City profile · Maryland · Census ACS 2023

Middle River, MD

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

31,616
Residents
$74,198
Median income
$251,200
Median home
$1,857
Median rent (state)

Middle River - the verdict

Nationally, Middle River sits in the 55th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

55th
percentile, household income
56th
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: Middle River, MD

Maryland's Middle River is a small city, with 31,616 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $74,198 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 12.9%. Home values in Middle River run a median of $251,200, and the median resident age is 36.6 years. About 28.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 62.8% 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. Commute times here average 26.5 minutes, with 71.8% driving alone and 9.2% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 95.0 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

31,616 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Maryland

Median Household Income

$74,198 /yr

Poverty 12.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Maryland average

How does Middle River compare to other US cities?

Where Middle River sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 55% higher than other cities
Home value 56% 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 Middle River'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.

55thIncome percentile

55th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Middle River's home value compares nationally

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

$251,200 44th percentile more affordable than 44% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $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. Middle River $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 - Middle River, MD Middle River, MD's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Middle River, 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 Middle River, MD median $74,198/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%
Middle River, 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 Middle River, MD. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 28.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.8%

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

Population
31,616
Median Income
$74,198
Median Home Value
$251,200
Median Age
36.6
Poverty Rate
12.9%
Labor force participation
62.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
28.2%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
26.5 minutes
Drive Alone
71.8%
Carpool
12.2%
Public Transit
3.0%
Walk
1.3%
Work from Home
9.2%
Other
2.5%

Based on 15,254 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 Middle River 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

Bel Air North
31,599 people
Milford Mill
31,939 people
Eldersburg
30,626 people
Pasadena
32,717 people
Parkville
30,423 people
Salisbury
33,080 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Middle River's 31,616 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Nicholasville, KY
31,625 people
Mundelein, IL
31,632 people
Naugatuck, CT
31,634 people
Bangor, ME
31,663 people
Fitchburg, WI
31,566 people
New Bern, NC
31,563 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Middle River's $74,198 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Belle, WV
$74,200 median income
Four Corners, FL
$74,202 median income
Surfside Beach, SC
$74,202 median income
Villas, NJ
$74,203 median income
Crawfordville, FL
$74,192 median income
Plainfield, PA
$74,205 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Middle River, 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 Middle River, MD - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 54.4% 30.1% 6.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.1% White 54.4% Black or African American 30.1% Asian 5.7% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.3% Two or more races 6.2% 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 Middle River 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
Middle River (this city) 31,616 $74,198
Bel Air North 31,599 $137,995
Milford Mill 31,939 $76,676
Eldersburg 30,626 $146,598
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Middle River, MD?

What is the population of Middle River, MD? +

The population of Middle River, MD stands at 31,616 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Middle River, MD? +

Median annual household income in Middle River runs $74,198, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Middle River? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Middle River; 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 Middle River, MD? +

A typical home in Middle River is worth $251,200, 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.