$30,000 in Maryland
Household income percentile, occupation comparison, and lifestyle context for Maryland.
Occupations near $30,000 (single earner)
BLS national median wages within ±15% of $30,000 — gives texture for which careers and seniorities land at this income level.
| Occupation | Stage | National wage |
|---|---|---|
| Customer service rep | entry-level | $30,000 |
| Office clerk | entry-level | $30,000 |
| Cashier | mid-career | $29,720 |
| Firefighter | entry-level | $31,000 |
| Construction laborer | entry-level | $32,000 |
| Retail salesperson | mid-career | $33,990 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. National medians; metro/state variance can be ±30%. Career stage estimates: entry ≈ 25th pct, senior ≈ 75th pct of the same SOC code.
Single earner vs two-earner household
One earner pulling $30,000 typically means a customer service rep or comparable role. Above-median earner status in Maryland.
Two earners at $15,000 each combined = $30,000. Each individual is below median individually, but the household lands at the same percentile as a single $30,000 earner.
Lifestyle context — rent burden in Maryland
At $30,000 gross, statewide median rent eats 69% of income — HUD-defined cost-burdened. Metro areas (LA, SF, NYC, Boston, Seattle) typically run 30-50% above the statewide median.
Home affordability at $30,000
Using the 28% rule on a 30-year mortgage, $30,000 gross supports a home purchase up to about $80,944. Maryland median home value is $397,700 — you can afford 20% of the median home, so buying requires lower-priced markets, a larger down payment, or co-buying.
How $30,000 ranks in neighboring states
State-adjusted percentile shows the same income placed in Maryland's contiguous neighbors. Relevant for relocation, remote-work geography, or border-town decisions.
| State | Median HH | % vs median | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland (current) | $101,652 | -70% | 15th |
| West Virginia | $56,191 | -47% | 29th |
| Pennsylvania | $76,081 | -61% | 21th |
| Delaware | $84,825 | -65% | 19th |
| Virginia | $89,931 | -67% | 18th |
| District of Columbia | $108,210 | -72% | 14th |
$30,000 ranks similarly in
Other incomes in Maryland
Common questions
- Is $30,000 a good household income in Maryland?
- It's at roughly the 15th percentile for Maryland after adjusting for the state's median income ($101,652). Nationally that's about the 20th percentile. Whether "good" depends on household size, debt, and metro cost of living — Census medians smooth over big within-state variation.
- How does $30,000 compare to the Maryland median?
- It's 70% below the Maryland median household income of $101,652 (Census ACS 2023, table B19013). Half of Maryland households earn less than $101,652, half earn more.
- Why does this number differ from other percentile calculators?
- Two sources of variation: (1) some calculators use individual income, not household — household income is typically higher because it combines earners. (2) Some use single-year ACS, others use 5-year averages. We use ACS 2023 1-year B19080 for the national distribution and adjust by state median ratio.
Full data sources and formulas: /sources.