Is Berlin, MD a Good Place to Live?
Berlin is a small town of 5,056 in Maryland, with a median household income of $80,465 and a 2.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 95 (US average = 100), which is 5% below the national average.
Strengths: Berlin stands out for an affordable cost of living, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Berlin is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Berlin city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 95.1Berlin's overall cost of living index is 95.1, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Berlin costs roughly 5% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Berlin, MD | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $295,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,031 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.2% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $80,465 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeBerlin's violent crime rate is 73.5 per 100,000 residents — 81% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Berlin is served primarily by Worcester County Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.7:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Berlin, MD | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Worcester County Public Schools | — |
| Elementary Schools | 5 | — |
| Middle Schools | 4 | — |
| High Schools | 4 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.7:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 92.7% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Berlin sees average highs of 44.9°F in January and 84.2°F in July, with 42.6 inches of annual precipitation and 10.2 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Berlin, MD |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 44.9°F |
| Average High — July | 84.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.2" |
Demographics
| Metric | Berlin, MD | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,056 | — |
| Median Age | 40.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 18.7 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 77.3% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 16.8% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 28.4% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 19.4% | 16.8% |