Property Tax in Baltimore County, Maryland
In Baltimore County, Maryland, the typical homeowner pays $3,645 a year in property taxes on a home worth a median of $330,000. The figures on this page are the Census Bureau's published medians (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023), shown exactly as released.
What the Baltimore County numbers mean
A median is the middle household: half of owner-occupied households in Baltimore County pay more than $3,645, and half pay less. Your own bill is set by your home's assessed value, the exemptions you qualify for, and the local taxing districts your property sits in — so individual bills vary widely around the median.
Dividing the median tax by the median home value gives a derived effective rate of 1.10% for Baltimore County. It is an estimate built from two survey medians, not the county's official rate, but it is a fair way to compare the local tax burden with other counties where home values are very different.
The key figures for Baltimore County
| Measure | Baltimore County |
|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid per year | $3,645 |
| Median home value | $330,000 |
| Derived effective rate* | 1.10% |
| Equivalent monthly tax | $304 |
| Tax per $100,000 of value (derived) | $1,105 |
| Illustrative tax on a $400,000 home (derived rate) | $4,420 |
For context, the Maryland medians are $3,989 of tax on $397,700 of value, and the US medians are $2,969 on $303,400. *Derived figures are estimates from Census medians, not official rates.
Baltimore County at a glance
- Median tax rank in Maryland: #9 of 24 counties
- Median home value rank in Maryland: #14 of 24
- Population rank in Maryland: #3 of 24 (849,586 residents)
- Population density rank: #5 of 24 (1,420 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Maryland: #3 of 24 (598 sq mi, 6.2% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $304; per $1,000 of home value: $1.10
How Baltimore County compares
The median tax bill in Baltimore County is about 9% lower than the state median ($3,989 for Maryland) and about 23% higher than the US median ($2,969 nationally). By median taxes paid, the county ranks #9 out of 24 Maryland counties with published Census data — 8 counties in the state have a higher median bill.
Comparisons cut both ways: a county can have a modest rate but high bills because homes are expensive, or a high rate but modest bills because homes are cheaper. Baltimore County's derived rate of 1.10% sits above the derived US figure of 0.98%.
Some extra context for Baltimore County: the median bill works out to about $304 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $1,105 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 849,586 people — the #3 most populous county in Maryland, spread over 598 square miles, a density of about 1,420 people per square mile. Its median home value, $330,000, ranks #14 among the state's 24 counties with data.
Nationally, Baltimore County's median bill of $3,645 ranks #282 of 3133 counties with published data — inside the top 9% of counties by tax paid. The county accounts for about 13.8% of Maryland's population, its median home value is about 17% below the state median, and at the derived rate the median home would hand over roughly 11.05% of its value in tax across a decade. Within the state, the distance from Baltimore County to the most expensive county, Howard County ($6,814), is $3,169 a year.
Counties nearest Baltimore County in the Maryland ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll County, MD | $3,837 | $406,400 | 0.94% |
| Anne Arundel County, MD | $3,836 | $450,300 | 0.85% |
| Queen Anne's County, MD | $3,503 | $441,800 | 0.79% |
| Harford County, MD | $3,424 | $367,300 | 0.93% |
How the tax is worked out
Think of the final bill as three ingredients: the assessed value of the property, the exemptions subtracted from it, and the combined rate of every district the property sits in. Baltimore County's medians imply a derived rate of 1.10%; applied illustratively, a $400,000 home would owe about $4,420 a year, or around $368 a month spread evenly. Individual properties depart from the illustration in both directions.
Checking your assessment in Baltimore County
If your bill looks wrong, work through these steps:
1. Get your property record card from the assessor and check the basics — living area, lot size, bedrooms, condition, and any exemptions you should have.
2. Compare your assessed value with recent sale prices of similar homes in Baltimore County.
3. Talk to the assessor's office informally first; clear errors are often fixed without a hearing.
4. If needed, file a formal appeal with the local review board before the deadline on your assessment notice, with your evidence attached.
5. Keep paying the bill as issued while the appeal runs, unless your notice says otherwise — unpaid taxes accrue penalties regardless of an appeal.
More Maryland counties
Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in Baltimore County, Maryland?
The median real estate tax paid in Baltimore County, Maryland is $3,645 per year, on a median home value of $330,000 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Baltimore County, Maryland?
The derived effective rate is 1.10% — the median bill ($3,645) expressed as a share of the median home value ($330,000). No authority sets a rate this way; it exists to make counties with different home prices comparable.
How does Baltimore County compare with the rest of Maryland?
Baltimore County ranks #9 of 24 Maryland counties with published data by median taxes paid. Its median bill of $3,645 is about 9% lower than the Maryland median of $3,989.
How are property taxes calculated in Baltimore County, Maryland?
The assessor estimates your property's market value; exemptions (such as a homestead exemption) reduce the taxable amount; and the result is multiplied by the combined rates of the local taxing districts — county, municipality, school district and any special districts. In Baltimore County, the median outcome of that process is a bill of $3,645 on a median home value of $330,000.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Baltimore County, Maryland?
Yes — appeals are handled locally. Start with the Baltimore County assessor's property record card for your home, correct any factual errors, and back your case with comparable recent sales. Formal appeals go to the review board named on your assessment notice and must be filed by its deadline, typically within 30 to 90 days.