Places › Maryland › Salisbury

Living in Salisbury, MD

Small city in Maryland

Salisbury is a small city in Maryland, home to about 33,000 people, with 167,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Salisbury a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Low natural disaster risk: 4 federally declared disasters since 2000
  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $265k and rents for $1,820 a month
  • Dog-friendly: 4 dog parks within 9 mi
  • Mild summers: highs around 87°F

👎 Cons

  • Smaller job market: about 167,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Fewer family amenities than most places
  • Fewer graduates: 28% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Salisbury ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
33,000
167,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
50°F / 87°F
Average daily highs · 8″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$265k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,820/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
96
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,897
State income tax per resident · 1.22% property tax
Safety
2.3× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
4 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly hurricanes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
1
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Below average
Tests below US average · 13 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
28%
1 research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
BWI
80 mi away

Living in Salisbury: common questions

What is the cost of living in Salisbury?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $265k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,820 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 96, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Salisbury?

Maryland collects about $1,897 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.22% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Salisbury safe?

Violent crime is well above the national rate (2.3× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Salisbury?

Public schools in Salisbury test below the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 13 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Salisbury?

Salisbury has cool winters: winter days average around 50°F and summer days around 87°F, with roughly 8″ of snow a year.

Does Salisbury get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from hurricanes and flooding: 4 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.29 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Salisbury?

The nearest major airport is BWI, about 80 mi away.

How Salisbury scores

Each bar compares Salisbury with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeSmall town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietUrban & suburban mix Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundSome transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateCool winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingAffordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceRelaxed Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityPrivate AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingApartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingExcellent
💸Low taxesAverage
💼Job marketPoor
🏥HealthcareGood
🏫SchoolsBelow average
🎓EducationBelow average
🧸Kids & familyPoor
🐕Dog-friendlyExcellent
⛰️OutdoorsAverage
🎭CulturePoor
👮SafetyHigher crime
🌪️Few natural disastersExcellent
☀️SunnyAverage
🌤️Mild summersGood
✈️AirportGood

Places like Salisbury

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Dover, DESmall city50 $314k$2,040/moHigher crime Hagerstown, MDSmall city53 $294k$1,700/moModerate crime Manhattan, KSCollege town53 $265k$1,490/moNo crime data Lafayette, INSmall city53 $263k$1,490/moModerate crime Knoxville, TNMid-size city51 $356k$1,860/moHigher crime Harrisonburg, VASmall city59 $333k$1,800/moVery safe

Nearby

Rehoboth Beach, DEBeach town · 36 mi away52 $692k$1,760/moHigher crime Dover, DESmall city · 54 mi away50 $314k$2,040/moHigher crime Annapolis, MDSmall city · 64 mi away61 $583k$2,360/moModerate crime Severna Park, MDSuburb · 72 mi away75 $632k$2,360/moNo crime data Crofton, MDSuburb · 74 mi away74 $417k$2,360/moNo crime data Waldorf, MDSuburb · 74 mi away58 $373k$2,840/moNo crime data

See all the best places to live in Maryland.

Is Salisbury right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.