Rents are right about where Ellicott City's 10-year trend predicts.
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 $2,596 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
January. Asking rents in Ellicott City usually run 1% below trend in January and 0.9% above it in June, about $49 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Ellicott City is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Ellicott City changed +3.0% over the year to September 2026. Across the 81 Maryland cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.4%.
Rent in Ellicott City is 33.1% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 2 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($156,964) is $3,924 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($3,635).
Columbia, 5 miles away, rents for 12% less ($2,278/mo), about $3,800 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Ellicott City. 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
Ellicott City, MD is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 68.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Ellicott City, MD has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Ellicott City, MD paid around $2,018 a month. That figure now sits near $2,596, up 28.6% from the 2021 baseline. Census figures show median household income at $156,964 today, compared with $136,234 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Ellicott City, MD adding about 825 residents over the five-year window, up 1.1% on net. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Ellicott City on your salary?
At $2,596/mo, how Ellicott City rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Ellicott City rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Ellicott City. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Ellicott City
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Ellicott City is $2,596/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,810/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,530/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,065/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,260/mo.
At 20% of local median household income ($156,964/yr), Ellicott City ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.0% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Ellicott City?
At $2,596/mo, rent takes ~20% of Ellicott City's median household income ($156,964/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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