How many people live in subsidized housing in Baltimore city, MD?
Data updated August 21, 2024
About 58,000 people in 2023, or about 1.9 people per unit. Subsidized housing options vary by location, ranging from high-rise or garden-style apartments to single-family dwellings, duplexes, and more. In 2023, residents had lived in their units for an average of nine years and ten months.
Showing data for
In 2023
58.4K
people lived in subsidized housing in Baltimore city, MD
In 2023
10.3%
of the Baltimore city, MD population lived in subsidized housing
Federally subsidized rental housing began with 1937’s US Housing Act, which created the United States Housing Authority and provided financial assistance to state and local governments for housing low-income people. Since then, the government has provided housing assistance to low-income renters through programs overseen by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
In Baltimore city, 10.3% of people live in subsidized housing versus the Maryland average of 3.0%.
Share of population living in subsidized housing in 2023, by county
People who live in subsidized housing share one thing: incomes low enough to qualify for housing assistance. In Baltimore city, MD, HUD classified 98% of households in subsidized housing as very low income and 87% as extremely low income. The average household in subsidized housing earned $15,760 in annual income. Across all subsidized housing, 74% of households earned less than $20,000.
40% of households with subsidies earned $10K–$15K in annual income.
Baltimore city, MD, 2023
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Renters in subsidized housing in Baltimore city, MD, earned income from different sources. Welfare was the main income source for 7% of households. According to HUD and the Census Bureau, “welfare” includes the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, general assistance, or emergency assistance payments. Another 22% of households earned the majority of their income through wages, salaries, and business income. Finally, for 66% of households living in subsidized housing, the majority of income came from other sources, a broad category that includes Social Security payments; insurance benefits; pensions; interest or dividends; and payments in lieu of salary like worker’s compensation, severance, unemployment, or disability. The remaining 5% was unaccounted for in the data.
Welfare assistance programs were the primary source of income for 7% of households in subsidized housing.
Baltimore city, MD, 2023
Households living in subsidized housing contribute to their rent. In 2023, households living in subsidized housing in Baltimore city, MD paid average monthly rent of $378, which translates to an average of $4,536 per year, or 28.8% of the average household’s annual income. HUD contributed $1,099 per household per month, on average.
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Keep exploring
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- How many vacant homes are there in the US? - Over 15 million American homes — approximately 10% of the country’s housing inventory — were vacant in 2024.
- How many subsidized housing units are available in the United States?
Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
