Signals
Middle River
Essex
Climate
71 · Top 44%
vs71 · Top 44%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 6%
vs94 · Top 6%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 47%
vs78 · Bottom 45%
Schools
36 · Bottom 30%
vs28 · Bottom 20%
Access
94 · Top 40%
vs95 · Top 35%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 41%
vs57 · Bottom 44%
Measured values
| Metric | Middle River | Essex | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,712 | 40,580 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,398 | $67,168 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,486 | $35,849 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,486/sq mi | 4,382/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $271,700 | $258,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,636 | $1,319 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.4% | 61.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.3% | 19.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.7% | 12.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| 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 | 17 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.4 min | 31.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.2 | 41.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.31 | 15.56 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 6.4% | 6.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 16.5% | 15.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 68.9% | 64.0% | 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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Middle River
72
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Essex
71
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Full profiles: Middle River, MD · Essex, MD · How this is calculated: methodology