Hebron is home to the best residential real estate investment market in Maryland.
The 21830 zip code in Hebron presents the greatest opportunity for the best real estate investments among the 2,436 individual real estate markets in Maryland we evaluated. We looked at property values, population trends, and six other metrics for each market. We used that data to calculate each market's InvestScore.
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Data sources
Most of the data in this article comes from the Zillow Home Value Index and the U.S. Census American Community Survey.
We update our data when the original sources update their data, usually monthly. Sometimes we'll update data more frequently.
Clever also performs regular quality checks to identify outdated data, broken data connections, and other data issues that may arise.
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5 best places to invest in Maryland
🚨 This article is for informational purposes only. It isn't intended to convey financial or legal advice. We recommend you talk to a real estate agent or real estate attorney when buying a home in Maryland.
1. Hebron
We've identified the 21830 zip code in Hebron as Maryland's best real estate investment market. Here's why.
🔎 Key data about Hebron (21830)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,436 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 100 | Highest |
| Typical property value | $307,875[1] | 40th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 39%[2] | 3rd highest |
| Household income | $112,991[3] | 117th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 2.7 | 11th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 4%[4] | 35th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9%[5] | 5th lowest |
| Property taxes | $2,366[6] | 21st lowest |
| Educational attainment | 43%[7] | 95th highest |
Hebron (zip code 21830) is the best residential real estate investment market in Maryland. It has the 3rd highest property value appreciation among markets we evaluated, with a 39% appreciation of the typical property over the last five years.
Hebron is the 11th most affordable market among the 2,436 Maryland markets we evaluated, with an affordability ratio of 2.7.
2. Belcamp
The 21017 zip code in Belcamp is the runner-up spot for the best real estate investments in Maryland.
🔎 Key data about Belcamp (21017)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,436 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 94.2 | 2nd highest |
| Typical property value | $280,185[1] | 31st lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 30%[2] | 44th highest |
| Household income | $106,831[3] | 132nd highest |
| Affordability ratio | 2.6 | 8th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 3.8%[4] | 39th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6%[5] | 3rd lowest |
| Property taxes | $2,232[6] | 18th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 39%[7] | 109th highest |
The 21017 zip code in Belcamp features a typical property value of $280,185, the 31st lowest in the state.
Property values have appreciated 30% over the past five years, the 44th highest increase among evaluated markets in the state. Belcamp homes have an affordability ratio of 2.6, the 8th most affordable in the state.
3. Frostburg
The 21532 zip code in Frostburg comes in at No. 3 in our ranking of the best residential real estate investment markets in Maryland.
🔎 Key data about Frostburg (21532)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,436 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 93.4 | 3rd highest |
| Typical property value | $170,247[1] | 9th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 31%[2] | 31st highest |
| Household income | $63,690[3] | 215th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 2.7 | 10th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 4%[4] | 34th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5%[5] | 2nd lowest |
| Property taxes | $1,794[6] | 6th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 31%[7] | 138th highest |
With a typical property value of $170,247, Frostburg's 21532 zip code features the 9th lowest property values in the state.
Frostburg homes have an affordability ratio of 2.7, the 10th most affordable among the markets we evaluated.
4. Salisbury
The 21804 zip code in Salisbury ranks No. 4 among Maryland's residential real estate investment markets.
🔎 Key data about Salisbury (21804)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,436 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 90.8 | 4th highest |
| Typical property value | $244,378[1] | 21st lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 38%[2] | 7th highest |
| Household income | $73,156[3] | 7th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 3.3 | 35th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 2.5%[4] | 56th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9%[5] | 5th lowest |
| Property taxes | $1,937[6] | 10th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 28%[7] | 147th highest |
Property values in Salisbury's 21804 zip code have seen the 7th highest increase among evaluated markets in the state, with an appreciation of 38% over the past five years.
Salisbury's affordability ratio of 3.3 makes it the 35th most affordable among the 2,436 markets we evaluated.
5. Delmar
The 21875 zip code in Delmar rounds out our top five residential real estate investment markets in Maryland.
🔎 Key data about Delmar (21875)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,436 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 86.4 | 5th highest |
| Typical property value | $291,747[1] | 37th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 37%[2] | 8th highest |
| Household income | $83,665[3] | 8th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 3.5 | 58th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 2.6%[4] | 55th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9%[5] | 5th lowest |
| Property taxes | $1,973[6] | 11th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 23%[7] | 168th highest |
Property values in Delmar's 21875 zip code rose 37% over the last five years, ranking the city 8th highest among evaluated markets in Maryland.
Delmar homes have an affordability ratio of 3.5, the 58th most affordable among the markets we evaluated.
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Frequently asked questions
See our article Steps to Buying Your First Rental Property to learn the basics of real estate investing for beginners.
You'll learn the importance of setting goals, picking the right market, and more.
Cash investors often use what's called the 70% rule, which suggests they should pay around 70% of a house's after-repair value minus the cost of renovations.
By buying for about 70% of the after-repair value, they're positioning themselves to pay for repairs and other costs, and to lock in a profit.
The 70% rule isn’t a hard-and-fast formula, but a quick guideline investors use to evaluate potential deals.
Investing in residential real estate can be one of the best passive real estate investments in Maryland.
Residential real estate offers accessible passive income and the potential to compound your original investment.
Renting out residential units is the top way to invest in real estate. House hacking also offers a great opportunity for passive real estate investment income.
How we rank residential real estate markets in Maryland
To determine the best real estate investments in Maryland we evaluated 2,436 markets on eight metrics, and then assigned an InvestScore based on a proprietary weighting framework. Each market corresponds to a specific zip code in Maryland.
What is InvestScore?
InvestScore is a score on a scale of 0 (worst in state) to 100 (best in state) that estimates the residential real estate investment potential of a given market. It takes into account a suite of key data points for each city.
- Typical property value: This measures the typical home value in this zip code, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. It reflects the typical value for homes in the 35th to 65th percentile range, including all homes, with the numbers smoothed and seasonally adjusted. We prefer lower property values, which indicate both more room for growth and a greater ease of purchase.
- Property value appreciation: This measures how much property values have increased in the area over the past five years, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. We prefer a higher appreciation, as it indicates better returns on housing. However, past performance isn't indicative of future results.
- Median household income: This is the inflation-adjusted median household income in the zip code, according to U.S. Census American Community Survey data. We prefer a higher household income, as it indicates local residents have more income to spend on housing.
- Affordability ratio: This is the ratio of the typical home value to the median household income in the area. A lower ratio is better because it means more households can afford a home, which indicates higher demand.
- Population growth: This is how much the area's population has grown over the past five years, according to U.S. Census estimates. Higher is better, as it indicates residents are moving into the area at a rapid clip.
- Unemployment rate: This is the unemployment rate in the area, according to U.S. Census data. We prefer a lower rate, as it indicates the availability of steady employment in the area, meaning residents will find it much easier to afford homes.
- Property tax: This is the median real estate property tax paid in the area, according to U.S. Census estimates.
- Educational attainment: This is the percentage of residents in the area that have obtained a bachelor's degree or better, according to U.S. Census estimates. We prefer a higher rate because it indicates local residents who have higher earning potential and thus should be able to afford homes.
