Livability Score

77
/100
i The AreaVibes Livability Score evaluates 9 different categories and creates an overall score out of 100. The higher the score, the better the area.

amenities A+

There are lots of amenities close to this location.
Coffee (112) A+
Entertainment (196) A+
Food and Drink (564) A+
Fitness (74) A+
Groceries (89) A+
Parks (769) A+
Shops (925) A+
See more Baltimore amenity data

commute A+

Of all people who commute, 16.1% take public transportation in Baltimore.
Public Transit Stops (2952)
Stops & Stations
A+
Workers Taking Public Transit
16.1%
A-
See more Baltimore commute data

cost of living B

The cost of living in Baltimore is 102/100 - which is 14% lower than Maryland.
Cost of Living
Goods & Services, Housing, etc.
D+
Tax Rates
Income & Sales Tax
A-
See more Baltimore cost of living data

crime F

Baltimore crime rates are 4,830 per 100k, which is 137% higher than Maryland
Property Crime
3,277 crimes per 100k
F
Violent Crime
1,553 crimes per 100k
F
See more Baltimore crime data

employment C

The median income in Baltimore is $52,164 - which is 31% lower than Maryland.
Med. Household Income
$52,164
F
Unemployment Rate
4.7%
F
See more Baltimore employment data

health A+

There are many hospitals, police and fire stations.
Health & Safety (261)
Dentist, Doctor, Hospital, etc.
A+
Air Quality
Median Air Quality
D+
See more Baltimore health & safety data

housing A+

Baltimore home prices are $167,300 - which is 42% lower than Maryland
Home Price
$167,300
C
Home Appreciation Rate
9%
B+
Home Affordability
3.2x (home price to income ratio)
B
See more Baltimore housing data

schools D

The Baltimore graduation rate is 78% - which is 9% lower than Maryland
School Test Scores
23%
F
High School Grad. Rates
78%
D+
Elementary Schools (331) A+
High Schools (105) A+
See more Baltimore education data

ratings D-

Baltimore has an overall rating of 51% from 54 reviews.
User Reviews (7)
From AreaVibes
D-
User Surveys (47)
From AreaVibes
F
See more Baltimore user rating data
Amenities Commute Cost of Living Crime Employment Health & Safety Housing Schools User Ratings
Photo of Baltimore, MD
( 54 Ratings )

Living in Baltimore, MD

Baltimore Area Facts

  • Baltimore has a Livability Score of 77/100, which is considered exceptional
  • Baltimore crime rates are 137% higher than the Maryland average
  • Cost of living in Baltimore is 14% lower than the Maryland average
New Real Estate Listings in Baltimore Area
Search Homes for Sale in Baltimore, MD

Baltimore Reviews

Write a review about Baltimore Tell people what you like or don't like about Baltimore…
Utter trash do not ever live in the city of Baltimore 1 rating By Anonymous ( Sep 25, 2018) This place is full of garbage and crime. The city of Baltimore will drain you of everything you own when you first move here through parking tickets and speeding camera tickets in areas where the speed limit isn't even clearly posted. This place is awful. I feel unsafe everywhere ...Read More I go. The produce in the grocery stores is always old, so I drive 30 min to go to grocery stores in the suburbs. Traffic is an absolutely nightmare. The food is getting better, but it is garbage compared to DC. My car has been hit and vandalized on numerous occasions, and I live in a "safe" area. Just do yourself a favor and go somewhere else. I'm doing everything I can to move out of this city ASAP! Read Less
Aside from a great downtown atmosphere during big events- Baltimore is awful 1 rating By mfreire75 ( Jun 22, 2016) Baltimore is a city that, unfortunately, has another city 45 miles away from it that just so happens to be the capital of the most powerful country in the world. And that city is so much better. But that's to be expected, you know. Therefore, it has no chance of being attractive. ...Read More Baltimore is like a neglected child. The only thing it has known is misery and the hard life inflicted by people who only care about themselves. It is by far the worst major city in the United States. I would say that the worst cities in the USA are Reno, Detroit, St. Louis, Birmingham, and Jackson. In other words, cities that have pre-dominantly African-American people living in them, and living a life of constant, hopless and helpless suffering whilst the higher class people- consisting of Caucasian people and some lucky African-Americans. But Baltimore is a city that is corrupt in every single possible way- lawfully, culturally, politically, systemically- you name it. It is an ugly, depressing, miserable place. There is really no reason for any outsider to go there other than to check out the Inner Harbor and go to an O's game- when in season.I was born in Germany, but grew up in the Los Angeles-Orange County, California area. I loved it there, and it is by miles the best place I have lived. I have also lived in Orlando and New York City. Orlando I didn't like much- it's a good looking city- well organized and easy to get around- but aside from Disney it's a pretty boring place- but Florida I grew up to like. The swampiness and the heat/humidity started to grow on me, and the Atlantic Ocean-side of Florida is generally a very pleasant, peaceful place to be in. New York City has to be one of the most exciting cities I have been in. Sure, some parts of it are dirty, and the fast pace of the city may be a bit much for some people- but I was never bored there. There is always something to do. Baltimore, I am afraid, lacks all of these things. The abject misery and hoplessness is immediately apparent when you go there. Some good people there try to fight for a good cause, whatever that city-related cause may be- but I am afraid that Baltimore has so many deep-rooted and expensive problems that their efforts will amount to nothing.I will try to extract some positivity from this place. Camden Yards is up there with Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium in terms of an experience. Simply put, of all the modern MLB-spec. stadiums, it is, by miles the best. It has an amazing atmosphere. The atmosphere in the downtown area is also great when big events are happening, like the short-lived Baltimore Grand Prix. It also has one particular kitchen, Woodberry Kitchen in the western part of the city that has great food- but that is like finding a diamond in gravel- and there are probably others I am not familar with- because I never dined in any place in Baltimore other than Woodberry that I found good or better. But I must admit- I have developed an affinity for blue crabs doused in Old Bay seasoning and pit beef sandwiches.But that's it. Nothing else about Baltimore is attractive to outsiders- people like me. It is a city for its residents. The residents do not like outside attention of any kind. I've often referred to it as the biggest village in America- a village with smaller villages in it. Imagine what a 3rd-world African city- rampant with crime, poverty and corruption- where surviving a single day in squalid conditions is a feat- like Lagos, Nigeria or Johannesburg, South Africa that is set in the Atlantic Northeast that has been modernized to American standards. That's Baltimore. Rampant crime, corruption, African-American males between the ages of 10 and 30 riding around on dirt-bikes on open streets, neighborhoods so dangerous that you would be risking your life while even driving through them at night, an inner-city education system that is a joke compared to the excellent one outside the city. Why is it like this? Because the local politicians and the people who run the city want it that way, of course. They are only concerned with meeting quotas of stats and numbers so that they can keep the benefits of having their jobs. They only care about surviving. So they don't give a damn about what their jobs actually entail. That comes at the expense of hundreds of thousands of people. You might as well drop a nuclear bomb on this city and put everyone out of their misery. But do you know what the worst thing is about Baltimore? It's aloofness. It's general lackluster-ness. It's "I don't give a damn" attitude. That comes from knowing that the people that govern and police your city don't care about you, and nearly no jobs available. For a blue-collar city, there are very few opportunites available- and when that happens, the depression extends through generations, if not handled properly. The people in charge do not have your best interests at heart. They only have their own interests at heart. This is a city that is behind 30 years, at the least. No progress has been made since the 1980's. If the people in charge had the public's best interest at heart, it would be a much happier place. It's amazing how far reaching the institutionalization of the local government is and what damage it has done. And that extends to the outer areas. Although peaceful and somewhat quiet, all of the Baltimore metropolitan area is so unfriendly and so insulated, any sane person would be inclined to move elsewhere. I know I would. The locals on the outside don't give a damn about Baltimore's problems. They either deny it or tell you to shut the f**k up. But most of those people, with the exception of going to Orioles or Ravens games, have never actually been to the city. And if they have, they have never seen the really bad areas of Baltimore.Baltimore, for the last 30 or so years has been a dying city that is designed to benefit a handful of people- people that are generally incompetent and just don't care about anything really important. The working class has been left to suffer- and with 344 homicides last year in a population of approx. 625,000, that's pretty bad. And the general population is decreasing. If you are thinking about moving to the Baltimore-Washington area- move near Washington. That is a far better area- because that area received better treatment, because it is an international city with lots of politically-influenced money. I would say Baltimore is a little friendlier than DC- but DC is so much nicer and more fun. Read Less
A Few Memorable Places in Baltimore 4 rating By Anonymous ( Nov 17, 2014) I lived in Baltimore as a child, and grew up in Ruxton, one of the suburbs on the outskirts of the city, and I have many pleasant memories of my visits downtown. I was a teen-ager during the Renaissance of the 70's and early 80's, so I got to see the evolution of the Inner Harbor ...Read More . I was around twelve when the Science Center opened. Before that, the main attractions I can remember were the USS Constellation, the first U.S. Navy vessel, and the USS Torsk, a WWII submarine. I'd always thought the Torsk looked cool, because it had a shark's mouth painted on it.

If I remember correctly, the Science Center was the first addition made to the Inner Harbor. Then came Harborplace, which consists of two buildings full of shops and restaurants. One of these was Phillips Seafood, which served excellent crabs. (I don't remember if it's still there. It's been awhile since I've visited.)

The National Aquarium, which opened around the time I graduated from high school, can be described as "expensive but worth it." It has a mix of permanent and temporary exhibits. The permanent exhibits include a dolphin show, an Australian exhibit, and sharks. The temporary exhibits have included such surprisingly cool creatures as jellyfish and seadragons, which are related to seahorses.

Baltimore has many restaurants, both in and out the of Inner Harbor. I used to like having breakfast at Captain James Landing, a seafood restaurant that serves all three meals. As I recall, they made very good pancakes. The restaurant's building design can best be described as "idiosyncratic," as it was constructed and painted to look like a docked ship. That design got it a mention in the book Weird Maryland by Matt Lake. Read Less
Baltimore the worst place to live 0.5 rating By dad2paisley ( Sep 25, 2014) I have lived here my whole life and have seen Baltimore go from a nice city to the worst city to live in. You may have the inner harbor area, Little Italy and a few other places but if you venture out in other areas(the hood) it is worth your life.
Baltimore is a dirty, poor, ga
...Read More ng ridden city, corrupted politicans, no jobs. Some areas look like 3rd war country and drugs are on every corner.
Even the inner harbor has gotten worse. I would not recommend anyone move here. I am getting out soon and never going to look back at this town again. Read Less
Show All Reviews
A Few Memorable Places in Baltimore 4 rating By Anonymous ( Nov 17, 2014) I lived in Baltimore as a child, and grew up in Ruxton, one of the suburbs on the outskirts of the city, and I have many pleasant memories of my visits downtown. I was a teen-ager during the Renaissance of the 70's and early 80's, so I got to see the evolution of the Inner Harbor ...Read More . I was around twelve when the Science Center opened. Before that, the main attractions I can remember were the USS Constellation, the first U.S. Navy vessel, and the USS Torsk, a WWII submarine. I'd always thought the Torsk looked cool, because it had a shark's mouth painted on it.

If I remember correctly, the Science Center was the first addition made to the Inner Harbor. Then came Harborplace, which consists of two buildings full of shops and restaurants. One of these was Phillips Seafood, which served excellent crabs. (I don't remember if it's still there. It's been awhile since I've visited.)

The National Aquarium, which opened around the time I graduated from high school, can be described as "expensive but worth it." It has a mix of permanent and temporary exhibits. The permanent exhibits include a dolphin show, an Australian exhibit, and sharks. The temporary exhibits have included such surprisingly cool creatures as jellyfish and seadragons, which are related to seahorses.

Baltimore has many restaurants, both in and out the of Inner Harbor. I used to like having breakfast at Captain James Landing, a seafood restaurant that serves all three meals. As I recall, they made very good pancakes. The restaurant's building design can best be described as "idiosyncratic," as it was constructed and painted to look like a docked ship. That design got it a mention in the book Weird Maryland by Matt Lake. Read Less
Baltimore the worst place to live 0.5 rating By dad2paisley ( Sep 25, 2014) I have lived here my whole life and have seen Baltimore go from a nice city to the worst city to live in. You may have the inner harbor area, Little Italy and a few other places but if you venture out in other areas(the hood) it is worth your life.
Baltimore is a dirty, poor, ga
...Read More ng ridden city, corrupted politicans, no jobs. Some areas look like 3rd war country and drugs are on every corner.
Even the inner harbor has gotten worse. I would not recommend anyone move here. I am getting out soon and never going to look back at this town again. Read Less
Busniess in Baltimore 5 rating By Sydney's Suds Laundry ( Jun 28, 2014) Although Maryland has high taxes, Baltimore is a great place to conduct business. The business community here in Baltimore is supportive of each other. Baltimoreans coexist like no others city. Regardless of religion, political view, race, gender, income, and education level ever ...Read More yone appears to get along well and are polite and respectful. The culture here in Baltimore is best described as majestic, the vibe and energy is second to none. Maryland Schools System is always ranked in the top 3 of the nation (high taxes at work). The Baltimore metropolitan area is a true model for the nation. I would greatly recommend businesses and families consider Baltimore for its home. Read Less
How Baltimore Grew on Me 3.5 rating By Anonymous ( Nov 24, 2011) I have lived in Baltimore for the last five years of my life. At first, I was not too thrilled about living here. I had moved to Baltimore from New York City, and found Baltimore to be pretty pale in comparison. However, as time went on, I began to see an upside to the new city t ...Read More hat I was living in.

The Inner Harbor Pier is a fun place to walk around with friends and family during the weekends. There is a shopping mall right at the pier, and lots of dining options as well. I am particularly fond of Ruth's Christ Steakhouse since they make the best filet mignon that I have ever tasted.

Another thing that I enjoy about going to the Inner Harbor Pier is visiting the city's main attractions. The National Aquarium in Baltimore has many different sea creatures for me to be dazzled by. Plus there is a cool dolphin show that is definitely not to be missed.

The other main attraction in Baltimore is the Maryland Science Center. The place is full of great exhibits that are well-fitted for both children and adults. One of the major highlights of the Maryland Science Center is the daily live shows in the planetarium. Also, there is an IMAX theatre that offers many different science-related films.

In Baltimore, the weather can vary greatly day-by-day. It can be freezing one day, then nice and sunny the next. I am not too thrilled about that since it makes it hard to get used to weather. But other than that, Baltimore is a pretty nice place to live. Read Less
Baltimore - Orioles, Golf and Much More! 3.5 rating By Anonymous ( Apr 29, 2010) My brother lives in Baltimore and I visit him there frequently. It is a trip I enjoy making, because there are so many fun things to do there. My brother is an Orioles fan; so naturally, we end up attending a lot of baseball games. One of the great things about visiting Oriole Pa ...Read More rk is that it is really close to a lot of unique Baltimore restaurants on the Inner Harbor. My favorite place to eat is Mo's Fisherman's Wharf, which is funny because I'm not really a big sea food person. But I love the crab cakes and salmon that they serve. My brother usually goes for the lobster. There are many other great restaurants in Baltimore that we also visited in the downtown area.

My other favorite pastime in Baltimore is golfing. I am by no means a talented golfer, but my brother and his wife are, so when I visit, I usually end up making a fool of myself at one of Baltimore's many golf courses. We usually visit Rocky Point or Diamond Ridge. No matter what we end up doing, I always end up having a good time when I visit the city of Baltimore. Read Less

How Do You Rate The Livability In Baltimore?

1. Select a livability score between 1-100
0
Awful
25
Poor
50
Average
75
Good
100
Great
2. Select any tags that apply to this area
View results

Baltimore Awards

Compare Baltimore, MD Livability

      vs

      Baltimore, MD

      Baltimore is the largest city in Maryland, with the largest population in the state. It is full of soaring skyscrapers, vibrant shopping and beautiful harbor views. Baltimore is actually the capital city of the state, and it is within forty miles to the capital of the country, Washington D.C. Baltimore is known for having some of the most beautiful neighborhoods in the country, with great historical value.

      Baltimore's neighborhoods are full of history. Individuals living in the neighborhoods have included Edgar Allan Poe, Frederick Douglass, Tupac Shakur, Thurgood Marshall, Nancy Pelosi and Ben Carson. There are over 200 neighborhoods throughout the city, some of which are safer than others. There are also mostly rowhomes throughout the city, with single-family homes being the rarest type of dwelling structure. Baltimore is full of joy no matter where in the city you are, however.

      Baltimore's joy comes through in its many attractions and landmarks. As mentioned, there are many famous homes you can visit such as that of Edgar Allan Poe. There are free events throughout the city as well such as Artscape. Other popular destinations include the National Aquarium and Inner Harbor. It should be worth mentioning that the Baltimore Orioles and Baltimore Ravens both have their stadiums in the city.

      When moving to Baltimore to enjoy these various amenities, it is important to consider the cost of housing first. The cost of housing is slightly more than it is in the rest of the country, with most houses coming in around $120,000. Most apartments are also costly as rental prices average around $1,500.

      Overall, in Baltimore, the trend for a higher cost of living continues in other areas as well. Water and sewer prices are significantly higher than the rest of the country due to wear and tear on the piping systems. Gas prices are also more expensive if you require it in your home. Energy and electrical costs, however, are continually decreasing in Baltimore.

      Transportation is easily done by public transportation in Baltimore if you want to avoid the busy city streets yourself. The Maryland Transit Administration and Charm City Circulator offers public buses to take you around the city and to other nearby cities for your workplace commute. The Charm City Circulator specifically is a shuttle service that is free to use. Water taxi services are also available to provide transport across the harbor.

      Baltimore is truly a wonderful, historical city to live in. The Star Spangled Banner was even written here. Be sure to experience the historical locations and the entertainment locations when you move to Baltimore. Be prepared for the costs of living, and find ways to save such as taking free public transportation.

      A+ Amenities

      Are there many local amenities in Baltimore? Yes, there are lots of amenities close to this location.

      Parks

      Mount Vernon Children's Park
      Forrest Street Park
      East Mount Vernon Place
      North Mount Vernon Place
      Washington Monument
      Johnston Square
      South Mount Vernon Place
      West Mount Vernon Place

      Entertainment

      Center Stage
      C. Grimaldis Gallery
      Walters Art Museum
      City of Baltimore Fire Museum
      Paul Laurence Dunbar High School Stadium
      Maryland Center for History and Culture Museum
      Eubie Blake National Jazz Center
      Baltimore Theater Project

      Food & Drink

      Baskin-Robbins
      Dunkin'
      1001 Liquors
      Penn Liquors
      Subway
      Charm City Meadworks
      Mount Vernon Saloon
      Spirits of Mount Vernon

      A+ Commute

      Is public transit available in Baltimore? Of all people who commute, 16.1% take public transportation in Baltimore.
      Drive to Work
      59%

      17% lower than the US average

      Take Public Transit
      16%

      11% higher than the US average

      Walk to Work
      6%

      3% higher than the US average

      A+ Health & Safety

      Is Baltimore a healthy and safe place to live? Yes, there are many hospitals, police and fire stations.

      Hospitals

      Former Gundry/Glass Hospital (Grand Gundry Sanitarium)
      Kennedy Krieger Institute
      Sinai Hospital of Baltimore
      MedStar Harbor Hospital
      MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital
      Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
      Mercy Medical Center
      Johns Hopkins Hospital

      Pharmacies

      Walgreens
      Rite Aid
      Walgreens
      CVS Pharmacy
      Patterson Park Pharmacy & Compounding
      Rite Aid
      CVS Pharmacy
      Rite Aid

      Doctors

      Leight Medical Group
      Injury Treatment Center of Maryland
      Johns Hopkins Community Physicians
      Deaf Addiction Services at Maryland
      Maryland Personal Physicians
      My Life Behavioral Health Systems LLC
      Cohen & Pushkin, M.D., P.A.
      Saint Paul & Biddle Medical Associates