CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

39.33° N · 77.34° W · GEOID 2479900

Urbana

Frederick County, Maryland · part of the Washington, DC metro

MarylandUrbana, MDUrbanaUrbana

The short answer

Urbana is home to 14,260 people. Median household income is $182,500 a year and median rent is $2,649 a month, 17.4% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $640,100, about 3.5x annual median household income.

What sets Urbana apart is how far household money goes. After the median rent, with other prices set to the US average, the median household keeps about $150,400 a year, more than in 95% of places its size. Also notable: 40 National Park Service sites lie within 60 miles, more than in 97% of places its size. It is the highest of 199 Maryland places we track.

87OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Strong

Urbana scores better than 87% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 22nd of 199 in Maryland.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%67
Economy 20%86
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%50
Education 10%92
Commute 10%13
Growth 5%n/a

Not rated: safety, growth, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$2,649
94% above the median place
Median household income
$182,500
127% above the median place
Median home value
$640,100
100% above the median place
Unemployment
3.7%
25% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Urbana

  • HousingHalf the homes were built after 2009, newer housing than in 97% of the 2,300 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.
01

Moving to Urbana

Frederick County gains about 10.2 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in15,725
Moved out13,175
Net+2,550

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Maryland, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within MarylandOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$92K
Leavers$80K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Frederick County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
6.7% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.2% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Frederick County report $92,000 a year in income on average; those leaving, $80,400, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$106,000 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $2,649 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $3,220 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $640,100.
Getting to work
33 minutes each way on average; 30.6% work from home; 1.1% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Belmont, VA matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
6.7%
17% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people7
10.2
above the median place (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7
$91,965
30% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureUrbanaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year16.7%17% above
Moved from another state1County figure2.2%11% above
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure10.2above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$91,96530% above
Income of households moving out7County figure$80,44414% above
02

What it costs to live here

25% of renter households spend 30% or more of income on rent, a lower share than in 98% of the 2,222 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. It is the 3rd-lowest of 183 Maryland places we track.

Urbana17.4%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$105,960
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
17.4%
15% below the median place
Home price to income
3.5x
8% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
17%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$150,900
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Urbana, $2,649 a month, and local prices for everything else (100.2 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Urbana, but easier on the budget

Places that match Urbana on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Belmont, VA9114.0% vs 17.4%$57,800Compare
Broadlands, VA8913.4% vs 17.4%$57,900Compare
Wyndham, VA8211.5% vs 17.4%$62,900Compare
Prosper, TX8113.4% vs 17.4%$18,700Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Urbana.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Urbana? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Renters paying 30%+1
25.2%
50% below the median place
Median year built1
2009
2% above the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$3,220
72% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureUrbanaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$2,64994% above
Rent to income117.4%15% below
Property tax rate11.1%19% above
Home price to income13.5x8% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure108.98% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$2,43851% above
HUD area median income4County figure$166,10055% above
Property tax paid (median)1$6,942113% above
Median home value1$640,100100% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure0.9%72% below
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure44.7%13% below
Homeownership180.3%21% above
Renters paying 30%+125.2%50% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$3,22072% above
Vacant homes1County figure3.9%44% below
Median year built120092% above
03

Work and pay

Median household income is $182,500, 127% above the median place.

Median household income1
$182,500
127% above the median place
Works from home1
30.6%
146% above the median place
Income per person1
$66,096
65% above the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureUrbanaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$182,500127% above
Income per person1$66,09665% above
Unemployment13.7%25% below
Average annual pay6County figure$70,7847% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure1.3%65% below
Jobs6County figure106,96229% below
Poverty rate1County figure6.0%44% below
Mean commute133 min31% above
Works from home130.6%146% above
Commutes by transit1County figure1.1%26% above
04

Who lives here

Homes with broadband is 98.4%, 7% above the median place.

Homes with broadband1
98.4%
7% above the median place
No health insurance1
2.5%
61% below the median place
Household size1
3.2
30% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Bachelor's or higher66.0% 2.1×
Born abroad27.9% 3.2×
High school or higher96.6% +5%
Median age38.1 −2%
All 8 people measures
MeasureUrbanaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population114,2603107th largest
Median age138.12% below
Bachelor's or higher166.0%106% above
High school or higher196.6%5% above
Household size13.230% above
Born abroad127.9%216% above
No health insurance12.5%61% below
Homes with broadband198.4%7% above
05

Life in Urbana

OpenStreetMap shows 49.1 parks per 10,000 residents, more than in 99% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. It is the 3rd-highest of 199 Maryland places we track.

3 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

  • Amelung House and Glassworks listed 1973
  • Stancioff House listed 1975
  • Cockey-Jamison-Hendrickson House and Store listed 2018

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents49.1 4.8×
Playgrounds per 10k11.2 +19%
Grocery stores per 10k1.4 −34%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k12.6 +13%
Libraries per 10k1.4 +61%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.1 −38%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Monocacy National Battlefield 4 miles
  • Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area 17 miles
  • Harpers Ferry National Historical Park 21 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars17.3 −17%
Shops25.2 −17%
Arts, recreation and fitness3.8 −7%
Doctors' offices and clinics19.2 −5%
Child care centers2.3 +0%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site10
4.0
87% below the median place
Public school students12
48,054
above the median place (median 4,897)
Public schools12
69
above the median place (median 9)
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureUrbanaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools12County figure69above (median 9)
Public school students12County figure48,054above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher12County figure16.46% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure17.317% below
Shops per 10k8County figure25.217% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure3.87% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure19.25% below
Child care centers per 10k8County figure2.30% above
Parks per 10k949.1383% above
Playgrounds per 10k911.219% above
Grocery stores per 10k91.434% below
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k912.613% above
Libraries per 10k91.461% above
Named paths and bike trails90.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi90.138% below
Nearest National Park Service site104.087% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles1040above (median 2)
National Register listings11377% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

Good air days is 85.7%, 25% above the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Urbana. Larger places are fetched first.

Good air days15
85.7%
25% above the median place
Wildfire risk14
27.6
55% below the median place
Natural hazard risk14
74.2
20% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureUrbanaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high13County figure86°F1% below
January average low13County figure24°F7% below
Average temperature13County figure54°F2% below
Annual precipitation13County figure44.6 in2% above
Natural hazard risk14County figure74.220% below
Hurricane risk14County figure79.312% above
Tornado risk14County figure67.217% below
Wildfire risk14County figure27.655% below
Heat wave risk14County figure85.16% below
Median air quality index15County figure415% below
Good air days15County figure85.7%25% above
08

Urbana in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 18% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 17% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Urbana does better than 68% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 4%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$2,649/mo (2024)$3,370/mo$2,770 to $4,110/mo+4.1%
Median household income$182,500 (2024)$230,000$194,500 to $272,000+3.9%
Median home value$640,100 (2024)$877,000$637,000 to $1,208,000+5.4%

The median home would be worth 3.8 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.5 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Urbana

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Clarksburg, MD$2,495$176,678Compare
Cascades, VA$2,657$167,171Compare
Rose Hill, VA$2,475$174,950Compare
Erie, CO$2,805$173,349Compare
Erie, CORose Hill, VACascades, VAClarksburg, MDUrbana, MDUrbanaClarksburgCascadesErieUrbanaClarksburgCascadesErie

Places built like Urbana

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Urbana performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Urbana, MD17.4%3.3%/yrn/a
Stone Ridge, VA17.6%4.1%/yrn/aCompare
South Riding, VA17.7%4.3%/yrn/aCompare
Belmont, VA14.0%1.9%/yrn/aCompare
Parkland, FL19.1%5.1%/yr13.0%Compare
Gainesville, VA15.7%4.3%/yrn/aCompare
Pebble Creek, FL25.3%2.9%/yrn/aCompare

Common questions

Is Urbana a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 87 out of 100, better than 87% of the places we rate and 22nd of 199 in Maryland. Half the homes were built after 2009, newer housing than in 97% of the 2,300 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Urbana expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 17.4% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $640,100.

What salary do you need to live in Urbana?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $105,960 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Urbana?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Clarksburg, MD, Cascades, VA, Rose Hill, VA and Erie, CO.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  11. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  12. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  13. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  14. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  15. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Urbana with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Urbana itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/urbana-maryland

Citytistics. “Urbana, Maryland.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/urbana-maryland/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.