Rents are 8% below what Dundalk'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 $1,460 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
November. Asking rents in Dundalk usually run 0.4% below trend in November and 0.4% above it in May, about $12 a month apart at today's median. Based on 7 years of data.
Rent in Dundalk is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2019.
Rent in Dundalk changed +2.2% over the year to September 2026. Across the 81 Maryland cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.4%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Dundalk rose 34.4% while median household income rose 15.7% ($55,757 to $64,520). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Dundalk is 38.3% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 5 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($64,520) is $1,613 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,430); a 2-bedroom is $1,750.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Dundalk. 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.
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Who lives here
Dundalk, MD is majority owner-occupied, has a median income below the national average, 15.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Dundalk, MD has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Dundalk, MD paid around $1,127 a month. That figure now sits near $1,460, up 29.5% from the 2021 baseline. Census figures show median household income at $64,520 today, compared with $58,203 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. The renter share has eased from 37.6% to 35.4%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 13.3% to 15.7% across the same window. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
Discussions about Dundalk
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Dundalk on your salary?
At $1,460/mo, how Dundalk rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Dundalk rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Dundalk. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Dundalk
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Dundalk is $1,460/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,250/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,750/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,430/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,270/mo.
At 27% of local median household income ($64,520/yr), Dundalk ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.2% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Dundalk?
Is rent going up or down in Dundalk?
When is the cheapest time to rent in Dundalk?
Has rent outpaced income in Dundalk?
How does Dundalk rent compare to other cities in Maryland?
At $1,460/mo, rent takes ~27% of Dundalk's median household income ($64,520/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Estimated from ZIP-level data
Be the first to submit your rent for Dundalk.
No discussions yet.