Cost of living in Towson 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 Towson 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 Towson is 127, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Towson is 1.3x higher than the national average.
Towson ranks as the #93 cheapest in Maryland out of 194.
Towson ranks as the #4,833 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Towson is $464,620.
The median income in Towson is $100,481.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Towson has an overall cost of living index of 127, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Maryland, Towson has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Maryland's index of 121.
The standard of living in Towson ranks as #93 most affordable out of the 194 places we measured in Maryland. By definition, that implies Towson ranks as the #101 most expensive place in the Old Line State.
For more reading on life in Towson, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Towson. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Towson is 105.
The Groceries index in Towson is 107.
The Health index in Towson is 98.
The Housing index in Towson is 185.
The Transportation index in Towson is 102.
The Utilities index in Towson is 113.
| Living Expense | Towson | Maryland | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 127 | 121 | 100 | |
| Services | 105 | 105 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 107 | 107 | 100 | |
| Health | 98 | 96 | 100 | |
| Housing | 185 | 150 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 102 | 99 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 113 | 113 | 100 | |
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 Towson is $464,620.
The Median Rent in Towson is $1,784.
The Median Income in Towson is $100,481.
The Home Value To Income in Towson is 4.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Towson is 0.21x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Towson. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Baltimore, MD has a cost of living index of 103, 0.8x Towson.
Columbia, MD has a cost of living index of 131, 1.0x Towson.
Bel Air South, MD has a cost of living index of 119, 0.9x Towson.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Towson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore, MD | 577,193 | 103 | 0.8x |
| Columbia, MD | 105,871 | 131 | 1.0x |
| Bel Air South, MD | 57,702 | 119 | 0.9x |
| Pikesville, MD | 34,253 | 125 | 1.0x |
| Pasadena, MD | 32,717 | 128 | 1.0x |
| Bel Air North, MD | 31,599 | 128 | 1.0x |
| Eldersburg, MD | 30,626 | 127 | 1.0x |
| Parkville, MD | 30,423 | 109 | 0.9x |
| Carney, MD | 28,624 | 115 | 0.9x |
| Ilchester, MD | 27,552 | 136 | 1.1x |