Signals
Ellicott City
Bel Air South
Climate
73 · Top 36%
vs71 · Top 49%
Physical resilience
95 · Top 3%
vs94 · Top 7%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 40%
vs97 · Top 15%
Schools
91 · Top 3%
vs65 · Top 33%
Access
97 · Top 22%
vs86 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
76 · Top 15%
vs81 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Ellicott City | Bel Air South | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 75,257 | 58,137 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $156,964 | $123,653 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $67,822 | $55,975 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,508/sq mi | 2,733/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $661,700 | $405,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,061 | $1,757 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.0% | 81.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 68.8% | 49.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.7% | 3.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 89°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.0" | 47.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.6 min | 32.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.2 | 38.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 22 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.07 | 14.20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 38.5% | 14.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 48.3% | 28.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 18.9% | 34.1% | 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.
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Ellicott City
87
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Area Score
Bel Air South
82
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Ellicott City, MD · Bel Air South, MD · How this is calculated: methodology