City profile · Maryland · Census ACS 2023

Ferndale, MD

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Ferndale - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

17,076
Residents
$92,391
Median income
$325,400
Median home
$1,857
Median rent (state)

Ferndale - the verdict

Nationally, Ferndale sits in the 73rd percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

73rd
percentile, household income
69th
percentile, home value
78th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Ferndale, MD

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 17,076 residents in Ferndale, a small town within Maryland. The typical household in Ferndale brings in $92,391 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 4.5%. Home values in Ferndale run a median of $325,400, and the median resident age is 35.1 years. 25.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 67.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Maryland carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 105.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,857 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Maryland run around $255, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 95.0 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

17,076 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Maryland

Median Household Income

$92,391 /yr

Poverty 4.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Maryland average

How does Ferndale compare to other US cities?

Ferndale measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 73% higher than other cities
Home value 69% pricier than other cities
Median rent 78% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Ferndale's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Maryland, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

73rdIncome percentile

73rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Ferndale's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$325,400 31st percentile more affordable than 31% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Ferndale $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Ferndale, MD Ferndale, MD's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Ferndale, MD-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Ferndale, MD median $92,391/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Ferndale, MD's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Ferndale, MD. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 25.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 67.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
17,076
Median Income
$92,391
Median Home Value
$325,400
Median Age
35.1
Poverty Rate
4.5%
Labor force participation
67.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
25.4%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
68.7%
Carpool
18.0%
Public Transit
1.7%
Walk
0.2%
Work from Home
10.2%
Other
1.2%

Based on 8,786 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Maryland - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$55
avg/month
Total Utilities
$255
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Maryland state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Maryland state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Ferndale sits in

Cost of Living Index
105.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,857/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
95.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Maryland

Easton
17,202 people
Adelphi
17,210 people
Damascus
16,864 people
Aberdeen
16,831 people
Cloverly
16,726 people
Takoma Park
17,522 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Ferndale's 17,076 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Pendleton, OR
17,070 people
Sunland Park, NM
17,085 people
New Port Richey, FL
17,057 people
Cañon City, CO
17,098 people
Norwalk, OH
17,054 people
Ojus, FL
17,101 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Ferndale's $92,391 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Royal Palm Beach, FL
$92,382 median income
Yucaipa, CA
$92,401 median income
Lewes, DE
$92,375 median income
Moreland, GA
$92,375 median income
Whittier, CA
$92,374 median income
Combine, TX
$92,360 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Ferndale, MD Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Ferndale, MD - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 56.5% 25.6% 11.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8.1% White 56.5% Black or African American 25.6% Asian 1.5% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 4.6% Two or more races 11.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Ferndale compares to nearby Maryland cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Ferndale (this city) 17,076 $92,391
Easton 17,202 $73,460
Adelphi 17,210 $80,833
Damascus 16,864 $153,994
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Ferndale, MD?

What is the population of Ferndale, MD? +

Ferndale, MD has a population of 17,076 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Ferndale, MD? +

Ferndale households earn a median of $92,391 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Ferndale? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Ferndale; the closest available measure is the Maryland state average, a cost of living index of 105.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Maryland vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Ferndale, MD? +

A typical home in Ferndale is worth $325,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.