Rents are 3% below what Catonsville's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
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 $1,741 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
February. Asking rents in Catonsville usually run 1.2% below trend in February and 1.5% above it in October, about $47 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.
Rent in Catonsville is 0.1% below its high of $1,743 in August 2026, at $1,741 as of September 2026.
Rent in Catonsville changed +2.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 81 Maryland cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.4%.
Rent rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($114,109) is $2,853 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($2,690).
Halethorpe, 4 miles away, rents for 15% less ($1,487/mo), about $3,000 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Catonsville. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. 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
Catonsville, MD is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 54.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Catonsville, MD has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Catonsville, MD has shifted from $1,400 to $1,741, up 24.4% since 2021. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $93,481 in 2021 to $114,109 more recently. Census counts show Catonsville, MD adding about 579 residents over the five-year window, up 1.4% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 51.2% to 54.7% across the same window. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Catonsville, MD market of 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Catonsville on your salary?
At $1,741/mo, how Catonsville rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Catonsville rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Catonsville. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Catonsville
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Catonsville is $1,741/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,340/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,870/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,530/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,410/mo.
At 18% of local median household income ($114,109/yr), Catonsville ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Is rent going up or down in Catonsville?
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How does Catonsville rent compare to other cities in Maryland?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Catonsville?
At $1,741/mo, rent takes ~18% of Catonsville's median household income ($114,109/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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