Who Should NOT Move to Maryland?
Maryland is probably not the right fit for movers counting on new federal employment specifically, anyone assuming Maryland's income tax is one predictable statewide number, movers prioritizing the lowest possible cost of living, or anyone in a Bay-adjacent market who hasn't confirmed current flood exposure directly.
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Learn moreMovers whose income depends on new federal government employment or federal contracting
Anyone specifically counting on new federal government employment or federal-contracting income should reconsider Maryland as a first choice right now, given the state's real, current, disproportionate exposure to 2025-2026 federal workforce downsizing -- Maryland lost more federal jobs (roughly 29,000-29,700) than any state except California between January 2025 and early 2026, and unemployment rose from 3.6% to 4.3% over the same window.
Anyone assuming Maryland's income tax is a single, predictable statewide number
Anyone assuming Maryland's income tax works like most states' -- one statewide rate, with only property tax varying by county -- should reconsider: Maryland's real, mandatory county-by-county 'piggyback' local income tax (2.25%-3.30% in 2026) means a resident's exact county of residence materially changes their total income tax bill, not just their property tax bill. See the income-taxes topic for the full mechanic.
Movers prioritizing the lowest possible cost of living or housing costs
Anyone specifically prioritizing the lowest possible cost of living should reconsider Maryland, given its real, disclosed position among the 7th-to-17th most expensive US states (roughly 17% above the national average per one 2026 calculator) and a real $463,449 statewide median sale price (Redfin, June 2026) that sits meaningfully above comparable national figures.
Anyone in a Chesapeake Bay-adjacent or Eastern Shore market who hasn't independently confirmed flood exposure
Anyone assuming a Bay-adjacent, Eastern Shore, or Ocean City property carries no meaningful flood risk should reconsider: Maryland's sea levels have risen up to 10 inches since 1950 and are rising roughly 1 inch every 5 years, tidal flooding has increased 178% since 2000, and over 23,000 Maryland properties currently carry real, disclosed tidal-flooding risk. Confirm current FEMA flood-zone status directly for any specific target property before committing.
Key takeaways
- Probably not the right fit for movers counting on new federal employment, given Maryland's real, disproportionate 2025-2026 federal-jobs-loss exposure.
- Probably not the right fit for anyone assuming Maryland's income tax is one predictable statewide number rather than a real, county-determined combined rate.
- Probably not the right fit for movers prioritizing the lowest possible cost of living, given Maryland's real position among the more expensive US states.
- Probably not the right fit for anyone in a Bay-adjacent or Eastern Shore market who hasn't independently confirmed current flood-zone status.
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