Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Ellicott City, MD

    Is Ellicott City a good place to live?

    Watch Ellicott City

    Ellicott City ranks #13 of 57 Maryland cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (65/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 0.2% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $644,300
    +4.4% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $2,001
    per month
    Household income
    $157,891
    median
    Unemployment
    2.9%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Ellicott City

    The median home value in Ellicott City is $644,300 and median rent is $2,001 a month, against a median household income of $157,891. Homes cost about 4.1× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Ellicott City crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Maryland the 2025 rate was 365 violent and 1,853 property crimes per 100,000 people — #11 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Ellicott City, MD

    Ellicott City has about 73,737 residents, 2.9% unemployment and 33% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Ellicott City with

    Ellicott City vs BaltimoreEllicott City vs ColumbiaEllicott City vs GermantownEllicott City vs WaldorfEllicott City vs Silver SpringEllicott City vs FrederickEllicott City vs Glen BurnieEllicott City vs Gaithersburg

    More: Where to move in Maryland · Best counties in Maryland

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report