Renting
Data from November 2026
Renting in Maryland
The typical rent in Maryland is $1,705 a month (Average 2020–2024). HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms is about $2,103 (Fiscal year 2027, population-weighted average): paying it without spending more than 30% of income takes $40.44 an hour full time. Here are the figures by size and by county, how many households spend too much, and where to ask for help.
Key numbers in Maryland
- Typical rent
- $1,705
- per month, Average 2020–2024
- 21% more than the U.S.
- Fair market rent, 2 BR
- $2,103
- HUD, Fiscal year 2027, weighted average
- From $1,014 to $2,438 depending on the county.
- Wage needed
- $40.44
- per hour, 2 bedrooms
- About $84,120 a year to stay under 30% of income.
- Burdened households
- 51%
- spend 30% or more on rent
- Nationwide, 51%.
Fair market rent
What HUD sets by size
HUD publishes a fair market rent every year by area and home size; Section 8 and other programs use it to set what they cover. Here it runs from the cheapest to the most expensive area of Maryland, with the hourly wage it takes to pay it without going past 30% of income (40 hours a week).
Includes basic utilities. It is neither the lowest nor the highest rent on the market: it is a reference point.
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Studio
Wage: $16.40–$40.60 an hour
Lowest: $853 Highest: $2,111
-
1 bedroom
Wage: $16.87–$42.38 an hour
Lowest: $877 Highest: $2,204
-
2 bedrooms
Wage: $19.50–$46.88 an hour
Lowest: $1,014 Highest: $2,438
-
3 bedrooms
Wage: $25.75–$59.75 an hour
Lowest: $1,339 Highest: $3,107
-
4 bedrooms
Wage: $25.85–$70.35 an hour
Lowest: $1,344 Highest: $3,658
Each bar runs from the cheapest area to the most expensive; all share one scale that starts at zero. Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)
Rent burden
How many households spend too much
HUD counts rent as a burden when it reaches 30% of income or more. In Maryland, 51% of renter households are in that position; nationwide, 51% (Average 2020–2024, Census).
Paying too much rent leaves little for food, transportation and savings. If that is you, the agencies below can guide you for free.
51%
of renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent.
765,363 renter households in Maryland
- Spend half or more of their income 26%
- Spend 30% or more, but less than half 26%
- Spend less than 30% 49%
By place
Every county, with its figure
The 2-bedroom fair market rent, the typical rent, the hourly wage it takes and the share of burdened households, in every county in Maryland. Highest fair market rent first.
| Montgomery County | $2,438 | $2,068 | $46.88 | 52% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles County | $2,438 | $1,920 | $46.88 | 46% |
| Prince George's County | $2,438 | $1,799 | $46.88 | 53% |
| Frederick County | $2,438 | $1,774 | $46.88 | 48% |
| Howard County | $2,006 | $2,099 | $38.58 | 48% |
| Anne Arundel County | $2,006 | $2,071 | $38.58 | 47% |
| Baltimore County | $2,006 | $1,627 | $38.58 | 54% |
| Queen Anne's County | $2,006 | $1,619 | $38.58 | 54% |
| Harford County | $2,006 | $1,586 | $38.58 | 49% |
| Carroll County | $2,006 | $1,427 | $38.58 | 49% |
| City of Baltimore | $2,006 | $1,331 | $38.58 | 54% |
| Calvert County | $1,890 | $1,759 | $36.35 | 48% |
| Cecil County | $1,860 | $1,377 | $35.77 | 50% |
| St. Mary's County | $1,787 | $1,747 | $34.37 | 46% |
| Wicomico County | $1,428 | $1,327 | $27.46 | 50% |
| Talbot County | $1,421 | $1,256 | $27.33 | 52% |
| Caroline County | $1,320 | $1,105 | $25.38 | 56% |
| Washington County | $1,284 | $1,147 | $24.69 | 47% |
| Kent County | $1,241 | $1,209 | $23.87 | 60% |
| Worcester County | $1,184 | $1,159 | $22.77 | 55% |
| Dorchester County | $1,159 | $1,032 | $22.29 | 56% |
| Somerset County | $1,144 | $1,013 | $22.00 | 48% |
| Allegany County | $1,014 | $805 | $19.50 | 44% |
| Garrett County | $1,014 | $765 | $19.50 | 35% |
- Montgomery $2,438$46.88
- Charles $2,438$46.88
- Prince George's $2,438$46.88
- Frederick $2,438$46.88
- Howard $2,006$38.58
- Anne Arundel $2,006$38.58
- Baltimore $2,006$38.58
- Queen Anne's $2,006$38.58
- Harford $2,006$38.58
- Carroll $2,006$38.58
- Baltimore $2,006$38.58
- Calvert $1,890$36.35
- Cecil $1,860$35.77
- St. Mary's $1,787$34.37
- Wicomico $1,428$27.46
- Talbot $1,421$27.33
- Caroline $1,320$25.38
- Washington $1,284$24.69
- Kent $1,241$23.87
- Worcester $1,184$22.77
- Dorchester $1,159$22.29
- Somerset $1,144$22.00
- Allegany $1,014$19.50
- Garrett $1,014$19.50
Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site) Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Average 2020–2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (external site)
Your rights as a tenant in Maryland
What Maryland law says about deposits, notices and eviction, with the citation for each rule.
See your rights, rule by ruleA summary of state law, not legal advice. Cities may have additional rules.
- How much can they charge for a deposit?
- Up to 1 month of rent
- Md. Code, Real Prop. §8-203(b)(1)
- When must they return my deposit?
- 45 days
- Md. Code, Real Prop. §8-203(e)(1)
- If I fall behind on rent, what notice must I get?
- 10 days
- Md. Code, Real Prop. §8-401(c)(1)
- How much notice ends a month-to-month rental?
- 60 days
- Md. Code, Real Prop. §8-402(c)(2)(i)
- Only a court order can remove youMd. Code, Real Prop. §8-216(b)
- Protection from retaliationMd. Code, Real Prop. §8-208.1(a)(1)
Help
Where to ask for help with rent in Maryland
Free or official help. Demand usually exceeds funding, so waiting lists are common: ask at the agency for your county.
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41 counseling agencies
HUD-approved; 18 serve in Spanish. They counsel renters for free.
See the agencies
Tool
How much rent can you afford?
Enter your income and compare with the fair market rent in your county.
Frequently asked questions
Which county in Maryland is the most expensive to rent in?
By 2-bedroom fair market rent (Fiscal year 2027), the most expensive is Montgomery County ($2,438, about $46.88 an hour) and the cheapest Allegany County ($1,014, about $19.50 an hour).
How many households in Maryland spend too much on rent?
51% of renter households in Maryland spend 30% or more of their income on rent, and 26% spend half or more (Average 2020–2024, Census). Nationwide, 51%.
What is fair market rent?
A figure HUD publishes every year by area and home size; Section 8 and other programs use it to set what they pay. It is not a market price or a cap on landlords. In Maryland, for 2 bedrooms in Fiscal year 2027, it runs from $1,014 to $2,438 depending on the county.
Where do I ask for help paying rent in Maryland?
30 public housing agencies run Section 8 vouchers and public housing in Maryland; demand usually exceeds funding and waiting lists are common. HUD-approved counseling agencies counsel for free. Your county page shows the nearest ones.