Moving from Baltimore to Washington, D.C.
Your paycheck buys slightly less in Washington, D.C. than in Baltimore (-1.6%); you'd need about $101,900 to break even. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Washington, D.C.: $101,900
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $101,900 in Washington, D.C. to match $100,000 in Baltimore, MD ($1,900 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Uses Maryland and Washington, DC state income tax; includes Baltimore resident tax $2,990 (inside city limits).
Prices and housing cover the metro area; taxes use Maryland and Washington, DC, their principal states. A metro can span several states; living in its other state can change the tax result.
Baltimore vs Washington, D.C.: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,633 → $2,037/mo
- Median home value
- $403,000 → $604,800
- Median household income
- $98,666 → $126,244
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 104.5 → 108.9
- FEMA county-score mean
- Very high county-score mean (84.1 → 82.9 of 100)
Baltimore vs Washington, D.C. cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Baltimore, MD | Washington, D.C. |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 104.5 | 108.9 |
| Median rent | $1,633 | $2,037 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $65,320 | $81,480 |
| Median home value | $403,000 | $604,800 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $2,639 | $3,847 |
| Income needed to buy | $113,085 | $164,880 |
| Median property tax | $3,927 | $5,430 |
| State income tax on $100,000 | $4,386 | $5,532 |
| City income tax (inside city limits) | $2,990 | None |
| Metro population | 2,859,024 | 6,437,907 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). The fixed tax rows above use an illustrative single-earner salary of $100,000, rounded from Baltimore's median household income. Household income can include multiple earners; it is not a typical individual wage. Taxes use each metro's principal state, plus the income tax the principal city charges its residents. Unticking a city's box in the calculator estimates typical suburban tax for living and working outside that tax area; a nonresident city tax for work inside the city is not modeled. A metro can span several states; residence in its other state can change the tax result.
- Baltimore, MD: Baltimore City residents pay a 3.2% local income tax on Maryland taxable income, in place of a county rate. It is a residence tax: if you live in a Maryland county instead, you pay that county's rate (2.25%–3.3%) wherever you work, and the calculator uses the state's average county rate for that case. Fixed examples inside the modeled tax area include this tax; calculator totals follow your city-limit selections.
Your yearly budget: Baltimore vs Washington, D.C.
This fixed budget example uses $100,000, single filing and residence inside the principal city tax areas. It does not change with the calculator above.
On a $100,000 salary, taxes, gross rent including basic utilities, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $56,172 a year in Baltimore and $61,866 in Washington, D.C. if you rent: $5,694 more after the move. If you buy the median home, those selected costs use mortgage, property tax, homeowners insurance and electricity instead of gross rent; they come to $70,453 and $85,269 ($14,816 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | BaltimoreBefore | Washington, D.C.After | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $100,000, single filer | $28,197 | $26,352 | -$1,845 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,477 | $1,677 | +$200 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $1,934 | $2,073 | +$139 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $4,968 | $7,320 | +$2,352 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent and basic utilities ACS median gross rent, 12 months | $19,596 | $24,444 | +$4,848 |
| Total if you rent | $56,172 | $61,866 | +$5,694 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 7.24% | $26,366 | $39,568 | +$13,202 |
| Property tax median home | $3,927 | $5,430 | +$1,503 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,371 | $1,168 | -$203 |
| Electricity state average bill | $2,213 | $1,681 | -$532 |
| Total if you buy | $70,453 | $85,269 | +$14,816 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Gross rent includes tenant-paid electricity, gas, water/sewer and fuels; those basic utilities are not added again. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (7.24%, week of October 29, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2025 average residential power bill (buyers only), NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on October 29, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $20,124 a year in Baltimore and $26,193 in Washington, D.C. (Child Care Aware of America, 2025 (2024 fallback for Colorado, Washington, DC and South Carolina) state averages).
Who moves from Baltimore to Washington, D.C.
About 12,103 households (18,754 people) moved from the Baltimore metro area to the Washington, D.C. metro area in 2022–2023, making Washington, D.C. the #1 destination for people leaving Baltimore among the 149 metro areas we cover. 14,713 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $81,561.
Cost to move from Baltimore to Washington, D.C.
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
At about 40 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
Natural hazard risk: Baltimore vs Washington, D.C.
RelocateMath's population-weighted means of FEMA county risk scores are 84.1 for the Baltimore area and 82.9 for the Washington, D.C. area, on the county-score scale of 0–100. These means are not official FEMA metro ratings or national metro percentiles. Modeled expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $182 vs $192 per resident; individual properties can differ.
The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (50).
The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Washington, D.C. cheaper than Baltimore?
Overall prices in the Washington, D.C. area are 4.2% higher than in Baltimore (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $2,037 vs $1,633 a month, and the median home is $604,800 vs $403,000.
What salary do I need in Washington, D.C. to match $100,000 in Baltimore?
About $101,900 in a fixed single-filer W-2 example assuming residence inside both principal cities. It accounts for 2026 federal and principal-state taxes, modeled resident local taxes where applicable, and metro prices. Uses Maryland and Washington, DC state income tax. This illustration stays fixed when calculator inputs change.
How much does it cost to move from Baltimore to Washington, D.C.?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 40 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
How many people move from Baltimore to Washington, D.C.?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 12,103 households (18,754 people) moved from the Baltimore metro area to the Washington, D.C. metro area, and 14,713 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Baltimore move
- Baltimore to Philadelphia 2,145 households
- Baltimore to New York 1,860 households
- Miami 875 households
- Tampa 645 households
- Atlanta 598 households
- Los Angeles 573 households
- Dallas 558 households
- Boston 555 households
State-agency links identify the responsible tax office; they do not verify every modeled rule. Use forms and guidance for the year you are filing. Local-tax references retain their own publication or filing years. Some documents cover an earlier filing year; a source link is not a claim that every rule has just been rechecked.