Baltimore market pulse
Real public data for Baltimore's ZIP codes, updated as the agencies publish.
Metro prices
+2.0%
in 1 year · Baltimore metro · 2025 Q2–2026 Q2
Past change, not a forecast.
Data table
| Quarter | Index | Change since 2025 Q2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q2 | 374.3 | — |
| 2025 Q3 | 373.2 | -0.3% |
| 2025 Q4 | 373.4 | -0.2% |
| 2026 Q1 | 379.0 | +1.3% |
| 2026 Q2 | 381.8 | +2.0% |
Each index has its own base, so compare its changes, not its level.
Details
FHFA's purchase-only index for Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD: repeat sales of the same houses, from mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased or securitized. It isn't seasonally adjusted, so each span starts in the quarter it ends.
+26%
in 5 years · Baltimore metro · 2021 Q2–2026 Q2
Past change, not a forecast.
Data table
| Quarter | Index | Change since 2021 Q2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Q2 | 304.1 | — |
| 2021 Q3 | 308.8 | +1.5% |
| 2021 Q4 | 310.2 | +2.0% |
| 2022 Q1 | 323.8 | +6.5% |
| 2022 Q2 | 336.8 | +11% |
| 2022 Q3 | 332.5 | +9.3% |
| 2022 Q4 | 329.3 | +8.3% |
| 2023 Q1 | 335.0 | +10% |
| 2023 Q2 | 350.3 | +15% |
| 2023 Q3 | 354.5 | +17% |
| 2023 Q4 | 347.5 | +14% |
| 2024 Q1 | 356.2 | +17% |
| 2024 Q2 | 361.7 | +19% |
| 2024 Q3 | 365.6 | +20% |
| 2024 Q4 | 367.8 | +21% |
| 2025 Q1 | 370.9 | +22% |
| 2025 Q2 | 374.3 | +23% |
| 2025 Q3 | 373.2 | +23% |
| 2025 Q4 | 373.4 | +23% |
| 2026 Q1 | 379.0 | +25% |
| 2026 Q2 | 381.8 | +26% |
Each index has its own base, so compare its changes, not its level.
Details
FHFA's purchase-only index for Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD: repeat sales of the same houses, from mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased or securitized. It isn't seasonally adjusted, so each span starts in the quarter it ends.
+59%
in 10 years · Baltimore metro · 2016 Q2–2026 Q2
Past change, not a forecast.
Data table
| Quarter | Index | Change since 2016 Q2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 Q2 | 240.1 | — |
| 2016 Q3 | 239.4 | -0.3% |
| 2016 Q4 | 238.9 | -0.5% |
| 2017 Q1 | 239.9 | -0.1% |
| 2017 Q2 | 249.8 | +4.0% |
| 2017 Q3 | 249.6 | +4.0% |
| 2017 Q4 | 249.3 | +3.8% |
| 2018 Q1 | 250.2 | +4.2% |
| 2018 Q2 | 256.2 | +6.7% |
| 2018 Q3 | 253.9 | +5.7% |
| 2018 Q4 | 250.0 | +4.1% |
| 2019 Q1 | 252.1 | +5.0% |
| 2019 Q2 | 259.9 | +8.2% |
| 2019 Q3 | 260.3 | +8.4% |
| 2019 Q4 | 256.9 | +7.0% |
| 2020 Q1 | 259.0 | +7.9% |
| 2020 Q2 | 266.9 | +11% |
| 2020 Q3 | 277.8 | +16% |
| 2020 Q4 | 282.8 | +18% |
| 2021 Q1 | 289.7 | +21% |
| 2021 Q2 | 304.1 | +27% |
| 2021 Q3 | 308.8 | +29% |
| 2021 Q4 | 310.2 | +29% |
| 2022 Q1 | 323.8 | +35% |
| 2022 Q2 | 336.8 | +40% |
| 2022 Q3 | 332.5 | +38% |
| 2022 Q4 | 329.3 | +37% |
| 2023 Q1 | 335.0 | +40% |
| 2023 Q2 | 350.3 | +46% |
| 2023 Q3 | 354.5 | +48% |
| 2023 Q4 | 347.5 | +45% |
| 2024 Q1 | 356.2 | +48% |
| 2024 Q2 | 361.7 | +51% |
| 2024 Q3 | 365.6 | +52% |
| 2024 Q4 | 367.8 | +53% |
| 2025 Q1 | 370.9 | +54% |
| 2025 Q2 | 374.3 | +56% |
| 2025 Q3 | 373.2 | +55% |
| 2025 Q4 | 373.4 | +56% |
| 2026 Q1 | 379.0 | +58% |
| 2026 Q2 | 381.8 | +59% |
Each index has its own base, so compare its changes, not its level.
Details
FHFA's purchase-only index for Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD: repeat sales of the same houses, from mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased or securitized. It isn't seasonally adjusted, so each span starts in the quarter it ends.
ZIP by ZIP
+68%
The median ZIP's house price index, 2015–2025. 22 ZIPs, from +24% to +101%.
One-year ZIP changes are noisy: of last year's top-3 ZIPs in our 50 cities, 1 in 15 was top 3 again. Past change, not a forecast.
About these figures
FHFA's experimental ZIP house price index: houses with Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac loans, from sales and refinance appraisals. Condos, co-ops and multi-unit buildings aren't in it. 22 of Baltimore's 23 ZIPs have an index; FHFA publishes one only where enough sales exist. A ZIP whose index stops before the latest year shows the year it ends instead of changes. Each index has its own base, so compare a ZIP's changes, not its level.
Rent or buy here
EstimateMonthly housing payment (est.): 20% down · 30-year fixed at 7.03% (Freddie Mac average) · 360 monthly loan payments of $1,681 · APR not calculated (it depends on the lender's fees) · includes principal and interest, property tax, home insurance and any HOA dues, plus mortgage insurance below 20% down.7.03% is Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate for the week of Sep 24, 2026, for buyers with 20% down and excellent credit. It isn't an offer or an APR.Source: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)$262
a month more to own a typical sample home than HUD's rent for its size, ZIP 21214
- Own: 3-bedroom sample house, $314,900Sample: fictional home, for the demo.
- EstimateMonthly housing payment (est.): 20% down · 30-year fixed at 7.03% (Freddie Mac average) · 360 monthly loan payments of $1,681 · APR not calculated (it depends on the lender's fees) · includes principal and interest, property tax, home insurance and any HOA dues, plus mortgage insurance below 20% down.7.03% is Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate for the week of Sep 24, 2026, for buyers with 20% down and excellent credit. It isn't an offer or an APR.Source: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)$2,392 a monthNot included: upkeep, utilities, flood insurance, special assessments.
- Rent: HUD fair market rent, 3 bedrooms
- $2,130 a monthHUD Small Area Fair Market Rent, FY2027: a 40th-percentile rent for a standard home, utilities included. Not an asking rent.
Lending
6.625%
Median rate, 30-year fixed conventional · 2,503 loans · 2025
2025 home-purchase loans (first liens) on owner-occupied 1–4 unit homes in Baltimore's census tracts: 4,682 loans. Loans that closed, not offers: a rate depends on your credit, down payment, points and the day you lock it.
- Middle half of rates
- 6.375% to 6.875%
- Loan costs at closing
- $5,711 medianMiddle half $4,609 to $7,994: origination charges (points included) and settlement services, Closing Disclosure section D · 2,647 loans
- Loan limits, 2026
- $832,750 conformingAbove it, a jumbo loan with its own rates and rules; FHA limit $747,500 (one-unit home, Baltimore city). Limits set by FHFA and HUD.
More lending figures
- Borrowed, every loan on the home combined
- 96.5% of the value (median)Middle half 85% to 100%. 78.2% of buyers borrowed more than 80% of the value, 68.2% more than 90%, 53.6% more than 95%. HMDA's combined loan-to-value counts every loan on the home (second loans, down-payment-assistance loans, financed FHA or VA fees) against the value the lender used, so it doesn't show the cash buyers put down · 4,509 loans
- Loan types
- Conventional 59.3% · FHA 32.3%VA 8.4% · USDA 0%
- Discount points
- 55.3% of loans paid pointsMedian paid: $2,375. Points buy a lower rate.
For comparison: 7.03% is Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate for the week of Sep 24, 2026, for buyers with 20% down and excellent credit. It isn't an offer or an APR.
Flood and insurance
$1,583 a year
Median of 22 Baltimore ZIPs' average homeowners premiums, 2022. Premiums have risen since; get quotes for your address.
- Federal flood insurance
- 1,104 policies in force · 602 claims since 2000FEMA National Flood Insurance Program, summed over 23 ZIPs (policies in force Jun 30, 2026; claims since 2000). Private flood policies aren't counted.
- Policies insurers didn't renew
- 0.8% in the median ZIPU.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office, 2022.
Most homeowners policies exclude flood, so flood insurance is a separate policy. Source: FEMA FloodSmart: What is my flood risk?, retrieved 2026-10-09 (opens in a new tab) Check an address on FEMA's flood map (opens in a new tab)
County hazard ratings (FEMA)
Natural hazards, compared with other U.S. counties
- Baltimore city, MD: expected yearly losses rated very high for winter weather; expected yearly losses rated relatively high for hurricane, heat wave, tornado.
Other ratings for Baltimore city, MD
- EarthquakeRelatively Moderate
- WildfireVery Low
- Coastal floodingRelatively Moderate
- Inland floodingRelatively Moderate
- HailRelatively Moderate
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025: Expected Annual Loss rating of each hazard, by county (NRI December 2025): expected annual losses to buildings, people and agriculture; FEMA's social-vulnerability adjustments aren't included. This describes each county, not one home. Check an address on FEMA's flood map; in a high-risk flood zone, a federally backed loan requires flood insurance.
What's new in Baltimore
Rail openings, zoning changes and big projects from primary sources, newest first. News, not a price forecast.
- Zoning change
Maryland enacts an ADU implementation requirement
HB1466 took effect with a local ordinance deadline of October 1, 2026. As of September 27, 2026, that deadline has not arrived; check Baltimore’s adopted local implementation before counting an ADU.
Maryland Planning, Accessory Dwelling Unit implementation (opens in a new tab) - Project
Frederick Douglass Tunnel early works begin
Amtrak began early rail work supporting the replacement tunnel program in West Baltimore and Halethorpe. This milestone is construction work, not an opened rail station or an assured completion date.
Amtrak, Frederick Douglass Tunnel construction contract and milestones (opens in a new tab)
Rules in Maryland
From state law, standard contract forms and local custom. Research, not legal advice.
- ClosingRule
- A title company runs the closing and holds the money.
- Seller's disclosureRule
- Maryland Residential Property Disclosure and Disclaimer Statement You may cancel within 5 days in some cases: Statement not received on/before contract: written rescission before receipt or within 5 days after receipt. Earlier loss can follow the lender's statutory loan-application notice, closing or occupancy; contract waiver is void..
- Closing taxesRule
- Maryland state transfer tax: 0.5% of the price · split 50/50Baltimore City transfer tax: 1.5% of the price · split 50/50Baltimore City recordation tax: 1% of the price · split 50/50Baltimore City transfer yield tax: 0.6% of the price above $1,000,000 · split 50/50Baltimore City recordation yield tax: 0.15% of the price above $1,000,000 · split 50/50
How buying works in Maryland
- Who runs the closing
- A title company runs the closing and holds the money. Typical time from contract to keys: about 30 days.
- The contract
- Your signed offer becomes a binding contract once the seller accepts it.
Details
Maryland REALTORS Residential Contract of Sale; GCAAR regional form where chosen
- Buyer agreement
- Maryland written buyer brokerage agreement and Understanding Whom Real Estate Agents Represent, signed before touring.
Details
Homiy's prototype requires a written agreement before a represented tour. NAR's rule binds participating MLS brokers; do not describe it as a universal state law. Compensation is negotiable and total brokerage pay cannot exceed the agreement.
Source: NAR: written buyer agreements before touring (MLS participation rule, not a universal state statute) (reviewed 2026-09-27)
- Inspection
- About 10 days for inspections.
Details
Select the correct regional contract and inspection addendum. 10 calendar days is a negotiable sample planning period, not a statutory deadline.
- Earnest money
- 1–3% of the price, due within 3 days, held by: Named title company, broker escrow or settlement attorney.
Details
Sample only: delivery within 3 calendar days and 1–3% earnest money; the signed contract controls. Buyer delivery is distinct from the holder's statutory deposit deadline.
- Seller's disclosure
- Maryland Residential Property Disclosure and Disclaimer Statement You may cancel within 5 days in some cases: Statement not received on/before contract: written rescission before receipt or within 5 days after receipt. Earlier loss can follow the lender's statutory loan-application notice, closing or occupancy; contract waiver is void..
Details
Seller may disclose or disclaim but must disclose actually known latent defects threatening health/safety. Applies to covered 1–4-unit residential transfers; exemptions apply. Timely delivery creates no automatic rescission based on contents.
Source: Maryland Real Property §10-702: disclosure/disclaimer and rescission (reviewed 2026-09-27)
- Loan and appraisal
- Loan contingency: 21 days (set in the contract).
Details
21-day financing period and the typical closing time are sample planning assumptions, not measured averages or legal rights. Financing and appraisal protection require the signed form/addenda; an appraisal shortfall is not automatically protected.
- Title insurance
- The buyer customarily pays for the owner's policy.
Details
Payer is a negotiable local custom, not a mandatory charge; obtain a title quote and follow the signed allocation. Filed insurer/rating-bureau rates are not a state-promulgated price.
- Property tax for a new owner
- Your property tax follows the county's assessed market value. About 2.4% of the price a year is our planning figure for Baltimore; your bill can differ.
Details
SDAT reassesses on a three-year cycle with phased increases; the seller's Homestead credit does not transfer. Estimate the new owner's uncapped taxable assessment rather than the seller's protected tax bill; apply for the credit separately.
Baltimore CITY, not Baltimore County: city$2.248 + state$0.112 per$100 assessment =2.36%, before credits and special-benefits-district surcharges. SDAT phased assessment can differ from price; seller Homestead credit does not transfer. HOA range and lender-title percentage are SAMPLE inputs.
- Agent credits to the buyer
- Maryland allows an agent to credit part of their pay to the buyer, with the lender's approval.
Details
MREC expressly permits rebates to a transaction party; the arrangement must be written and shown on settlement documents, with lender approval. Not compensation for unlicensed services.
Source: Maryland Real Estate Commission: incentives and rebates (reviewed 2026-09-27)
Closing taxes
| Tax | Customarily paid by | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Maryland state transfer tax | Split 50/50 | 0.5% of the priceMaryland Tax–Property §13-203: transfer tax |
| Baltimore City transfer tax | Split 50/50 | 1.5% of the priceBaltimore City: transfer, recordation, yield and property-tax rates |
| Baltimore City recordation tax | Split 50/50 | 1% of the priceBaltimore City: transfer, recordation, yield and property-tax rates |
| Baltimore City transfer yield tax | Split 50/50 | 0.6% of the price above $1,000,000Baltimore City: transfer, recordation, yield and property-tax rates |
| Baltimore City recordation yield tax | Split 50/50 | 0.15% of the price above $1,000,000Baltimore City: transfer, recordation, yield and property-tax rates |
Sources (9)
- Maryland Real Property §10-702: disclosure/disclaimer and rescission · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- Maryland Real Estate Commission: incentives and rebates · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- Maryland Tax–Property §13-203: transfer tax · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- Maryland SDAT: homestead property tax credit · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA 2026 county conforming limits, one unit · 2026 calendar year (opens in a new tab)
- NAIC homeowners report: selected HO-3 $300k–399,999 and HO-6 facts · 2023 data; published July 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Census CHARS: contractor-built house contract price per square foot, excluding land · 2025 annual regional averages (opens in a new tab)
- Baltimore City: transfer, recordation, yield and property-tax rates · FY2027; reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- Maryland SDAT: FY2026–27 tax rates and homestead credit caps · FY2026–27; state real property0.112 per$100 (opens in a new tab)
Programs and deadlines
Official pages for Baltimore, the same for every buyer. Each program decides who qualifies.
- Down-payment help
- 1st Time Advantage (opens in a new tab) (Maryland Mortgage Program (Maryland DHCD))Most products come with a 0% deferred second loan for down payment help, for example $6,000 or 3–5% of the first mortgage.Official page, checked 2026-09-28.Maryland's housing finance agency runs it; the program decides who qualifies and for how much.
- Down-payment help in Baltimore
- Homeownership Incentives (opens in a new tab) (Baltimore City Department of Housing & Community Development)City incentives such as the First-Time Homebuyers Incentive; most is given as loans forgiven after five years in the home, and you need a homeownership class and $1,000 of your own money.Official page, checked 2026-09-28.
- Homestead exemption
- Maryland Homestead Property Tax Credit Program (opens in a new tab) (Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT))The homestead credit limits the assessment increase you pay tax on; new purchasers are mailed a one-time application once the deed is recorded, or can apply online.Official page, checked 2026-09-28.
- If you disagree with your assessment
- Assessment Appeal Process (opens in a new tab) (Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT))You can appeal on receiving an assessment notice, by a petition for review, or after buying a property between January 1 and June 30.When: 45 days after an assessment noticeOfficial page, checked 2026-09-28.
- After you buy: alerts on your deed
- We found no county alert service for documents recorded on your home. Where we looked: the Circuit Court for Baltimore City's Land Records & Licenses Division page, the Maryland Insurance Administration's deed-fraud advisory (it points owners to checking MDLandRec.net, not to an alert) and web searches.Checked 2026-09-28.
Sample homes in Baltimore, each with its estimated monthly cost and the things to check. Found one somewhere else? Check it here.
Sources (33)
- FHFA House Price Index, five-digit ZIP codes, annual (developmental, all-transactions) · 2000–2025 (updated 2026-03-31) (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, purchase-only, not seasonally adjusted, quarterly: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD (metro area 12580) · 2000 Q1–2026 Q2 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (ZCTA), with 90% margins of error: population, median household income, median home value, median gross rent, median real estate taxes paid, median monthly owner costs with a mortgage, owner-occupied share and units, owner homes in buildings with 5+ units, median year built · ACS 2020–2024 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (ZCTA): population and its margin of error, for the 5-year change and its significance test · ACS 2015–2019 (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, five-digit ZIP codes, annual (developmental, all-transactions) · 2025 (updated 2026-03-31) (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA to place relationship file, 2025 Gazetteer and cartographic boundaries (city ZIPs, centers, bounds) · 2020 ZCTAs; 2025 place boundaries (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates, Vintage 2025 (metropolitan and micropolitan areas) · July 2020 → July 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey: new privately-owned housing units authorized, by CBSA · Sep 2025–Aug 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- FEMA National Risk Index December 2025: Expected Annual Loss rating of each hazard, by county · NRI December 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Small Area Fair Market Rents by ZIP code, FY2027 · FY2027 (from Oct 1, 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- FEMA, OpenFEMA API: NFIP Redacted Policies, version 3 (policies in force). This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). · in force Jun 30, 2026; data refreshed 2026-07-27; accessed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- FEMA, OpenFEMA API: NFIP Redacted Claims, version 3 (claims since 2000). This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). · data refreshed 2026-08-04; accessed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Treasury, Federal Insurance Office: Analyses of U.S. Homeowners Insurance Markets, 2018–2022, Supporting Underlying Metrics by ZIP code (premiums per policy, nonrenewal rate) · 2018–2022 (published January 2025) (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, purchase-only, not seasonally adjusted: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD (metro area 12580) · 2026 Q2 (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, all-transactions, not seasonally adjusted: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD (metro area 12580), calendar-year averages of the quarterly index · 2020–2025 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, total nonfarm, not seasonally adjusted (series SMU24125800000000001) · Aug 2026 (preliminary) (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates for the city of Baltimore, MD (Census place 2404000): median home value, median household income, median gross rent, with 90% margins of error · ACS 2020–2024 (opens in a new tab)
- FFIEC Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data: 2025 Snapshot National Loan-Level Dataset (data as of June 1, 2026), via the CFPB HMDA Data Browser; Homiy's calculations · 2025 loans; retrieved 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FHA forward mortgage limits, one-unit limit for Baltimore city, MD · CY2026 (Mortgagee Letter 2025-23) (opens in a new tab)
- FTA National Transit Database, General Transit Feed Specification Weblinks: the public-domain GTFS feeds agencies must publish · retrieved 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- Maryland Transit Administration: GTFS schedule · scheduled service 2026-09-27 to 2026-10-24 (opens in a new tab)
- Maryland Transit Administration: GTFS schedule · scheduled service 2026-09-27 to 2026-10-24 (opens in a new tab)
- Maryland Transit Administration: GTFS schedule · scheduled service 2026-09-27 to 2026-10-24 (opens in a new tab)
- Maryland Real Property §10-702: disclosure/disclaimer and rescission · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- Maryland Real Estate Commission: incentives and rebates · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- Maryland Tax–Property §13-203: transfer tax · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- Maryland SDAT: homestead property tax credit · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA 2026 county conforming limits, one unit · 2026 calendar year (opens in a new tab)
- NAIC homeowners report: selected HO-3 $300k–399,999 and HO-6 facts · 2023 data; published July 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Census CHARS: contractor-built house contract price per square foot, excluding land · 2025 annual regional averages (opens in a new tab)
- Baltimore City: transfer, recordation, yield and property-tax rates · FY2027; reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- Maryland SDAT: FY2026–27 tax rates and homestead credit caps · FY2026–27; state real property0.112 per$100 (opens in a new tab)
- Freddie Mac average (Primary Mortgage Market Survey) · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)