States › Maryland › Bel Air

Is Bel Air, MD expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 23 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,55711% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$80,461about $6,705/month · 8% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$318,4004% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 55% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 4.0 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $62,280 a year. That is $30 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Maryland cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Maryland. It is number 30 of 200 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Bel Air
$1,557
Scaggsville
$3,500+
Forestville
$1,871
La Plata
$1,640
Halfway
$829
Timonium
$1,991
Walker Mill
$1,979

How much do households earn in Bel Air?

Under $25k
13.0%
$25k–50k
18.4%
$50k–100k
29.6%
$100k–150k
22.2%
$150k+
10.0%

Share of households by yearly income. 32.2% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Bel Air

SizeBel AirU.S. average
1 bedroom$1,372$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,634$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,721$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Bel Air overall?

Everyday prices in Maryland overall are 5% above the U.S. average (index 105.0, U.S. = 100).

Housing
121
Goods (food, clothes…)
103
Utilities
111
Other services
102
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Bel Air, so the Maryland figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Bel Air

🏛️ Property tax$3,365a year · 1.06% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$139a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Bel Air

Commute to work27.7 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree43%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home59.2%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line13.8%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment4.4%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bel Air?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $652 a month less.

Renting
$1,557
Owning
$2,209

Owning assumes a typical $318,400 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $31,840 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Bel Air, MD?

Renting in Bel Air costs a median of about $1,557 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Maryland median is $2,010.

How much do I need to make to live in Bel Air?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $62,280 a year, or $30 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Bel Air cheap or expensive?

Bel Air is rated OK: rent takes 23.2% of the typical household income of $80,461. It ranks 30th cheapest of 200 Maryland cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Bel Air?

The median homeowner in Bel Air pays $3,365 a year in property taxes, about 1.06% of the median home value.

Is Bel Air more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Maryland are 5% above the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Bel Air?

The median home value in Bel Air is $318,400, about 4.0 times the typical yearly household income.

10,585 people live in Bel Air. Numbers are typical (middle) values.