← Map/← Maryland/Counties/Harford

Harford
Maryland

261K

Population

$106K

Median Income

$420K

Median Home

R+32

Politics

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What stands out

Three things set Harford County apart from the other 3,142 counties: the uninsured rate is among the lowest in America (4.4%), the median household income is in the top 2% of American counties ($106,417), and home internet speed is in the top 5% of American counties (299 Mbps). Within Maryland it ranks 3rd of 24 counties for the uninsured rate, counting from the bottom.

Where you are

You live in Harford County, Maryland. 261,059 people live here with you. The population grew 0.3% last year, and more Americans moved in than out (net +481).

Maryland is the only state that levies both an estate tax and an inheritance tax, and its counties add their own income taxes of up to 3.2% on top of the state rate. Household income is the highest in the country, concentrated in the Washington suburbs of Montgomery and Howard counties. Social Security is not taxed and there is a pension exclusion for residents 65 and over.

Money

The typical household here brings in $106,417 a year, higher than 98% of American counties. Employers pay an average wage of $68,533. Unemployment runs 3.0%, lower than 66% of American counties. 12% of workers work from home; for the rest the average commute is 29 minutes each way.

Maryland takes 4.7% of that median income in state income tax, about $5,018 a year.

Home

The median home costs $423K, pricier than 88% of American counties, about 2.8 years of the median household's income. A two-bedroom rents for around $1,414 a month. Property tax is 0.96% of home value, roughly $3,384 a year on that median home, higher than 57% of American counties. 80% of households own rather than rent.

Safety and health

Violent crime here is 3.2 per 1,000 residents, lower than 85% of American counties. Drug overdoses killed 20 people per 100,000 in 2024.

A child born here can expect to live 78.1 years, longer than 76% of American counties. There are 401 active physicians in the county, about 15.4 per 10,000 people. Medicare rates the local hospitals 2.0 of 5 stars. 4.4% of people under 65 have no health insurance.

School

94% of adults finished high school.

Neighbors and politics

In 2024 your neighbors voted Republican by 32 points. 76% of eligible voters turned out. Under Maryland law you need local approval to carry a concealed handgun, abortion is protected by state law, and marijuana is legal for adults.

Weather and risk

The year averages 55°F, highs near 65 and lows near 46, colder than 53% of American counties. About 39 inches of rain and snow fall a year. FEMA puts natural-hazard risk at 83 out of 100, riskier than 83% of American counties; the county has had 20 federal disaster declarations since 1953.

Getting around, going out

Home internet averages 299 Mbps down, faster than 95% of American counties. There are 6 airports in the county, counting general aviation. For a night or a weekend out: 0.5 full-service restaurants per 1,000 people, 6 breweries, 10 museums.

Written from the figures below. Percentiles compare this county with every other county that reports the same figure; missing figures are left out rather than guessed.

Economy

Median Household Income$106K
This county
national avg ~$75K
Poverty Rate7.3%
This county
national avg ~11.5%
Unemployment Rate3.0%
This county
national avg ~3.8%
GDP per Capita$64,464
Federal Spending per Capita$9,232
Median Individual Earnings$60K
This county
national avg $45K
Professional/Management Workers48.0%
Average Adjusted Gross Income$91K
Avg Credit Score694
Work From Home %11.6%
This county
national avg 17.0%
Population Under 1822.2%
This county
national avg 22.0%
Single-Person Households23.2%
This county
national avg 28.0%
Banks & Finance Firms122
Income (20th Percentile)$46K
Income (80th Percentile)$189K
Income (95th Percentile)$250K
Bachelor's Degree or Higher38.8%
This county
national avg 34.3%
Less Than High School5.8%
This county
national avg 11.0%
Knowledge Economy GDP %15.0%
Dependency Ratio0.64
Medicare Spending / Person$2,813
SS Benefits / Person$3,928
Education Wage Premium2.14x
Median Earnings (Bachelor's)$83K
Median Earnings (Graduate)$97K
Median Earnings (HS Diploma)$45K
Public Assistance Recipients2.5%
Average Annual Wage$69K
Professional Services Concentration0.94x national
This county
1.0 = national average share
Federal Government Jobs Located Here11,099
Federal Share of Jobs Located Here11.5%
Residents Who Work for the Federal Government10.0%
Federal Civilian Share of Earnings20.8%
Federal Contract Dollars Performed Here (FY2025)$2.3B
Contract Dollars Relative to Local Wages0.35x wages
Largest Award's Share of Contract Dollars3%

Housing

Sources: Zillow ZHVI · Census ACS 2022 · Tax Foundation 2023 (effective rates)

Median Home Value$420K
This county
$420K state avg
$303K national
Median Sale Price$351K
This county
$303K national
Market Rent (ZORI)$1905/mo
This county
$1950/mo state avg
$1400/mo national
Property Tax Rate0.96%
This county
0.97% state avg
1.10% national

Annual tax on median home: $3,384

Affordability & Supply

HUD Fair Market Rent (2BR)$1,857/mo
Home Price Change (1 yr)+3.7%−+0.7% since 2024
Home Value to Income Ratio2.8x income
Severely Cost-Burdened Households10.1%
Homeownership Rate80.0%
This county
national avg ~65%

Market Activity

Sources: Zillow Research monthly · Redfin

Sale-to-List Ratio— Buyers market — homes selling below list
99.6%
Listings with Price Cuts— Low — market moving fast
20.8%
Sold Above List Price
34.5%
Median Days to Close
31 days
Active Listings
521
New Listings / Month
255

Source: Zillow Research · Updated monthly

Days on Market (Redfin)— Fast market
17 days
Months of Supply (Redfin)— Low inventory — sellers market
2.1 mo
Sold Above List (Redfin)
39.8%

Sale-to-List Cross-Reference

Zillow 99.6%  ·  Redfin 101.0%

Source: Redfin · Updated monthly

Health

Life Expectancy78.1 yrs
This county
national avg ~78.5 years
Hospital Rating2.0 / 5
This county
national avg 3.0 stars
Food Insecurity8.6%
This county
national avg ~11%
Food Environment Index8.6 / 10
This county
higher = better access
Primary Care Shortage Score14
This county
national avg 5
Mental Health Shortage Score12
Dental Care Shortage Score6
Healthcare Shortage Score8.7
Healthcare Offices464
Obesity Rate (BRFSS)35.4%
This county
national avg 32.0%
Smoking Rate (BRFSS)10.9%
This county
national avg 14.0%
Poor Health Rate (BRFSS)15.0%
This county
national avg 18.0%
Physical Inactivity (BRFSS)19.7%
This county
national avg 24.0%
High Blood Pressure (BRFSS)31.7%
This county
national avg 32.0%
Active Physicians401
Nursing Home Rating4.5 / 5
This county
national avg ~3 stars
ER Visits per 1,000 Medicare Patients513 / 1,000
Medicare Cost per Beneficiary$12,565
Uninsured (under 65)4.4%
This county
national avg ~10%
Adults with Depression22.4%

Education

HS Diploma Holders40,882
Bachelor's Degree Holders40,140
HS Completion Rate94.2%
This county
national avg ~85%
Private Schools90

Safety

Violent Crime Rate3.2 / 1,000
This county
national avg ~4.0
Firearm Fatality Rate9.9 / 100K
This county
national avg ~13.6/100K
Homicide Rate4.3 / 100K
This county
national avg ~7.5/100K
Drug Overdose Rate41.4 / 100K
This county
national avg ~21/100K
Traffic Fatalities165
Social Vulnerability (CDC SVI)8th pct
Drug Overdose Deaths (2024)20.0 / 100K
Suicide Rate12.4 / 100K
This county
national avg ~14/100K

Climate & Air Quality

Natural Amenity Scale0.0
January Sunshine-0.17
January Temperature-0.16
Average Temp55°F-0.4% since 2022
Avg High Temp65°F-1.1% since 2022
Avg Low Temp46°F+0.7% since 2022
Median AQIAQI 45
Good Air Days238 days/yr
Unhealthy Air Days10 days/yr
Annual Precipitation39.2 in/yr-18% since 2022
Avg Storm Events53.0 storms/yr
Avg Annual Storm Damage$861K
Ozone Days189 days/yr
This county
national avg 50 days/yr
Drought Index (2022)0.26
Heating Degree Days4,738 HDD/yr
This county
national avg ~4,500 HDD/yr
Cooling Degree Days1,166 CDD/yr
This county
national avg ~1,200 CDD/yr
Heating Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)5,169 HDD/yr
Cooling Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)924 CDD/yr
Avg Tornadoes / Year0.2
Avg Flood Events / Year13.2
Avg Hail Events / Year1.6
Avg Hurricane Events / Year0.00
Avg Wildfire Events / Year0.0
Avg Winter Storms / Year0.0
Avg Heat Events / Year0.0
Natural Hazard Risk (FEMA)83 / 100
Community Resilience (FEMA)91 / 100
Federal Disaster Declarations20 since 1953
Fine Particulate Pollution (PM2.5)5.8 µg/m³
This county
EPA standard 9 µg/m³

Outdoor & Recreation

Historic Places (NRHP)80 properties
FAA-Registered Airports10 total
Airports (excl. heliports)6 airports

Brewery Scene

Total Breweries6 breweries
Microbreweries5 microbreweries
Brewpubs0 brewpubs

Internet & Remote Work

Download Speed299 Mbps
This county
national avg ~120 Mbps
Upload Speed109 Mbps
Fixed Internet (Q1 2026)388 Mbps
Mobile Internet (Q1 2026)220 Mbps
Mobile Upload (Q1 2026)34 Mbps
Mobile Latency (Q1 2026)24 ms
Households with 100Mbps+98.5%
This county
national avg 75.0%
Cellular-Only Internet9.7%
This county
national avg 8.0%
Fixed Upload Speed (Q1 2026)162 Mbps

EV Infrastructure

EV Charging Stations53 stations
DC Fast Chargers110 chargers
Level 2 EV Chargers163

Commute & Transit

Remote Workers15,699 workers
Public Transit Commuters1,122 workers
Walk to Work (workers)1,214 workers
Extreme Commutes (90+ min)4,089 workers
Avg Commute Time28.5 min
This county
national avg ~27 min
Bike Commuters0.2%
Walk to Work0.9%

Families & Childcare

Childcare Cost Burden23.5%
This county
national median ~27% of household income
Childcare Centers5.4 per 10K residents
Childcare Facilities47

Civic & Community

Voter Turnout76.4%
This county
national avg ~55%
Volunteering Rate1.0%
Income Inequality (Gini)4.113
Nonprofit Organizations1,070
Veterans Share9.3%
This county
national avg 7.0%
Married Adults56.0%
Never-Married Adults29.5%
Divorced Adults8.8%
Religious Organizations120
Asian Population3.0%
Native American Population0.1%
Membership Associations6.9 per 10K residents

Lifestyle & Services

Full-Service Restaurants0.51 per 1K residents
Colleges & Universities2
Nursing & Care Facilities82
Grocery Stores62
Arts & Entertainment Venues15
Hotels & Lodging42
Recreation Businesses69
Professional Services Firms727
Veterinary Practices58
Real Estate Firms239
Museums10
Debt Burden
Avg Mortgage Balance$105K
Avg Student Loan Balance$9K
Avg Credit Card Balance$5K
Loan Delinquency Rate39.4%
This county
national avg 4.0%

Innovation

Inventor Rate0.22%

Politics

R+32

2024 Presidential · Maryland was D+24 statewide

vs Maryland State

Income tax
5.75%Same (state law)
Property tax
0.96%0.97% state avg
Politics
R+32D+24
COL Index
116state index (no county figure)

Population & Migration

Net Domestic Migration 2023

↑ +481

More people arriving than leaving

IRS Wealth Migration

Lower-income migration pattern (IRS: 0.80x avg income)

Economic Mobility

41%

chance a low-income child reaches the middle class

Source: Opportunity Insights

Real Estate

Find Homes in Harford County

Median home value: $423K

View on Zillow →View on Realtor.com →

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Explore Other Maryland Counties

Allegany County, MarylandBaltimore County, MarylandCalvert County, MarylandCaroline County, MarylandCarroll County, MarylandCecil County, MarylandCharles County, MarylandDorchester County, MarylandFrederick County, MarylandGarrett County, MarylandHoward County, MarylandKent County, MarylandAll Maryland counties →

Full Maryland profile

Taxes, cost of living, crime, schools, gun laws and more.

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Data: Census ACS, BLS, Zillow, USDA Natural Amenities, OpenElections 2024, CMS, NCES. Vintage 2022–2025. News via Google News.

Your Priorities

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Quick Profiles

Dial in your priorities

Annual Income

$150K

Affects effective income tax rate

$0$500K$5M+

Retirement Savings

$0

Affects pension and SS tax burden

None$500K$10M+

Social Security

None

Annual Social Security benefit

None$150K/yr

My Property Is Worth

$400K

Affects property tax burden

Tax burden ↓$1M$50M+

Home Buying Budget

$400K

Compared to state median home price

Hard to find$250K$5M+

Monthly Rent Budget

Don't care

Compared to state median 2BR rent

Don't care$10K/mo

Job Market

Don't care

State unemployment and job growth

Don't careHot market

Airport Access

Don't care

Direct flight destinations from state hubs

Don't careMust have hub

City vs Country

Mid-size city

% urban population

Deep countryBig city

Sunshine

Don't care

Annual sunny days per state

Don't careMax sunshine

Food Scene

Don't care

Restaurants per 100K residents

Don't careWorld-class

Political Preference

Neutral

State's political lean

LiberalConservative

Gun Laws

Neutral

State gun law grade (Giffords)

Gun Control2A Freedom

Abortion Access

Neutral

State abortion access policy

Pro-ChoiceNeutralPro-Life

Community

None

Congregations per 100K residents

AvoidDon't careSeek

Sports & Entertainment

Don't care

Pro sports teams and major venues

Don't careMust have pro teams

Cannabis Laws

Neutral

State cannabis legality

Prefer LegalNeutralPrefer Prohibition

Retiree Community

Neutral

% population 65+ (Census)

Young areaRetirement-heavy

Dating Market

Neutral

% adults never-married (Census)

Singles sceneFamily community

Safety / Low Crime

Don't care

Violent crime rate per 100K (FBI)

Don't careVery safe

School Quality

Don't care

K-12 rank (Education Week)

Don't careTop-ranked

Healthcare Access

Don't care

Healthcare system rank (Commonwealth Fund)

Don't careTop-ranked

Childcare Affordability

Don't care

Cost of living proxy for childcare affordability

Don't careMust be affordable