Rents are 3% above what Carney's 10-year trend predicts — running hotter than its own history.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,497 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
Rent in Carney is 1.3% below its high of $1,517 in May 2026, at $1,497 as of September 2026.
Rent in Carney changed +1.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 81 Maryland cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.4%.
Rent rose in 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($83,620) is $2,091 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($1,907).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Carney. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Carney, MD is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, 40.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Carney, MD has changed in 5 years
The median rent in Carney, MD stood at $1,336 in 2023 and currently runs about $1,497, reflecting a 12.1% increase over the period. Household income in the area moved from $70,403 to $83,620 across the same window, up 18.8% versus 2021. On paper, paychecks moved up faster than rent, which softens the affordability squeeze versus the 2021 baseline. The population has contracted by 5.1% since 2021, moving from about 29,873 residents to roughly 28,343. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Carney, MD look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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Can you afford rent in Carney on your salary?
At $1,497/mo, how Carney rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Carney rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Carney. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Carney
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Carney is $1,497/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,456/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,941/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,450/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,900/mo.
At 21% of local median household income ($83,620/yr), Carney ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Carney?
Is rent going up or down in Carney?
How does Carney rent compare to other cities in Maryland?
At $1,497/mo, rent takes ~21% of Carney's median household income ($83,620/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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