Baltimore Real Estate Market 2026: A Score of 91 in a Northeast Market That Nearly Pencils Out

PropertyIQ scores Baltimore a 91 out of 100 as of February 28, 2026.

In the Northeast, a market where median income nearly covers the income needed to buy at median price is unusual. Baltimore is that market.

The Affordability Gap Is Small by Northeast Standards

Median household income: $97,300 (2023 Census). The income needed to buy at the current median price is approximately $93,002 as of February 2026. A median-income Baltimore household comes within roughly $4,300 of qualifying to buy at median price. In the Northeast, this is unusual. Boston, New York, and Washington D.C. all post income-to-qualify figures well above their respective medians.

Demand Is Active

Baltimore's pending-to-active ratio is 0.6118 as of February 2026 -- 61% of listings going under contract. Homes average 45 days on market. The sale-to-list ratio is 100% as of November 2025. These are healthy demand signals.

Prices Are Stable

Median listing price: $349,900 as of February 2026. Home values are essentially flat year over year (-0.03%) as of February 2026. Zillow median home value: approximately $393,896 as of January 2026. Zillow forecasts 0.8% near-term appreciation as of December 2025.

The Inventory Caveat

New listings fell 4.6% year over year -- sellers are not bringing new supply. But active inventory is up 16.51% year over year, which means homes are sitting longer before going under contract. Price cuts affect 13.19% of listings. These numbers say demand is real but not so strong that every listing moves immediately.

The Economic Base

Unemployment: 4.6% as of November 2025 -- slightly above the national average. Average rent: approximately $1,849/month as of December 2025. Baltimore's employment base spans federal government, Johns Hopkins and the affiliated medical system, biotech, and port logistics. The income level reflects that mix.

A score of 91 with a supply-demand picture this tight, at a price point where median incomes nearly qualify, is a combination that does not appear often in the Northeast.

PropertyIQ score as of February 28, 2026. Listing and inventory data as of February 1, 2026. Rent and forecast data as of December 2025. Census and economic data 2023-2025. All data for informational purposes only.