Is Maryland or North Dakota a better state to live in?

Based on our composite scoring, North Dakota ranks higher overall. Maryland is #17 and North Dakota is #7 out of 50 states. Maryland wins 3 of 11 categories, while North Dakota wins 8.

How does Maryland compare to North Dakota in cost of living?

Maryland has a cost of living index of 104, while North Dakota's is 89 (100 = national average). North Dakota is more affordable.

Which state is safer, Maryland or North Dakota?

Maryland has 415 violent crimes per 100K residents, vs 267 in North Dakota. North Dakota has the lower crime rate.

What are the median incomes in Maryland vs North Dakota?

Maryland's median household income is $98,461, compared to $72,583 in North Dakota.

Maryland vs North Dakota: Side-by-Side (2026)

B+

Maryland

#17·Northeast

67.7Composite Score

VSNorth Dakota leads

North Dakota

#7·Midwest

76.6Composite Score

3MD wins

8ND wins

Category Overlay

MarylandNorth Dakota

Category Scores

💰 EconomyMD +15.9

83.6

67.7

🛡️ SafetyND +9.4

53.1

62.5

🏥 HealthMD +20.4

85.7

65.3

🎓 EducationND +14.3

67.3

81.6

💼 Fiscal HealthND +14.8

55.0

69.8

📈 GrowthND +11.5

42.2

53.7

🏠 AffordabilityND +30.1

54.6

84.7

🌿 EnvironmentMD +7.6

46.1

38.5

🏞️ Outdoor AccessND +27.3

11.8

39.1

🚇 TransportationND +1.8

48.5

50.3

🎭 LivabilityND +24.4

22.9

47.3

Key Metrics Comparison

Metric	Maryland	North Dakota	Winner
Population	6,180,253	783,926	MD
Median Income	$98,461	$72,583	MD
Unemployment	2.9%	2.2%	ND
Violent Crime Rate(per 100K)	415	267	ND
Cost of Living(100 = national avg)	104	89	ND
HS Graduation Rate	88%	89%	ND
Life Expectancy	78 yr	79 yr	ND
Pop Growth	+0.7%	+0.8%	ND

Maryland vs North Dakota: How Do They Compare?

Maryland ranks #17 overall with a composite score of 67.7, earning a B+ grade. North Dakota sits at #7 with 76.6 and a A grade. North Dakota has the edge overall, winning 8 of 11 categories.

On the economic front, Maryland has 2.9% unemployment and a $98,461 median income, while North Dakota reports 2.2% unemployment and $72,583 median income.

For safety, Maryland's violent crime rate is 415 per 100K compared to 267 in North Dakota. Cost of living favors North Dakota with an index of 89 vs 104.

Explore These States

Maryland Full Profile67.7 North Dakota Full Profile76.6 Compare Other States→

Data Sources

📎Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS (Dec 2025)📎U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 📎FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023 📎America's Health Rankings, 2025 📎WalletHub/NAEP, 2025 📎U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 📎Cook Political Report, PVI 2024 📎Tax Foundation, Facts & Figures 2025 📎ALEC Rich States Poor States, 2025 📎WalletHub Tax Burden Study, 2025 📎U.S. Census Bureau / FHFA, 2025 📎BEA Regional Price Parities, 2023 📎EPA AirData, Median AQI by County 2024 📎EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024 📎FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, 2025 📎U.S. Census Bureau, Net Domestic Migration 2024 📎FCC / BroadbandNow, Broadband Access 2025 📎National Park Service API, 2024 📎USGS Protected Areas Database (PAD-US), 2024 📎U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022 📎U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 (Commuting)📎FHWA Highway Statistics, 2023 📎U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022 📎EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024 📎EIA Natural Gas Prices, 2024 📎DOL National Database of Childcare Prices, 2023 📎BEA Regional Price Parities (Food), 2023 📎NCES Common Core of Data (CCD), 2023-24 📎EDFacts ACGR Graduation Rates, 2021-22 📎NCES School District Finance Survey (F-33), 2022-23 📎BEA GDP by State (SAGDP9), 2023 📎NASBO Fiscal Survey of States, FY2023 📎Census Bureau State Government Finances, FY2022 📎Pew Charitable Trusts Fiscal 50, FY2023 📎Pew Charitable Trusts, FY2022 📎S&P/Moody's via Ballotpedia, 2025 📎Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES (May 2023)📎IRS Statistics of Income, State-to-State Migration 2022-2023