State comparison
Maryland vs Northern Mariana Islands: which state is better to live in?
Northern Mariana Islands costs a median household about $7,400 a year less in state and local taxes than Maryland, mostly because its income tax takes 0.0% of a median income against 4.7% in Maryland.
Maryland
High tax burden · COL index 116
Wins 2 categories
Northern Mariana Islands
Low tax burden · COL index 118
Wins 4 categories
Taxes: Maryland vs Northern Mariana Islands
Maryland has a graduated income tax topping out at 5.75%, which works out to 4.7% on a median income of $74,580, or $3,490 a year. Northern Mariana Islands has a graduated income tax topping out at 35%, which works out to 0.0% on a median income of $74,580, or $0 a year. Northern Mariana Islands wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 0.97% of home value a year in Maryland and 0.50% in Northern Mariana Islands (Tax Foundation, 2023), so Northern Mariana Islands has the lower rate.
Northern Mariana Islands has no sales tax; combined state and local sales tax averages 6.00% in Maryland.
Add it up for a household earning $74,580 (the 2022 national median) and owning the median home: $8,906 a year in Maryland, $1,517 in Northern Mariana Islands. Northern Mariana Islands is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
Maryland's cost of living index is 116 and Northern Mariana Islands's is 118, where 100 is the national average; Maryland is about 2% cheaper day to day.
Laws and politics
In the 2024 presidential election Maryland went to Harris by 24 points and Northern Mariana Islands went to Harris by 20 points.
Maryland has may-issue carry permits and a Giffords gun-law grade of A; Northern Mariana Islands has may-issue carry permits and a grade of B+, so Maryland regulates guns more tightly and Northern Mariana Islands is the friendlier state for gun owners.
Tax figures use a household earning the national median income and owning each state's median home, at rates in force as of 2026-09-04. The table below has every number.
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Social Policy
Category wins
2
Maryland
4
Northern Mariana Islands
Run the full slider tool to score these states against your specific income, home value, retirement, and lifestyle priorities.
Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is Maryland or Northern Mariana Islands better to live in?
It depends on what you weigh most. Northern Mariana Islands on taxes ($1,517 a year for a median household against $8,906); Maryland on everyday costs (index 116 against 118).
Which is cheaper, Maryland or Northern Mariana Islands?
Maryland is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 116 against 118. On state and local taxes Northern Mariana Islands saves a median household about $7,400 a year.
Does Maryland or Northern Mariana Islands have lower taxes?
Northern Mariana Islands. A household earning $74,580 pays about $8,906 a year in Maryland ($3,490 income tax, $4,074 property tax on the median home and $1,342 in sales tax) and $1,517 in Northern Mariana Islands ($0 income tax, $1,517 property tax on the median home and $0 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Is Maryland or Northern Mariana Islands better for retirees?
Northern Mariana Islands is friendlier to retirees on paper. Maryland does not tax Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has an estate tax; Northern Mariana Islands does not tax Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has no estate or inheritance tax. Property tax on a median home is $4,074 a year in Maryland and $1,517 in Northern Mariana Islands.