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Living in
Bel Air.
About
Life in Bel Air
Bel Air is a community of 10,616 people in Maryland. The median household income is $74,605, median rent runs about $1,492 per month, and median home values are around $318,400. Unemployment is low at 3.6%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Bel Air at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
13.8%
Foreign-Born
11.2%
Broadband Internet
88.9%
of households
Population Growth
-1.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics11.2% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Bel Air: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Bel Air, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (22.7%), and 6.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
15.8%
of residents
65 and Older
21.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
19.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
41.8%
of households
Married Couples
39.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.06
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 12% below MD average
Rent, home values, and income in Bel Air
In Bel Air, rent runs 12% below the MD average, and home values are 24% below the MD average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
58.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
27.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
104.5
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,365
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
59.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1978
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $456,999 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below MD average
Unemployment in Bel Air
Unemployment in Harford County, which includes Bel Air, is 0.4 percentage points lower than the MD average.
Unemployment rate
Bel Air: Harford County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Harford County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Bel Air is about 4% of Harford County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Bel Air Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute27.7 min avg
How Bel Air residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Bel Air, most residents drive alone to work (82%), and 52% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 30 mi
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
Major hub12.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 56% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Bel Air runs 56% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
145.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,247.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Bel Air Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 32 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
72.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Harford County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Harford County, which includes Bel Air, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 32 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 32 | Winter Weather | $148,000 |
| 2024 | 16 | Winter Weather | $52,000 |
| 2023 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3.6M |
| 2022 | 24 | Winter Weather | $434,000 |
| 2021 | 39 | Thunderstorm Wind | $161,000 |
| 2020 | 37 | Thunderstorm Wind | $83,500 |
| 2019 | 44 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 47 | Flood | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Harford County, county-wide
Bel Air is about 4% of Harford County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Harford County, which includes Bel Air, is typically good — 259 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
259
per year
Moderate Days
81
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Harford County, county-wide
Bel Air is about 4% of Harford County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate84°F summers, 28°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Bel Air has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and cold winters (avg low 28°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
64°/43°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
67°/47°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
44°/28°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
50.5"
Annual Snowfall
28.8"
Hot Days/Year
26
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
83
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
138
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F | 25°F | 3.26" |
| Feb | 44°F | 27°F | 2.78" |
| Mar | 53°F | 33°F | 4.10" |
| Apr | 65°F | 43°F | 3.49" |
| May | 73°F | 53°F | 3.98" |
| Jun | 82°F | 62°F | 4.28" |
| Jul | 86°F | 68°F | 4.84" |
| Aug | 84°F | 66°F | 4.21" |
| Sep | 78°F | 59°F | 4.84" |
| Oct | 67°F | 47°F | 4.17" |
| Nov | 56°F | 37°F | 3.27" |
| Dec | 46°F | 30°F | 3.89" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Bel Air
Bel Air has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
6.4%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Umd Upper Chesapeake Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Um Upper Chesapeake Behavioral Health Pavilion at
Psychiatric · ER available · 9 mi away · Aberdeen
Medstar Franklin Square Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.6 mi away · Rosedale
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Bel Air
Bel Air's student/teacher ratio is 15.7:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 43.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
43.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Bel Air (within 15 miles)
Community College of Baltimore County
14.5 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 13,872 students · in-state tuition $4,536 · 19% graduate · median earnings $46,761 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Hampton National Historic Site, 15 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Bel Air
Bel Air has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Hampton National Historic Site (15 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Hampton National Historic Site
National Historic Site
15 mi awayStar-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
22 mi awayFort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
National Monument and Historic Shrine
23 mi awayCaptain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
40 mi awayChesapeake Bay
National Park Site
40 mi awayBaltimore-Washington Parkway
Parkway
44 mi awayFirst State National Historical Park
National Historical Park
46 mi awayGreenbelt Park
Park
48 mi awayPublic Libraries in Bel Air
Bel Air Branch
100 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Bel Air
Cities Near Bel Air
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Bel Air?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Bel Air FAQ
Is Bel Air, Maryland affordable?⌄
Bel Air's median rent is $1,492/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $74,605/year. Median home value is $318,400.
Is Bel Air, Maryland safe?⌄
Bel Air's violent crime rate was 145 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2248 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Bel Air, Maryland?⌄
Harford County, which includes Bel Air, has an unemployment rate of 3.6%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Bel Air, Maryland?⌄
The cost of living in Bel Air is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,492/month and median household income is $74,605/year. The median home value is $318,400. About 58% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Bel Air, Maryland?⌄
The average commute in Bel Air is 28 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from