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Maryland

D+24  ·  High tax burden  ·  COL index 116

C

5.75%

Income Tax

468

Violent Crime / 100K

77.4

Life Expectancy

$420K

Median Home

$1,850

Childcare / Mo

State Profile

66/100
255075100TAXES50SAFETY47HEALTH78SCHOOLS94AFFORDABLE65LONGEVITY62

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Taxes

Income Tax

5.75% top

Property Tax

~$4,074/yr on median home

0.97% / yr

Sales Tax

6% avg

Social Security

Exempt

Pension / IRA

Partial

Estate Tax

Both estate AND inheritance tax

Yes — $5M exemption

Inheritance Tax

Yes

Capital Gains

Taxed as income

Housing & Cost of Living

Cost of Living Index

National avg = 100

116

Median Home Price

$420,000

Median Rent (2BR)

$1,950/mo

Home Insurance

$1,600/yr

Flood Insurance

$800/yr

Homestead Exemption

Home equity protected from creditors

Unlimited

Asset Protection

Strong

Crime & Safety

Violent Crime Rate

Near national avg

468 / 100K

Property Crime Rate

Near national avg

1,734 / 100K

Traffic Fatality Rate

8.2 / 100K

Healthcare

State Healthcare Rank

#12 of 50

Life Expectancy

77.4 yrs

Medicaid Expansion

Expanded

Uninsured Rate

6.5%

Education

K-12 Quality Rank

Top 10 nationally

#4 of 50

School Choice / Vouchers

Not Available

Childcare

Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)

Very expensive (national avg ~$1,200)

$1,850/mo

Utilities & Daily Costs

Avg Monthly Energy Bill

$145/mo

Avg Monthly Groceries

2-person household, moderate spending

$580/mo

Road Quality Rank

#33 of 50

Airports & Travel

Nonstop Destinations

From state's primary airport

90+ routes

Major Hub Airport

Top-25 US airport by passengers

Yes

Culture & Lifestyle

Urban Population

Highly urban — big city feel

87% urban

Restaurant Density

490/100K

Religious Congregations

175/100K

Pro Sports Teams

NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS

4 teams

Major Venues

Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)

6 venues

Craft Breweries

2.5/100K residents — Solid scene

155 breweries

Craft Distilleries

40 distilleries

Live Music

Baltimore crab shack culture; Rams Head venues; Heavy Seas and Union craft nationally known

Decent

Transportation

Car Insurance (Avg Annual)

$2,040

Traffic Fatality Rate

8.2 / 100K

Broadband Access

94% of households

Social & Legal

Abortion Access

Legal to viability; state constitution protection

Protected

LGBTQ+ Protections

Comprehensive

Marijuana

Recreational

Minimum Wage

$15/hr

Right to Work

No

Sports Betting

Legal

Casino Gambling

Commercial casinos

Online Gambling

Legal

State Lottery

6 commercial casinos including MGM National Harbor. Online casino gambling launched 2023.

Yes

Age of Consent

16

Sex Education

Sex ed required by state

Comprehensive

Medically Accurate Required

Yes

Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs

Pine Tree Associates (Sandy Spring) · Chesapeake Naturists

Clubs only

Environment & Climate

Air Quality (Annual AQI)

Near national avg

40

Natural Disaster Risk

Moderate

Primary Hazards

hurricaneflood

Politics & Gun Laws

2024 Presidential Vote

D+24

Gun Laws

Gun ControlA
2A LibertyF

Carry Permit

May-issue

Purchase Permit Required

No

Gambling

Legal

Jobs & Economy

Job Market

+1.3% job growth · 2.9% unemployment

Strong

Top Industries

GovernmentHealthcareTechnology

Tech Jobs

Strong tech presence

#7 of 50

Healthcare Jobs

#7 of 50

Remote Work

High remote work culture

32% of workers

Median Household Income

$90,203

Daily Life

Gas Price (Regular)

Near avg (-0.04 vs national avg)

$3.26/gal

Consumer Fireworks

Sparklers only in some counties; other consumer fireworks banned

Restricted

Weather & Natural Risks

Winter Severity

Avg January high: 43°F

Moderate

Summer Heat

Moderate summers

87°F avg July

Annual Rainfall

44" / yr

Tornado Risk

Low

Hurricane Risk

Moderate

Wildfire Risk

Very Low

Flood Risk

Moderate

Veteran Benefits

Veteran-Friendly Score

6.5% of state population are veterans

20/100

Property Tax Exemption

Partial exemption for service-connected disability

Disability Only

Military Retirement Pay

Taxed

Active Duty Pay

Taxed

VA Facilities Access

Adequate

Notable Benefits

Standard federal VA benefits

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Compare Similar States

MD vs WA

Maryland vs Washington

COL 116 vs 117 · 5.75% vs No income tax

Full comparison →

MD vs CT

Maryland vs Connecticut

COL 116 vs 114 · 5.75% vs 6.99% income tax

Full comparison →

MD vs NH

Maryland vs New Hampshire

COL 116 vs 114 · 5.75% vs No income tax

Full comparison →

MD vs RI

Maryland vs Rhode Island

COL 116 vs 114 · 5.75% vs 5.99% income tax

Full comparison →

Stay Current

Get notified when Maryland tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.

Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.

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