Baltimore, MD Homes For Rent

Homes for Rent in Baltimore, MD: What You Need to Know

Baltimore is an independent city in Maryland. It’s the only city in the state that doesn’t belong to a county. 

Local Job Opportunities

The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System is an important economic force in Baltimore. It has six academic and community hospitals, four suburban health care and surgery centers, over 40 patient care locations, a home care group, and an international division. It employs more than 40,000 full-time faculty and staff members. The other major employers in the city are the University of Maryland System, Amazon, Under Armour, and the Veterans Health Administration.

The Cost of Living in Baltimore

Baltimore City is physically small (only 81 square miles in area) with a big population of 593,490. No wonder its cost of living is 21.1% higher than the national average. On the bright side, food and housing costs are 27.9% and 5.4% lower than the national average, respectively. Median gross rent in Baltimore is $1,051; median two-bedroom apartment rent is $1,755. Maryland’s income tax rate ranges from 2% to 5.75%, plus counties charge a separate 1.75% to 3.20% in income tax. The state has one of the highest income taxes in the country. If you’re moving to Baltimore City, take note that it’s not part of Baltimore County.

Know Your Neighborhoods

Baltimore's central business district is located downtown where new apartment developments are attracting urban professionals who want to be close to the workplace.  An overwhelming majority of downtown residents are renters. If your heart is set on the suburbs, check out Towson, only 10 miles away. It has highly rated schools and a significant number of renters. Ellicott City and Ilchester are within commuting distance of Baltimore, and they are both known for their great schools. Ilchester has a lot of new apartments and housing units.

Schools and Higher Education

Baltimore is home to two world-class educational institutions: Johns Hopkins University (26,152 students) and the University of Maryland at College Park (41,200 students). There are 11 universities in Baltimore and 50 other colleges within 50 miles of the city. In terms of primary and secondary education, there are 174 public schools in Baltimore with an enrollment of 81,439 students. Baltimore’s student-teacher ratio of 17:1 is higher than the state average of 15:1.

Transportation

There are inexpensive alternatives to driving a car in Baltimore. The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) operates local buses (CityLink and LocalLink), commuter buses, light RailLink, Metro SubwayLink, Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) Train Service, and a comprehensive paratransit (MobilityLink) system. The Metro Subway, a 15.5-mile track, is convenient and dependable. It’s easy to fly in and out of Baltimore — Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) offers over 500 flights daily from cities across the U.S. and international destinations.