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City · 5,198 residents · Worcester County, Maryland

West Ocean City , Maryland

In West Ocean City, a typical home is worth $423,700 and typical rent is $1,620 a month. Compared with all of Worcester County, typical rent is 40% higher and typical household income is 19% higher.

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  • Typical home value

    $423,700

    13% above the county

    About the same as Maryland

    • West Ocean City
    • Worcester
    • Maryland

  • Typical rent

    $1,620a month

    40% above the county

    5% below Maryland

    • West Ocean City
    • Worcester
    • Maryland

  • Typical household income

    $97,165a year

    19% above the county

    6% below Maryland

    • West Ocean City
    • Worcester
    • Maryland

  • Households that own their home

    82%

    4 points above the county

    14 points above Maryland

    • West Ocean City
    • Worcester
    • Maryland

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

West Ocean City is in Worcester County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Worcester County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets West Ocean City apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in Fruitland, the typical home value is $227,200: 46% less than in West Ocean City ($423,700).

  2. The typical rent in West Ocean City is $1,620 a month, 40% more than in Worcester County as a whole ($1,159).

  3. Nearby, in Berlin, the typical rent is $1,091: 33% less than in West Ocean City ($1,620).

  4. The typical household income in West Ocean City is $97,165, 19% more than in Worcester County as a whole ($81,745).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in West Ocean City

What homes there are in West Ocean City, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In West Ocean City, 7 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses; in Worcester County, 4.

There are more mobile homes here than in Worcester County: 9% of homes, against 5%.

Year built

Homes in West Ocean City are newer: the typical year built is 1996; in Worcester County, 1985.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$2,338 a month

Worcester County: $1,948 a month

Without a mortgage

$731 a month

Worcester County: $691 a month

Owners with a mortgage

56%

Worcester County: 58%

In West Ocean City, 56% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $2,338 a month, against $1,948 in Worcester County. Without one it drops to $731.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The boundaries of West Ocean City changed since 2015–2019, so the Census does not compare its figures from then and now. In Worcester County, the typical home value rose 43%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureWest Ocean CityWorcester CountyMarylandUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate10.9%4.7%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate2.0%0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate2.2%2.5%3.4%
People per household 2.312.192.572.53
Drive alone 86%76%65%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate8%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate4%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate3%2%3%
Work from home Unreliable estimate12%19%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%2%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutesUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

On average, a household in West Ocean City has 2.31 people, more than in Worcester County (2.19).

The car rules in West Ocean City: 86% of workers drive to work alone, and the typical trip takes 10 to 19 minutes.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in West Ocean City?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in West Ocean City, worth $423,700, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 42% of the typical household income in West Ocean City, which is $97,165 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $146,066 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Worcester County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in West Ocean City. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $14,830 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$3,408

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$416,025
Total interest
$598,563
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $7,155 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,267 a month

  • Tight

    $2,267 to $2,915 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,915 a month

    Your payment · 42%

Compared with the typical household income in West Ocean City ($97,165 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$3,408
Principal & interest$2,818
Property tax$226
Home insurance$177
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$187

You need at least $14,830 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

West Ocean City and Worcester County

West Ocean City is in Worcester County, Maryland. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

West Ocean City's own numbers

Typical home value
$423,700
Typical monthly rent
$1,620
Typical yearly household income
$97,165
Households that own their home
82%
Effective property tax rate
0.64%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Worcester County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,184
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+62%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
13%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Worcester County.

Everything about Worcester County

Buying

Buying a home in West Ocean City

A typical home in West Ocean City is worth $423,700: 13% above the county and about the same as Maryland. With the typical household income in West Ocean City ($97,165 a year), a typical home costs 4.4 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • West Ocean City 4.4 years
  • Worcester 4.6 years
  • Maryland 4.1 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Worcester County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Worcester County rose 95% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Worcester County.

Period County Maryland U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.6% +2.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +62% +40% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +95% +60% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

West Ocean City next to Worcester County, Maryland and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • West Ocean City $423,700
  • Worcester $374,700
  • Maryland $419,900
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • West Ocean City $1,620
  • Worcester $1,159
  • Maryland $1,705
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • West Ocean City $97,165
  • Worcester $81,745
  • Maryland $103,678
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
West Ocean City next to Worcester County and Maryland
Measure West Ocean City Worcester County Maryland U.S.
Typical home value $423,700 $374,700 $419,900 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,620 $1,159 $1,705 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $97,165 $81,745 $103,678 $80,734
Households that own their home 82% 78% 68% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $2,711 $2,738 $4,093 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.64% 0.73% 0.97% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 52% 55% 51% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Worcester County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in West Ocean City

For a typical $423,700 home in West Ocean City, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, West Ocean City's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $3,408a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $14,830
    Cash to close
    $27,541
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $187

  • Conventional, 5% down $3,331a month

    Down payment
    $21,185
    Cash to close
    $33,896
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $201

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,699a month

    Down payment
    $84,740
    Cash to close
    $97,451
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $3,090a month

    Down payment
    $63,555
    Cash to close
    $76,266
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for West Ocean City and for Worcester County.

Property tax

Effective rate in West Ocean City

0.64%of the home’s value each year

$2,711 a year for the typical owner in West Ocean City.

  • West Ocean City 0.64%
  • Worcester 0.73%
  • Maryland 0.97%

What Maryland publishes Homestead tax credit (cap on yearly assessment increases) (Maryland General Assembly (Annotated Code of Maryland, Tax-Property Article))

Exemptions and deadlines in Maryland

Flood risk in Worcester County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Worcester County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
13%
4,123
Of those, with NFIP insurance
—
County Maryland U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 13% 1.2% 3.5%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in West Ocean City

Typical rent in West Ocean City is $1,620 a month: 40% above the county. In West Ocean City, 52% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Worcester County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,184 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $22.77 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Worcester County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $990 $19.04 $39,600
1 bedroom $995 $19.13 $39,800
2 bedrooms $1,184 $22.77 $47,360
3 bedrooms $1,639 $31.52 $65,560
4 bedrooms $1,979 $38.06 $79,160

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in West Ocean City

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). West Ocean City is in ZIP code 21842.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,240: $56 more than the fair market rent for Worcester County ($1,184).

  • 21842 $1,240$1,720

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for West Ocean City when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Free help

Help to buy or rent in West Ocean City

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Worcester County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A man leans over the armchair to help a teenage girl with her book.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in West Ocean City

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for West Ocean City or Worcester County. The ones below are statewide in Maryland: they work in West Ocean City the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Maryland

  • MMP 1st Time Advantage

    Statewide in Maryland

    Maryland Mortgage Program mortgages for first-time buyers, with a deferred 0% second mortgage for the down payment: $6,000, or 3%, 4% or 5% of the loan. Offered by Maryland Mortgage Program (Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • MMP Flex Loans

    Statewide in Maryland

    Maryland Mortgage Program mortgages for first-time buyers and for people who have owned a home before; Flex 6000 brings $6,000 and Flex 3% brings 3% of the loan for the down payment, as a deferred 0% second loan. Offered by Maryland Mortgage Program (Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • Maryland SmartBuy

    Statewide in Maryland

    Maryland Mortgage Program loan of up to 15% of the price (maximum $25,000) to pay off your student debt when you buy a home; no interest or monthly payments, and forgiven after five years if you stay in the home. Offered by Maryland Mortgage Program (Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near West Ocean City

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of West Ocean City, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Telamon Corporation - Salisbury Branch

    31901 Tri County Way, Salisbury · 21 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 7 more
    (919) 899-9911

  • Salisbury Neighborhood Housing Service, Inc

    560 Riverside Dr Ste A102, Salisbury · 27 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 7 more
    (410) 543-4626

  • Habitat for Humanity Choptank

    29349 Maple Ave, Trappe · 56 miles away

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 8 more
    (410) 476-3204

All counseling agencies in Maryland

Help in Spanish near West Ocean City

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of West Ocean City

HUD lists no housing authority with an office in Worcester County. One in a neighboring county or the state’s may serve the area.

All housing agencies in Maryland Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Worcester County

These cities are also in Worcester County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Worcester County Housing in Maryland

Nearby cities

The cities closest to West Ocean City, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Worcester County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in West Ocean City.

All guides
Three generations of a family gather on the porch of their home.

Questions

Housing questions about West Ocean City

Short answers with the numbers for West Ocean City and all of Worcester County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in West Ocean City?

The typical home value in West Ocean City is $423,700, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Worcester County it is $374,700.

How much does it cost to rent in West Ocean City?

Typical rent in West Ocean City is $1,620 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Worcester County is $1,184.

What is the FHA loan limit in West Ocean City?

West Ocean City uses the FHA limit for all of Worcester County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in West Ocean City?

The typical homeowner in West Ocean City pays $2,711 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.64% of the home’s value; in Worcester County, the rate is 0.73%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in West Ocean City?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Worcester County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).