Baltimore is a city located in Anne Arundel County Maryland. Baltimore has a 2024 population of 559,266. Baltimore is currently declining at a rate of -1.06% annually and its population has decreased by -4.1% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 583,157 in 2020.
The average household income in Baltimore is $85,857 with a poverty rate of 19.57%. The median age in Baltimore is 36 years: 34.7 years for males, and 37.2 years for females.
Baltimore is located in central Maryland along the Patapsco River. Baltimore is an independent city that is also called Baltimore City. The population of Baltimore is believed to have risen to 622,000, a very slight but promising increase for the city, which has lost more than one-third of its population in the last sixty years.
This is the first time Baltimore's population has grown since it reached a peak of 949,700 in 1950. Downtown Baltimore and surrounding areas have seen improvement as more young professionals and immigrants move to the region. There is also growing international migration as well as fewer people leaving Baltimore. Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced in December 2011 that she would make it her goal to increase Baltimore's population by "10,000 families" within ten years. In 2018, the numbers didn't seem to be cooperating with her goal - the population of Baltimore is currently estimated to be at 611,648. This drop indicates a loss of 1.5% of the city population.
The Baltimore metropolitan area is much larger, however, with a population estimated at 6.7 million. This makes it the 20th largest metro area in the country.
Baltimore was the second city in the U.S. to reach a population of 100,000, after New York City, and it remained the second-largest city until 1850. Up until 1890, Baltimore was one of the top 10 most populous cities in the country with a post-World War II population approaching one million.
While Baltimore's population has been in decline since 1950, the number of families in the downtown area has grown significantly over the last decade, with this core region growing 130% in the previous ten years. Since 2010, new construction has turned many old commercial buildings into residences, while the average household income has increased from $45,900 to $64,100.
Baltimore still has a growing homeless population, particularly among young people.
In 2011, Baltimore's population grew for the first time in 60 years, after losing more than one-third of its population. Baltimore has struggled to gain and retain citizens like many cities built on an outdated economy. According to one demographer, Baltimore is becoming more popular for younger people than it ever has been.
In breaking its six-decade-long population loss, Maryland added new residents in 17 counties, as well as Baltimore City. The mayor of Baltimore has encouraged Hispanic immigration, which seems to be working as immigrants are one of the leading reasons for the increase, which was under 1%.
Baltimore is named for Cecilius Calvert, Lord Baltimore, who was the founding proprietor of the Maryland Colony. The Port of Baltimore was created in 1706 for the tobacco trade, with the town founded in 1729. In its early history, Baltimore played a central role in many events of the American Revolution, and it was the capital of the United States from December 1776 through February 1777.
The Battle of Baltimore also took place here during the War of 1812, after Washington, D.C. was burned, and the British attacked the city in 1814. Baltimore's harbor was defended successfully. Francis Scott Key, a lawyer from Maryland, was aboard one of the British ships while negotiating for the release of a prisoner when he witnessed the attack on the city. As he saw a massive American flag raised on the morning after the attack, he wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner," which became the country's official national anthem in 1931.
Baltimore grew quickly after the battle and became a major shipping and manufacturing center. During the Civil War, Maryland remained a part of the Union, despite being a slave state and support for secession in many regions, including Baltimore, which benefited from tobacco and slave trades. When Union soldiers marched through Baltimore at the beginning of the war, Confederate sympathizers attacked and led to a riot.
Today, efforts are being made to revitalize the city, including the construction of the Baltimore World Trade Center, Harborplace, the National Aquarium and the Maryland Science Center.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Baltimore was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
---|---|---|
Black or African American | 358,028 | 61.25% |
White | 166,154 | 28.42% |
Two or more races | 25,844 | 4.42% |
Other race | 17,674 | 3.02% |
Asian | 15,045 | 2.57% |
Native American | 1,622 | 0.28% |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 181 | 0.03% |
Black or African American
White
Two or more races
Other race
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
---|---|---|---|---|
All | 247,232 | 2.28 | 47.8 | 52.2 |
Non Family | 127,798 | 1.27 | 38.5 | 61.5 |
Married | 58,996 | 3.26 | 72.8 | 27.2 |
Female | 48,988 | 3.48 | 41.2 | 58.8 |
Male | 11,450 | 3.3 | 50.8 | 49.2 |
3.25
Average Family Size
2.28
Average Household Size
47.8%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
9th to 12th Grade | 36,799 | 8.97% |
Associates Degree | 21,160 | 5.16% |
Bachelors Degree | 72,434 | 17.66% |
Graduate Degree | 70,740 | 17.24% |
High School Graduate | 115,541 | 28.17% |
Less Than 9th Grade | 16,276 | 3.97% |
Some College | 77,271 | 18.84% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
Black | 244,516 | 208,551 | 47,418 |
White | 124,338 | 114,818 | 76,221 |
Hispanic | 18,313 | 12,938 | 6,036 |
2+ Races | 15,048 | 13,028 | 7,315 |
Asian | 10,936 | 10,046 | 7,904 |
Other Race | 9,436 | 5,903 | 1,704 |
Native American | 1,154 | 879 | 348 |
Islander | 153 | 141 | 19 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 92.34%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 72.28%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
---|---|---|---|
Bachelors Degree | $64,180 | $72,219 | $58,151 |
Graduate Degree | $78,918 | $86,665 | $76,393 |
High School Graduate | $35,579 | $36,843 | $34,244 |
Less Than 9th Grade | $27,506 | $32,528 | $23,998 |
Overall | $49,940 | $52,677 | $47,304 |
Some College | $42,831 | $48,697 | $38,704 |
$49,940
Average Earnings
$52,677
Average Male
$47,304
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
89.67% of Baltimore residents speak only English, while 10.33% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 4.37% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
Black | 347,504 | 80,819 | 23.26% |
White | 151,929 | 17,432 | 11.47% |
Hispanic | 33,015 | 5,816 | 17.62% |
Multiple | 24,868 | 4,110 | 16.53% |
Other | 17,357 | 3,564 | 20.53% |
Asian | 13,644 | 2,888 | 21.17% |
Native | 1,574 | 253 | 16.07% |
Islander | 157 | 7 | 4.46% |
19.57%
Overall Poverty Rate
18.55%
Male Poverty Rate
20.46%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Baltimore is Black, with 23.26% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Baltimore is Islander, with 4.46% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.28%. Among those working part-time, it was 21.31%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 36.47%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 33.68% |
High School | 23.59% |
Some College | 16.53% |
Bachelors or Greater | 6.58% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Female Unemployed | 43.03% |
Male Unemployed | 35.53% |
Female Employed | 7.64% |
Male Employed | 5.14% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
---|---|---|
Families | $72,972 | $105,893 |
Households | $58,349 | $85,857 |
Married Families | $109,990 | $148,380 |
Non Families | $44,238 | $64,352 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
27.6%
Overall Marriage Rate
29.8%
Male Marriage Rate
25.8%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
24,444
Number of Veterans
21,225
Male Veterans
3,219
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
---|---|
Vietnam | 7,373 |
Second Gulf War | 5,813 |
First Gulf War | 5,104 |
Korea | 1,239 |
World War II | 395 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
---|---|
65 to 74 | 5,976 |
55 to 64 | 5,964 |
35 to 54 | 5,948 |
75+ | 4,596 |
18 to 34 | 1,960 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
Black | 15,943 | 5.73% |
White | 6,927 | 4.84% |
2+ Races | 1,041 | 5.94% |
Hispanic | 880 | 4.12% |
Other Race | 235 | 2.25% |
Asian | 219 | 1.65% |
Native American | 78 | 6.32% |
Islander | 1 | 0.63% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
14.92%
Veteran Poverty Rate
29.94%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
62.1%
Labor Force Participation
57.7%
Employment Rate
6.9%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
65.5%
Born in Baltimore
91.86%
Native Born
8.14%
Foreign Born
4.34%
Non Citizen
3.8%
Naturalized
91.86% of Baltimore residents were born in the United States, with 65.5% having been born in Maryland. 4.34% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
---|---|---|---|
2029 | 529,403 | -5,972 | -1.12% |
2028 | 535,375 | -5,973 | -1.1% |
2027 | 541,348 | -5,973 | -1.09% |
2026 | 547,321 | -5,972 | -1.08% |
2025 | 553,293 | -5,973 | -1.07% |
2024 | 559,266 | -5,973 | -1.06% |
2023 | 565,239 | -3,868 | -0.68% |
2022 | 569,107 | -7,471 | -1.3% |
2021 | 576,578 | -6,579 | -1.13% |
2020 | 583,157 | -11,444 | -1.92% |
2019 | 594,601 | -8,640 | -1.43% |
2018 | 603,241 | -7,612 | -1.25% |
2017 | 610,853 | -5,689 | -0.92% |
2016 | 616,542 | -6,289 | -1.01% |
2015 | 622,831 | -1,002 | -0.16% |
2014 | 623,833 | 1,242 | 0.2% |
2013 | 622,591 | -444 | -0.07% |
2012 | 623,035 | 2,542 | 0.41% |
2011 | 620,493 | -449 | -0.07% |
2010 | 620,942 | 0 | 0% |
2000 | 651,154 | -84,860 | -11.53% |
1990 | 736,014 | -50,727 | -6.45% |
1980 | 786,741 | -119,046 | -13.14% |
1970 | 905,787 | -33,237 | -3.54% |
1960 | 939,024 | -10,684 | -1.12% |
1950 | 949,708 | 90,608 | 10.55% |
1940 | 859,100 | 54,226 | 6.74% |
1930 | 804,874 | 71,048 | 9.68% |
1920 | 733,826 | 175,341 | 31.4% |
1910 | 558,485 | 49,528 | 9.73% |
1900 | 508,957 | 74,518 | 17.15% |
1890 | 434,439 | 102,126 | 30.73% |
1880 | 332,313 | 64,959 | 24.3% |
1870 | 267,354 | 54,936 | 25.86% |
1860 | 212,418 | 43,364 | 25.65% |
1850 | 169,054 | 66,741 | 65.23% |
1840 | 102,313 | 21,693 | 26.91% |
1830 | 80,620 | 17,882 | 28.5% |
1820 | 62,738 | 16,183 | 34.76% |
1810 | 46,555 | 20,041 | 75.59% |
1800 | 26,514 | 13,011 | 96.36% |
1790 | 13,503 | -515,900 | -97.45% |