Baltimore: what paychecks leave after rent
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area: 1,356,680 jobs, median pay of $59,070 across all occupations, and a $1,625 one-bedroom Fair Market Rent.
The typical worker in Baltimore, earning the all-occupations median of $59,070, takes home about $4,137 a month after federal taxes. A one-bedroom at HUD's Fair Market Rent would take 39% of that. The median wage is 0.91× the income needed to keep that rent at 30% of gross pay, which falls short of the guideline.
Of the 10 jobs covered here, software developers have the most room (18% of take-home on a 1BR). Fast Food and Counter Workers are the most squeezed (68%).
Census figures add context: the ACS 2020–2024 5-year median gross rent paid by all renter households in the metro was $1,611 (±$12), and median household income was $99,470 (±$889).
Rent share of take-home pay, by job
All jobs in Baltimore
| Job | Median pay | Take-home / mo | Hours of work | 1BR share | Left after 1BR | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $138,900 | $8,850 | 24.3 h | 18% | $7,225 | 2.14× |
| Registered Nurse | $99,550 | $6,572 | 34.0 h | 25% | $4,947 | 1.53× |
| Accountant or Auditor | $85,160 | $5,728 | 39.7 h | 28% | $4,103 | 1.31× |
| Police Officer | $76,530 | $5,222 | 44.2 h | 31% | $3,597 | 1.18× |
| Elementary School Teacher | $76,400 | $5,215 | — h | 31% | $3,590 | 1.18× |
| Electrician | $65,590 | $4,573 | 51.5 h | 36% | $2,948 | 1.01× |
| Truck Driver | $59,460 | $4,163 | 56.8 h | 39% | $2,538 | 0.92× |
| Medical Assistant | $46,790 | $3,315 | 72.2 h | 49% | $1,690 | 0.72× |
| Retail Salesperson | $34,800 | $2,512 | 97.1 h | 65% | $887 | 0.54× |
| Fast Food Worker | $33,090 | $2,397 | 102.1 h | 68% | $772 | 0.51× |
HUD rent areas in this metro
| HUD FMR area | Population | 1BR | 2BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA | 2,849,436 | $1,625 | $2,006 |
HUD treats the whole metro as one rent area.
Sources & method
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — metropolitan areas — vintage: May 2025 estimates. File:
oesm25ma.zip, retrieved 2026-10-06. - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD USER), Fair Market Rents, FY2027 — vintage: FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). File:
FY27_FMRs.xlsx, retrieved 2026-10-05. - U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates: Median gross rent (B25064) — vintage: ACS 2020–2024 5-year. File:
acsdt5y2024-b25064.dat, retrieved 2026-10-05. - U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates: Median household income (B19013) — vintage: ACS 2020–2024 5-year. File:
acsdt5y2024-b19013.dat, retrieved 2026-10-05. - Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (tax year 2026 brackets, $16,100 standard deduction) and SSA's $184,500 wage base, used for the take-home estimate.
Take-home = annual wage − 2026 federal income tax (single filer, standard deduction) − Social Security and Medicare. State and local income taxes are not deducted. Wages are May 2025 estimates; rents are HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). Full details on the methodology page. Page data last rebuilt 2026-10-06.