18 counties · Boom Town Index

Maryland

Avg BTI Score
25 / 100
Population
6.0M
+0.5% avg growth
National Rank
#44 of 51

State Overview

Maryland's economy in 2025-2026 is navigating a period of mixed signals, with some areas experiencing growth while others face challenges. The state saw a population increase of over 46,000 residents in 2026, reversing a two-year decline. However, net domestic migration remains negative, indicating more residents are leaving Maryland for other states than are moving in. This outward migration is partly attributed to the state's high cost of living and tax rates.

The housing market is characterized by modest price growth and relatively tight inventory. While home prices are projected to rise 2-4% in 2026, affordability remains a concern for many residents. State policy is attempting to address housing shortages and affordability through initiatives like the Maryland Transit & Housing Opportunity Act of 2026, which aims to create over 7,000 new housing units near transit hubs. Infrastructure investments, particularly in transportation and broadband, are also a focus, with significant funding allocated to projects across the state.

Median Household Income
$108,332
State median across 18 counties
Median Home Value
$380,500
Income-to-home ratio: 0.29
Building Permits
16,368
Total residential permits
Natural Amenity
6.0 / 10
#29 of 49 · USDA scale

Maryland Counties

18 counties
Rank County BTI Score Safety Proj. Growth GDP Pop Growth Income Ratio Home Price Climate P/R
01 Wicomico County 61 C+ +1.5% +3.6% +0.6% +9.1% 4.2x +1.5% -0.7 12x
02 Allegany County 56 B +1.2% +1.9% -0.8% +8.1% 3.6x +4.0% 1.3 12x
03 Queen Anne's County 44 B +1.0% +5.4% +1.2% +8.8% 9.8x +1.3% -0.1 22x
04 Washington County 42 B- +0.8% +2.5% +0.5% +8.4% 5.3x +1.4% 0.8 15x
05 Carroll County 40 A +0.3% +2.9% +0.6% +6.7% 9.9x +1.4% -1.3 18x
06 Calvert County 33 A +0.5% +2.3% +0.8% +6.5% 8.1x +1.6% 0.7 16x
07 Baltimore County 29 D -0.4% +2.9% 0.0% +7.7% 4.6x +1.1% -0.4 15x
08 St. Mary's County 24 B +0.4% +2.8% +0.5% +10.5% 5.1x +2.4% 0.5 17x
09 Baltimore city 17 F -1.0% +2.6% -1.3% +7.8% 2.3x -1.2% -0.4 10x
10 Cecil County 16 B- +0.4% -0.7% +0.5% +6.2% 5.6x +0.7% 0.1 14x
11 Harford County 16 B- +0.2% +2.2% +0.7% +8.0% 6.5x +1.1% 0.0 16x
12 Anne Arundel County 12 B- +0.5% +4.2% +0.7% +7.4% 4.6x +0.6% 0.7 16x
13 Worcester County 12 B -1.9% +5.6% +1.0% +7.6% 5.2x -3.2% 0.3 12x
14 Prince George's County 12 D -0.6% +4.6% -0.1% +7.5% 7.2x -0.4% -0.6 16x
15 Howard County 9 B +0.4% +3.7% +0.8% +8.8% 6.0x -0.3% -1.4 21x
16 Charles County 8 D +0.4% +5.7% +1.1% +8.4% 9.6x -0.5% 0.6 14x
17 Montgomery County 6 B+ -0.3% +1.2% -0.0% +7.0% 6.6x -1.2% -0.6 22x
18 Frederick County 5 B+ -0.5% +3.9% +2.4% +9.0% 7.1x +0.3% 0.1 16x

Capital Investment in Maryland

Tracked Projects · Public Records
$57.4B
Total tracked investment
7,335
Jobs announced
70
Projects across 16 counties

Where the money is going

Commercial/Residential $21.4B 37%
Infrastructure $17.3B 30%
Data Centers $8.0B 14%
Energy $7.3B 13%
Military/Government $2.0B 3%
Manufacturing $680M 1%
Industrial/Logistics $300M 1%

Top counties by investment

  1. 01 Baltimore city $19.0B
    5 projects · 1,500 jobs
  2. 02 Prince George's County $17.3B
    6 projects · 75 jobs
  3. 03 Montgomery County $7.9B
    5 projects · 525 jobs
  4. 04 Charles County $3.8B
    5 projects · 2,100 jobs
  5. 05 Worcester County $2.2B
    5 projects
  6. 06 Harford County $1.4B
    4 projects

Largest projects in Maryland

Project County Amount Status
Baltimore Peninsula Development
Various (including Under Armour, Rye Street Tavern, Sagamore Spirit distillery, Roost hotel) · Commercial/Residential
 Baltimore city $18.0B Under Construction
Purple Line Light Rail Transit System
Maryland Transit Administration · Infrastructure
 Prince George's County $9.6B Under Construction
County-Wide Capital Improvements Program (CIP)
Montgomery County Government · Infrastructure
 Montgomery County $6.6B Planned
Brightseat Tech Park Data Center Campus
Brightseat Associates LLC (Lerner Enterprises) · Data Centers · 75 jobs
 Prince George's County $5.0B Planned
Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division (NSWC IHD) Infrastructure Updates
U.S. Navy · Military/Government
 Charles County $2.0B Planned
US Wind Offshore Wind Project
US Wind · Energy
 Worcester County $2.0B Planned
Morgantown 230 kV Battery Storage
Undisclosed · Energy
 Charles County $1.1B Planned
Carillon Mixed-Use Development
Kite Realty Group Trust · Commercial/Residential
 Prince George's County $1.0B Planned
→ Methodology · How We Tracked $4T Across 858 Counties

Source: public records, corporate announcements, state EDC filings. Tracking projects with $25M+ in announced investment or 500+ jobs. Some figures are estimates where exact totals weren't disclosed.

Maryland shaded relief terrain map
SRTM 30m shaded relief
State Spotlight · 2026-04-29

Maryland balances infrastructure investment with migration challenges

Driving economic development

Maryland is investing in its transportation infrastructure, with a $22.1 billion Consolidated Transportation Program for FY 2026-2031. This includes projects like the Concourse A/B Connector and Baggage Handling System at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, completed in January 2026, and the ongoing rebuilding of the Key Bridge. The state is also expanding high-speed internet access, with a nearly $2 million project completed on Smith Island in September 2025.

Current housing market

Maryland's median home sale price was $420,000 in March 2026, showing a 3.7% month-over-month increase. Inventory remains tight, with approximately 2.2-3 months of supply statewide as of late 2025. Home prices are forecast to rise 2-4% in 2026, with mortgage rates potentially easing into the 5.9%-6.4% range.

Migration patterns

Maryland ranked 45th as a move-in state in the 2025 U-Haul Growth Index, indicating low inbound migration. This marks a drop from its 2024 ranking of 42nd. Outbound migration is attributed to factors such as the high cost of living and tax rates in the state.

Economic headwinds

Maryland's economic outlook and performance rankings are low, placing 42nd in economic outlook and 41st in economic performance in 2025. The state experienced a net loss of approximately 25,000 federal jobs in 2025. Additionally, new business applications fell 6% in 2024, and small business survival rates declined from 19% to 12%.

Key facts

  • Maryland's population increased by over 46,000 residents in 2026, following two years of decline. (Maryland Competitiveness Index, March 2026)
  • The median home sale price in Maryland was $420,000 in March 2026. (realtor.com®, April 2026)
  • Maryland ranked 45th in the U-Haul Growth Index for 2025, indicating low inbound migration. (U-Haul, January 2026)
  • The state's proposed FY 2026 budget includes $3.63 billion for transportation infrastructure. (CBS News, January 2025)
  • Maryland's real gross domestic product growth slowed to 1.1% year-over-year in the second quarter of 2025. (The Washington Informer, February 2026)
Updated 2026-04-29 · grounded research
17 sources
  1. mdchamber.org
  2. youtube.com
  3. thejamilbrothers.com
  4. houzeo.com
  5. southernmarylandchronicle.com
  6. maryland.gov
  7. maryland.gov
  8. cbsnews.com
  9. mdotbondsmaryland.com
  10. maryland.gov
  11. realtor.com
  12. patch.com
  13. mdchamber.org
  14. mdcounties.org
  15. mdchamber.org
  16. govmarketnews.com
  17. washingtoninformer.com