pictures

Peale's Baltimore Museum is one of 24 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1729, comes before those of 95% of the Maryland towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 13,503 in 1790, a peak of 949,708 in 1950, 585,708 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1700 and 6 maps from 1894 on.

309 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1729Baltimore is settled

Explore the history →

How Baltimore grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Maryland), ordered by how far Baltimore is from typical.

How grading works

SchoolsBehind 100% of Maryland districts on tests and graduationD⁻Open →SafetyMore crime per resident than almost any U.S. townD⁻Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 14.3 of 20; 26.7% of households have no car; 16.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA⁺Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 10% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →HealthLess healthy than 71% of U.S. towns; The Johns Hopkins Hospital 0 miles awayCOpen →Jobs & income$62K median household income; 315,100 jobs based hereC⁺Open →Cost of livingB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors8% conserved landA⁻Open →History28 notable people born hereA⁺Open →Civic life2.1 library visits per resident; 5.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC⁺Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market45 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 36.2–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

White House and 256 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Baltimore. Close and well known come first.

All 315 attractions →

Big draw36 mi National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year

Big drawin town Stadium & arenaM&T Bank Stadium

in town Stadium & arenaOriole Park at Camden Yards

in town MuseumNS Savannah

in town National MonumentFort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine283K visitors a year

Big draw36 mi National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

White House: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · M&T Bank Stadium: United States Department of Defense Cherie Cullen, Public domain · Oriole Park at Camden Yards: Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0 · NS Savannah: Elton Lord/Atomic Energy Commission, Public domain · Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine: ScottyBoy900Q at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Washington Monument: Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0

Getting set up

Moving to Baltimore: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Baltimore, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerBaltimore Gas & Electric20.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterCity of Baltimore water system3 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpQuarantine Road Landfill & Residential Recycling CenterDrop-offTown site

SchoolsBaltimore City Public SchoolsWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn Maryland you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereBaltimore City Board of ElectionsThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2023

ZIP codes21215, 21218, 21224, 2120621215 9% · 21218 8% · 21224 8% · 21206 7%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Mar 11, 2026.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Baltimore.

Baltimore has hotter summers than almost anywhere else in Maryland and has homes that are cheap against local pay, but it reports violent crime at 4 times the Maryland rate.

SchoolsD⁻

Baltimore’s public schools rank near the bottom of Maryland

Each of its 7 graded neighbors has a higher School Grade than its D−, Brooklyn Park highest at B−.

Its public schools are run by the Baltimore City Public Schools. Three of its 205 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

1%of MD districts it outscoresD⁻School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
KIPP Harmony AcademyLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8	Grades PK–8	1,399	C⁻
Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	1,714	C⁺
Baltimore Polytechnic InstituteTop results in townGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	1,632	A⁺

Full pageBaltimore’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsBaltimore City Public Schools Vs. the neighborsBehind its 10 graded neighbors Every school205 schools · KIPP Harmony Academy Questions“Are Baltimore’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within MD on state tests and graduation

SafetyD⁻

In Baltimore, violent crime runs higher than in the typical Maryland or U.S. town

Violent crime runs at 13.5 per 1,000 residents, 4 times the Maryland rate; the Safety Grade counts each violent crime four times, so this weighs most on its D−. Property crime runs at 39.8 per 1,000 residents, about twice the Maryland rate, most of it theft.

The violent crime rate in Baltimore is 13.5 per 1,000 residents. Among 55 Maryland towns, just 1 have a higher property crime rate than Baltimore. Baltimore reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 99% report less.

1%of U.S. towns report more crimeD⁻Safety Grade

	Baltimore	Maryland towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	13.5 per 1,000 residents	2.3	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	39.8 per 1,000 residents	13.8	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Baltimore13.5

Maryland3.7

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Baltimore39.8

Maryland18.5

U.S.15.5

1st

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

7,578

violent crimes reported in 2025

22,410

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageBaltimore’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type13.5 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Vs. the neighbors10 bordering towns Questions“Is Baltimore, MD safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

HousingCost of living grade B⁻

Homes in Baltimore are worth about $185K, by Zillow’s estimate

At 1.9 years of the Baltimore metro’s $99K median household income, the typical home (about $185K) costs less against local pay than in any other Maryland town; that ratio is one input to its B− for cost of living. Its typical home is the least expensive on its borders; Dundalk is next at $218K.

The typical Baltimore home is worth about $185,000, down 3.7% in a year, 57% below the Maryland typical home. 48% of households own their home in Baltimore.

$185KZillow home value

	Baltimore	Maryland towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	48%	74%	73%
Median rent	$1,331 a month	$1,810 a month	$1,185 a month
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent	54%	51%	48%

Typical home value

Baltimore$185K

Maryland$425K

Market temperature

days on market

99.1%

sale-to-list price

−3.7%

value change, 1 year

605

homes sold in May

Full pageBaltimore’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsDown 3.7% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 3.0 years of income Rents$1,331 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 6 of its 10 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

OutdoorsA⁻

Conserved land covers 7.9% of Baltimore

85 miles of trail in 240 parks and preserves. Baltimore’s trail density is 0.9 miles per square mile. The biggest place to walk is Gwynns Falls / Leakin Park, 998 acres with 10.5 miles of trail.

#71for trails in MD

	Baltimore	Maryland towns	U.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile	0.9 miles per square mile	0.6	0.4
Conserved land	7.9%	9.5%	4.3%

7.9%

conserved · 4,653 of 58,596 acres

85 mi

of trails · 0.9 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Gwynns Falls / Leakin Park	10.5 mi	998
2. Druid Hill Park	5 mi	605
3. Herring Run Park	4.9 mi	455

Full pageBaltimore’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map85 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk10.5 miles of trail · Gwynns Falls / Leakin Park Conserved land7.9% conserved · 4,653 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Baltimore?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A

Inland flooding leads a very low hazard risk in Baltimore

763 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 73 properties have flooded more than once.

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 90% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 763 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Baltimore.

10risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingHeat wavesCold waves

763

paid flood claims since 1978

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageBaltimore’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesVery low risk Flood claims763 paid flood claims · Since 1978 Past disasters10 federal disasters · Paid out in Baltimore Get ready1.9 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

HealthC

Baltimore stands out in Maryland and nationally, with more of its adults who feel lonely

41% of Baltimore adults feel lonely. Baltimore beats the Maryland average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 21. 19% of Baltimore adults report frequent mental distress.

29%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade

	Baltimore	Maryland towns	U.S. towns
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)	41%	34%	33%
Food insecurity (CDC PLACES)	27%	14%	14%
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)	19%	15%	17%
Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES)	24%	17%	19%

32 measures vs. Maryland

2 better9 too close to call21 worse

What stands out	Baltimore	MD
Fewer adults who have had cancer	5.7%	7.6%
Fewer adults with high cholesterol	35.3%	38.1%
More adults facing a utility shut-off	15.3%	8.4%

The Johns Hopkins Hospital

In Baltimore · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

10th

percentile among MD towns

Full pageBaltimore’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore smokers Hospitals & doctors nearbyThe Johns Hopkins Hospital How adults are doingMore adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than MD on 2 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Climate

Four seasons and hot summers in Baltimore

July afternoons average 89°, the #2 highest of 536 Maryland places with climate records; January nights average 27.6°.

Baltimore has chilly winters and warm summers. Among 261 Maryland towns, just 7 have a higher July high than Baltimore. About 19 inches of snow falls in a winter.

19″snow a winter

	Baltimore	Maryland towns	U.S. towns
July high	89°F	88°F	85°F
January low	28°F	26°F	22°F

Typical low → high °F

Winter29–46°

Spring46–66°

Summer68–87°

Fall50–68°

Nov 21

typical first frost

Mar 24

typical last frost

+2.0°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageBaltimore’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 89°, January lows 28°Rain & snow19″ of snow a winter · 47 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingBoth heating and cooling Then and now+2.0° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Work & commuteJobs & income grade C⁺

A job hub: Baltimore has 1.4 jobs for every working resident and draws in 216,230 commuters

The top destinations are Towson (4%), Columbia (2%) and Cockeysville (2%). Half commute less than 6 miles.

44%work in town

	Baltimore	Maryland towns	U.S. towns
Below the poverty line	20%	7%	9.6%
Median household income	$62,000	$113,000	$80,000
Average trip to work	29 minutes	32 minutes	25 minutes
Work from home	18%	18%	11%

Where working residents work

In Baltimore44%

Towson4%

Columbia2%

Cockeysville2%

Washington2%

6 mi

median commute distance

315,100

jobs based in Baltimore

Balanced

jobs vs. working residents

A+

Walkability grade: among the most walkable U.S. towns

Full pageBaltimore’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here315,100 jobs based here · Balanced Where people work44% work in Baltimore Commute times29 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 6 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Who lives here

More young adults than Maryland overall

19.7% of residents live below the poverty line, against 9.4% across Maryland, which weighs on its C+ for jobs and income. The median household earns $62,177, against $103,678 across Maryland.

Adults 18 to 34 are 27% of residents (22% statewide). Baltimore has lost 2.7% of its people since 2020, down to 569,997 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 36% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 44% across Maryland.

36.2median age · MD 39.4

	Baltimore	Maryland towns	U.S. towns
Median age	36.2 years	39.4 years	40.5 years
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+	36%	42%	29%
Under 18	21%	23%	22%
Aged 65 or older	15%	16%	18%

BaltimoreMarylandUnited States

MDU.S.

Ages · share of residents

18%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma12%

High school28%

Some college18%

Associate’s5%

Bachelor’s18%

Graduate18%

Women and men · all residents

53.5% women, 46.5% men

About 87 men for every 100 women. Across Maryland, 51.3% of residents are women. Median age: women 37.3, men 34.9.

Ages and education in Baltimore
	Baltimore	MD	U.S.
Under 10	11.5%	11.9%	11.6%
10 to 17	9.3%	10.3%	10.3%
18 to 24	9.1%	8.5%	9.1%
25 to 34	18%	13.2%	13.7%
35 to 44	14.1%	13.6%	13.2%
45 to 54	10.6%	12.6%	12.2%
55 to 64	12.2%	13.3%	12.7%
65 to 74	9.5%	9.9%	10.2%
75 and older	5.8%	6.8%	7%
No diploma	12.3%	8.9%	10.4%
High school	27.7%	23.4%	26%
Some college	18.4%	17.4%	19.1%
Associate’s	5.4%	6.8%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	18.1%	22.7%	21.6%
Graduate	18.1%	20.8%	14.1%

Full pageBaltimore by the numbersOpen the page

Ages36.2 median age · 15% are 65 or older Schooling36% have a four-year degree Homes48% own their home · Homeowners Income$62K a year · Median household income

Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Baltimore

20pages on Baltimore

The big questions

SchoolsD⁻Behind 100% of MD districts · 205 schools SafetyD⁻13.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthCBetter than MD on 2 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingB⁻$185K typical home · down 3.7% in a year Work & commuteC⁺$62K median household income · 315,100 jobs here Natural hazardsAFEMA risk higher than 10% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA⁻85 mi of trails · 8% conserved land PlacesAttractions315 nearby · M&T Bank Stadium under 1 mi LibraryC⁺2.1 library visits per resident CollegesUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore, in town

The story

HistoryA⁺Settled 1729 · 309 on the National Register Famous people28 born in Baltimore Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 23 residents Climate89° summer highs · 19″ of snow

Day to day

News9 recent stories about Baltimore WeatherHandbookZIP code 21201–21298, 21201, 21202 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

17 within 15 miles of the center of Baltimore

Baltimore City Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · BaltimoreIn town$3,314 in-state tuition University of Maryland, BaltimoreUniversity or college · Public · BaltimoreIn town University of BaltimoreUniversity or college · Public · BaltimoreIn town$9,992 in-state tuition

About 8 of every 100 Baltimore residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Maryland.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

College town

Johns Hopkins University calls Baltimore home

10 colleges in town.

Johns Hopkins University17,183 students on campus

Admission: 6%
Net price: $18,809
Graduate: 94%

Morgan State University9,119 students on campus

Admission: 82%
Net price: $14,985
Graduate: 41%

University of Maryland, Baltimore5,588 students on campus

Admission: Open
Net price: —
Graduate: —

College Scorecard · IPEDS

Landmarks

309 places in Baltimore on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Peale's Baltimore MuseumBuilt 1786 · National Historic Landmark

U.s.s. ConstellationNational Historic Landmark

Old Roman Catholic CathedralBuilt 1821 · National Historic Landmark

Shot TowerNational Historic Landmark

Famous people from Baltimore

28 notable people were born in Baltimore.

See all 28 →

Frank ZappaAmerican musician · 1940–1993

Nancy PelosiAmerican politician · born 1940

John RawlsAmerican philosopher, philosophy teacher · 1921–2002

Tom ClancyAmerican author · 1947–2013

Babe RuthAmerican baseball player · 1895–1948

Upton SinclairAmerican writer · 1878–1968

About Baltimore

Largest city in Maryland, United States

Official town website ↗

Baltimore, also known as Baltimore City, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is the 30th-most populous U.S. city with a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 569,997 in 2025, while the Baltimore metropolitan area at 2.86 million residents is the 22nd-largest metropolitan area in the nation. The city is also part of the Washington–Baltimore combined statistical area, which had a population of 9.97 million in 2020. Baltimore was designated as an independent city by the Constitution of Maryland in 1851. Though not located under the jurisdiction of any county in the state, it forms part of the Central Maryland region together with the surrounding coun…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1729
Area: 92 sq mi
Elevation: 33 ft
ZIP code: 21201–21298, 21201, 21202
Area code: 410, 443, 667

Baltimore’s neighbors

10 towns share a border with Baltimore.

Explore the map →

All 7 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its D; Dundalk (C) is closest. Pikesville next door grades higher for schools (C− to Baltimore’s D−) and lower for cost of living (C− to B−).

How the neighbors grade

Town	MD rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Baltimore	#251	D	B⁻	D⁻	D⁻	C
Rosedale	#149	B	B	—	C⁻	C⁺
Pikesville	#156	B⁻	C⁻	—	C⁻	A⁻
Dundalk	#221	C	B⁻	—	C⁻	C⁻
Towson	#165	B⁻	D	—	C⁻	A⁻
Woodlawn	#181	C⁺	C⁺	—	C⁻	C⁺
Brooklyn Park	#94	A⁻	B	—	B⁻	B⁻
Arbutus	#109	B⁺	B⁻	—	C⁻	A⁻

Rosedale, Pikesville, Dundalk, Towson, Woodlawn, Brooklyn Park and Arbutus report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Baltimore with a neighbor →

Questions about Baltimore

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Baltimore, MD a good place to live?

Baltimore grades D overall, better than 7% of U.S. towns and #251 of 259 in Maryland. It grades C for health, D− for safety and D− for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D−.

Are Baltimore schools good?

The public schools Baltimore children attend trail 100% of Maryland districts on state tests and graduation, a D− School Grade.

Is Baltimore, MD expensive?

That is 1.9 years of the area's median household income ($99,470 across the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.

What is Baltimore, MD known for?

28 notable people were born here, including Frank Zappa and Nancy Pelosi.

Post to Baltimore

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BaltimoreMD

What is it like to live in Baltimore?