Maryland property tax by county

Same home, different county

On a $380,550 home (the typical county median in Maryland), the annual property tax bill depends heavily on where you buy:

Estimate: purchase price × each county's effective rate. Actual bills depend on assessed value, local levies, and exemptions.

Lowest property tax rates in Maryland

The five Maryland counties with the lowest effective property tax rates, useful for buyers comparing total cost of ownership across the state.

Highest property tax rates in Maryland

The five Marylandcounties with the highest effective property tax rates. High rates often reflect strong school district funding or municipal services rather than weakness, but they materially change a buyer's monthly carrying cost.

Maryland real estate transfer tax

Maryland charges a combined transfer tax of about 0.50% of the purchase price. On a $380,550 home, that is roughly $1,903 in total.

State Transfer Tax 0.5% of price, customarily split 50/50 buyer/seller. Additional County Recordation Tax varies by jurisdiction ($2.50–$6.00 per $500 = 0.5%–1.2%), also customarily split. First-time MD buyers have the 0.25% buyer-side state portion waived (seller pays full 0.5%). As of July 1, 2025, state transfer tax rises from 0.5% to 1.5% on sales to 'real estate enterprises' (entities with >120 properties or >$12M statewide).

Maryland is an attorney-closing state: expect a real estate attorney fee of roughly $600–$1,500 at closing.

Official Maryland source → · Verified April 2026

Closing costs in Maryland

Across Maryland's 24 counties, buyer closing costs run $3,761 to $13,381 at each county's median home value with 20% down. Cash needed at closing, with closing costs, the down payment and the transfer tax, runs $35,128 to $143,042. Pick your county for your own figures.