Local costs · Maryland
What it costs to own a home in Wicomico County, Maryland
The real property-tax rate, risk-adjusted insurance, and honest closing costs for Wicomico County — with the all-in monthly cost of a county-median-priced home and the income it takes to carry it comfortably.
The headline numbers
US Census, ACS 2024 5-year
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The “median home” here is the Wicomico County median owner-occupied value ($254,700, US Census ACS B25077, ACS 2024 5-year). The all-in monthly uses the real-life basis: loan payment $1,311, property tax $181, insurance $176, maintenance $212 (1%/yr rule of thumb), and utilities $275 (a placeholder, not yet sourced). With 20% down there is no mortgage insurance.
Local risk flags
No natural-hazard flags for Wicomico County in the FEMA National Risk Index — no covered peril rates Relatively High or Very High here. That does not mean zero risk; check the specific address’s flood zone before you buy.
Closing costs, in detail
Total transfer/recording tax $5,094: buyer's customary share $2,547, seller's customary share $2,547. Maryland state transfer tax: $1,274 (split 50/50); County transfer & recordation taxes (typical, estimated): $3,821 (split 50/50, estimated). First-time Maryland homebuyers: state transfer tax halved to 0.25% and payable by the seller. Includes a labeled estimate (rate not fully verified).
- Transfer & recording tax
- On the $254,700 median home, the buyer’s customary share is about $2,547, with roughly $2,547 customarily paid by the seller. Only the buyer’s share is counted in the closing-cost estimate above.
- Title insurance & settlement
- Maryland uses competitive (filed) rates. Estimated $1,625–$2,199 on this home. Modeled title insurance + settlement (national declining-rate curve, ~0.75% of price at this level). Not a state-promulgated rate.
- Lender and origination
- $1,019–$2,038. Modeled as 0.5-1.0% of loan amount.
- Appraisal, inspection, and reports
- $900–$1,800. Flat buyer-paid diligence estimate.
- Prepaids and escrow
- $1,251–$1,964. Initial escrow deposit for taxes and insurance.
Frequently asked
- What is the property tax rate in Wicomico County, MD?
- The effective property tax rate in Wicomico County is 0.85% of home value per year (US Census, ACS 2024 5-year). That is lower than the Maryland average of 0.93% and lower than the national average of 0.92%.
- How much is homeowners insurance in Wicomico County?
- A typical homeowners policy runs about $2,110 per year (range $1,370–$3,060) at the Wicomico County median home value of $254,700. This is a county-adjusted estimate scaled from the NAIC state average; a real quote depends on the home and coverage.
- What are typical closing costs on a $254,700 home in Wicomico County?
- Estimated buyer closing costs run about $7,442–$10,948 on a $254,700 home — lender fees, title and settlement, the buyer's customary share of transfer and recording taxes, and prepaid taxes and insurance.
- What income do you need to afford the median home in Wicomico County?
- A household income of about $116,330 per year makes the $254,700 median home here comfortable by our math — housing under about 28% of take-home pay with room left for everyday spending, assuming 20% down at this week's 6.67% 30-year rate.
- What is the all-in monthly cost of the median home in Wicomico County?
- About $2,155 per month for the $254,700 median home with 20% down at 6.67% — the loan payment, property tax, home insurance, maintenance, and an estimated utilities figure.
Run your own numbers
These figures use the area median and a 20%-down example. Put in your own price, down payment, income, and debts to see whether it’s comfortable for you.
Open the calculator for Wicomico CountyMore counties in Maryland
Sources & vintages
- Property tax: US Census American Community Survey, county effective rate (ACS 2024 5-year).
- Home insurance: NAIC state average premium (2022 · FEMA NRI December 2025), scaled by FEMA National Risk Index covered-peril risk; range modeled.
- Median home value: US Census ACS B25077, Wicomico County median owner-occupied value (ACS 2024 5-year).
- Mortgage rate: Freddie Mac 30-year fixed weekly average via FRED, as of 2026-08-13.
- Transfer taxes & title: researched state/local schedules. The everyday-spending baseline ships from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey (2024), income-scaled; utilities is the one remaining labeled placeholder.
Estimates, not advice, and not a Loan Estimate. Every number is computed from public data or our own math — see the methodology for how, and where the honest gaps are.