Median Income
$98,425
household / year
Median Home Value
$408,100
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,695
gross / month
Cost of Living
103
national avg = 100

Is Towson, MD a Good Place to Live?

Towson is a mid-sized city of 57,617 in Maryland, with a median household income of $98,425 and a 4.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 103 (US average = 100), which is 3% above the national average.

Strengths: Towson stands out for solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Towson is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Towson 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: 102.7

Towson's overall cost of living index is 102.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Towson costs roughly 3% more than the average American city.

Metric Towson, MD National Avg
Median Home Value $408,100 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,695 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 57.5% 65.9%
Median Household Income $98,425 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Crime data for Towson is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.

Schools & Education

Towson is served primarily by Baltimore County Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.0:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Towson, MD National Avg
School District Baltimore County Public Schools —
Elementary Schools 111 —
Middle Schools 29 —
High Schools 33 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 15.0:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 66.9% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 96.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Towson sees average highs of 42.4°F in January and 86.5°F in July, with 50.2 inches of annual precipitation and 19.3 inches of snow per year.

MetricTowson, MD
Average High — January42.4°F
Average High — July86.5°F
Annual Precipitation50.2"
Annual Snowfall19.3"

Demographics

MetricTowson, MDNational Avg
Population57,617—
Median Age33.938.9
Unemployment Rate4.6%3.7%
Avg Commute Time26.2 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)71.3%59.3%
Black or African American16.2%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino3.1%18.9%
Asian5.6%6.3%
Under 1817.5%22.2%
65 and over18.3%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Lutherville, MD 2 mi Mays Chapel, MD 3 mi Hampton, MD 3 mi Parkville, MD 4 mi Timonium, MD 4 mi

ZIP Codes in Towson

Towson, MD is covered by 3 ZIP codes:

21204 21252 21285

Towson vs Other Cities

Towson, MD vs Lutherville, MD Towson, MD vs Mays Chapel, MD Towson, MD vs Hampton, MD Towson, MD vs Parkville, MD Towson, MD vs Timonium, MD

Frequently Asked Questions

Towson's cost of living index is 103, where 100 is the national average. That puts Towson roughly 3% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $408,100 and median rent is $1,695/month.
Crime data for Towson is not available in the current FBI UCR reporting year. Not all jurisdictions submit data annually.
Public schools in Towson are operated by Baltimore County Public Schools. The district has 111 elementary, 29 middle, and 33 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.0:1. 66.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Towson, MD has a population of 57,617, a median household income of $98,425, and an unemployment rate of 4.6%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Towson averages 42.4°F in January and 86.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 50.2 inches with about 19.3 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Towson, MD is covered by 3 ZIP codes: 21204, 21252, 21285.
The population of Towson, Maryland is 57,617 with a median age of 33.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Towson: cost of living index 103 (100 = US average), median home $408,100, median household income $98,425, schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Towson side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.