Bel Air receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Aberdeen
Bel Air
Opportunity
69 · Top 25%
vs72 · Top 19%
Growth
54 · Top 43%
vs59 · Top 34%
Climate
71 · Top 49%
vs71 · Top 49%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 7%
vs94 · Top 7%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 41%
vs72 · Bottom 36%
Access
83 · Bottom 26%
vs86 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
59 · Bottom 46%
vs59 · Bottom 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Aberdeen | Bel Air | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,298 | 10,585 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,826 | $74,605 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,079 | $46,446 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,485/sq mi | 3,485/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $261,400 | $318,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,363 | $1,492 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.1% | 59.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.6% | 43.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.3% | 13.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 99 | 60 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.7 | 5.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -44.4% | 5900.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.1" | 47.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.1 min | 30.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.8 | 42.6 | 2024 ACS 5-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: Aberdeen, MD · Bel Air, MD · How this is calculated: methodology