21218 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
21215
21218
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 17%
vs45 · Bottom 29%
Growth
25 · Bottom 11%
vs25 · Bottom 11%
Climate
71 · Top 44%
vs71 · Top 44%
Physical resilience
91 · Top 9%
vs91 · Top 9%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 34%
vs76 · Bottom 43%
Schools
21 · Bottom 11%
vs16 · Bottom 6%
Access
97 · Top 25%
vs97 · Top 24%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 9%
vs34 · Bottom 13%
Measured values
| Metric | 21215 | 21218 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 52,229 | 44,014 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,587 | $62,488 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,520 | $40,962 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,667/sq mi | 10,167/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $201,200 | $242,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,172 | $1,264 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.8% | 48.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 5.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.0% | 44.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.4% | 21.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 885 | 885 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -29.8% | -29.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.7" | 43.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.6 min | 29.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.2 | 35.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.96 | 15.53 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 5.7% | 5.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 7.6% | 5.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 78.6% | 75.3% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: 21215 — Baltimore, MD · 21218 — Baltimore, MD · How this is calculated: methodology