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Living in
Bel Air South.
Bel Air South is an unincorporated community in Harford County, MD. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Bel Air South
The commute to Baltimore takes about 31 minutes on average, which is manageable but something to factor in if you're working downtown. The humid continental climate means warm summers and cold winters with typical mid-Atlantic weather patterns. The largest share of working residents, 24%, work in education and health care.
Bel Air South at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.9%
Foreign-Born
7.0%
Broadband Internet
95.0%
of households
Median household income
Demographics7.0% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Bel Air South: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Bel Air South, the largest foreign-born group is from India (11.5%), and 2.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.5%
of residents
65 and Older
16.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
34.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
21.9%
of households
Married Couples
57.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.59
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 about average for MD
Rent, home values, and income in Bel Air South
Rent and home values here are close to the MD average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
38.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
104.5
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,480
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
81.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1991
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.5%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below MD average
Unemployment in Bel Air South
Unemployment in Harford County, which includes Bel Air South, is 0.4 percentage points lower than the MD average.
Unemployment rate
Bel Air South: Harford County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Harford County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Bel Air South Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute30.5 min avg
How Bel Air South residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Bel Air South, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 50% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 29 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 53% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Harford County Sheriff's Office, which covers Bel Air South, runs 53% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
153.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
594.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Harford County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
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 South, 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
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Harford County, which includes Bel Air South, 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
Climate84°F summers, 28°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Bel Air South 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" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Bel Air South
Uninsured
2.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Bel Air South's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Umd Upper Chesapeake Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 1.2 mi away · Bel Air
Um Upper Chesapeake Behavioral Health Pavilion at
Psychiatric · ER available · 8.1 mi away · Aberdeen
Medstar Franklin Square Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.6 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.
Education15.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Bel Air South
Bel Air South's student/teacher ratio is 15.5:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 49.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
49.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Bel Air South (within 15 miles)
Community College of Baltimore County
13.5 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 South
Bel Air South 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
21 mi awayFort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
National Monument and Historic Shrine
22 mi awayCaptain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
38 mi awayChesapeake Bay
National Park Site
38 mi awayBaltimore-Washington Parkway
Parkway
44 mi awayFirst State National Historical Park
National Historical Park
46 mi awayGreenbelt Park
Park
47 mi awayPublic Libraries in Bel Air South
Abingdon Branch
2510 Tollgate Road, Abingdon
Cities Near Bel Air South
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Bel Air South?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Bel Air South FAQ
Is Bel Air South, Maryland affordable?⌄
Bel Air South's median rent is $1,757/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $123,653/year. Median home value is $405,900.
Is Bel Air South, Maryland safe?⌄
Bel Air South is policed by the Harford County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 153 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 594 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Bel Air South, Maryland?⌄
Harford County, which includes Bel Air South, 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 South, Maryland?⌄
The cost of living in Bel Air South is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,757/month and median household income is $123,653/year. The median home value is $405,900. About 39% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Bel Air South, Maryland?⌄
The average commute in Bel Air South is 31 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