Essex, MD Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Essex, MD Summary

Cost of living in Essex research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Essex is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Maryland, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Essex is 106, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Essex is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Essex ranks as the #14 cheapest in Maryland out of 194.

  • Essex ranks as the #3,278 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Essex is $288,766.

  • The median income in Essex is $67,082.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
106
Essex's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Essex, MD?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Essex has an overall cost of living index of 106, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Maryland, Essex has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Maryland's index of 121.

The standard of living in Essex ranks as #14 most affordable out of the 194 places we measured in Maryland. By definition, that implies Essex ranks as the #180 most expensive place in the Old Line State.

For more reading on life in Essex, check out:

14 out of 194
In Maryland
3,278 out of 6,489
In America

Essex Cost Of Living Vs. Maryland

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Essex. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Essex is 104.

  • The Groceries index in Essex is 104.

  • The Health index in Essex is 98.

  • The Housing index in Essex is 110.

  • The Transportation index in Essex is 101.

  • The Utilities index in Essex is 112.

Living Expense Essex Maryland National Average
Overall 106 121 100
Services 104 105 100
Groceries 104 107 100
Health 98 96 100
Housing 110 150 100
Transportation 101 99 100
Utilities 112 113 100
For more reading on cost of living around Maryland, check out:
Essex Cost of Living Vs. MD

Essex, MD Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Maryland, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Essex is $288,766.

  • The Median Rent in Essex is $1,307.

  • The Median Income in Essex is $67,082.

  • The Home Value To Income in Essex is 4.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Essex is 0.23x.

Statistic Essex Maryland United States
Median Home Value $288,766 $427,628 $303,400
Median Rent $1,307 $1,662 $1,348
Median Income $67,082 $101,652 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.3x 4.2x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.2x 0.21x
$288,766
Median Home Value
$1,307
Median Rent
$67,082
Median Income

Essex, MD Costs By Category

Detailed Essex Services Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Essex Maryland
Shampoo $1.44 $1.28
Movie $13.69 $12.13
Bowling $23.03 $18
Haircut $28.33 $24.26
Beauty Salon $58.17 $45.56

Detailed Essex Groceries Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Essex Maryland
Ground Beef $6.23 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.39 $1.57
Milk $4.73 $4.67
Potatoes $5.46 $4.93
Pizza $13.24 $12.09
Beer $10.36 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.69 $3.7

Detailed Essex Health Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Essex Maryland
Optometrist $114.22 $125.68
Doctor $133.22 $135.78
Dentist $117.22 $113.29

Detailed Essex Transportation Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Essex Maryland
Gasoline $3.46 $3.46
Tire Balancing $62.66 $59.92

Detailed Essex Utilities Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Essex Maryland
All Electricity $223.91 $193.99
Phone $199.62 $192.25

Essex SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
8
Affordability
6
Diversity
9
Safety
N/A
Amenities
9.5
Education
5
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Essex

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Essex. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Dundalk, MD has a cost of living index of 103, 1.0x Essex.

  • Bel Air South, MD has a cost of living index of 119, 1.1x Essex.

  • Severna Park, MD has a cost of living index of 152, 1.4x Essex.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Essex
Dundalk, MD 65,441 103 1.0x
Bel Air South, MD 57,702 119 1.1x
Severna Park, MD 39,499 152 1.4x
Middle River, MD 31,616 106 1.0x
Bel Air North, MD 31,599 128 1.2x
Parkville, MD 30,423 109 1.0x
Perry Hall, MD 28,908 116 1.1x
Ilchester, MD 27,552 136 1.3x
Elkridge, MD 26,183 131 1.2x
Arnold, MD 23,866 142 1.3x

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