Maryland
Prince George's County — DC Spillover Zone
4 ZIPs highlighted
20782
Hyattsville / Takoma Park border, PG County
Tier A — High Conviction
Median Price~$380k
Med. Income~$78k
Price/Rent~16×
Neighbor Inc.$110k+
Sits directly between Takoma Park (MD, median income ~$110k) and the University of Maryland corridor. Purple Line construction is nearing completion along the northern edge, which has been the single biggest infrastructure catalyst for PG County values in a generation. Homes here trade at a deep discount to the DC zip codes across Western Ave despite a 10-minute commute to Metro. The income halo from the northwest (Montgomery County spillover) and the government/university employment base is structural, not speculative.
Purple Line catalyst
DC Metro 10 min
Takoma Park income halo
P/R <17×
+8% YoY appreciation 2024
Mixed housing stock
20737
Riverdale Park, PG County
Tier A — High Conviction
Median Price~$360k
Med. Income~$74k
Price/Rent~15×
Neighbor Inc.$95k+
Riverdale Park is one of the clearest gentrification-in-progress stories in the CSA. The Purple Line has a dedicated station here (Riverdale Park station), and the town's Main Street corridor has seen deliberate investment. The Town of Riverdale Park has its own municipality with active zoning reform. Prices remain dramatically below College Park (~$480k, 2 miles north) and Hyattsville Arts District despite comparable transit access. The in-zip income looks modest, but the surrounding-zip income — College Park to the north, Bladensburg/Brentwood reclaiming to the south — is rising. Very tight inventory, consistently sub-30-day DOM.
Purple Line station (dedicated)
Active downtown investment
College Park income halo N
P/R ~15× excellent
Fast DOM (<25 days)
Small town, limited comps
20740
College Park (south fringe), PG County
Tier B — Good Value
Median Price~$430k
Med. Income~$82k
Price/Rent~17×
Neighbor Inc.$100k+
University of Maryland anchor employment, Green Line Metro, and the FBI HQ relocation (Greenbelt, adjacent) add three structural demand drivers. Less price appreciation upside than 20737 because it's already partially discovered — but as a rental investment the math is solid with rents being supported by UMD student/faculty demand year-round. The FBI HQ relocation to nearby Greenbelt (20770) will add federal employment concentration that will spill into 20740 values over the next 3–5 years.
UMD anchor (60k+ students/staff)
Green Line Metro
FBI HQ relocation nearby
Strong rental demand
Already partially discovered
Student market volatility
20785
Landover Hills / Cheverly, PG County
Tier B — Good Value
Median Price~$330k
Med. Income~$68k
Price/Rent~14×
Neighbor Inc.$80k+
Cheverly is a hidden gem — a planned community (1935) with deed restrictions, leafy streets, and a strong civic identity that has quietly held values above the surrounding PG County fabric. Landover Hills is rougher but improving. The price-to-rent ratio here is among the best in the entire CSA at roughly 14×, meaning the rent stream nearly justifies purchase on fundamentals alone. Blue Line Metro (Landover) provides a transit option, though walkability is car-dependent. The in-zip income is modest but stable government/trade worker base; surrounding income improving as DC expands southeast.
P/R ~14× — best in CSA
Cheverly planned community premium
Blue Line Metro access
DC southeast spillover path
Landover Hills crime history
Car-dependent
⚠ Screen block-by-block. Cheverly vs. broader Landover Hills is night and day. Only buy in the Cheverly incorporated area or blocks with clear owner-occupant majority.
Avoided in PG County
20747
District Heights / Forestville
Cheap for structural reasons — high vacancy, limited income growth signals, poor transit. Low P/R doesn't compensate for demand ceiling.
20743
Capitol Heights
Some investors are active here but the income trajectory in surrounding zips has not inflected upward. Crime remains elevated and there's no clear anchor catalyst.
20746
Suitland
Census Bureau HQ is the employment anchor but has had layoffs. Flight path noise and limited walkability cap appreciation ceiling.
— § —
Baltimore City
Baltimore City — Neighborhood-Level Dislocation
4 ZIPs highlighted
21224
Highlandtown / Canton Cove, East Baltimore
Tier A — High Conviction
Median Price~$260k
Med. Income~$63k
Price/Rent~14×
Neighbor Inc.$90k+ (Canton)
The strongest value play in Baltimore City. Highlandtown is gentrifying from the Canton/Patterson Park sides in a pattern that has been consistent for 15 years. It has three state-designated arts and entertainment districts, a historic commercial corridor (Eastern Ave), and is bounded on the northwest by Canton (median home $430k). The P/R ratio is outstanding at ~14× — rents here run $1,600–2,000/mo for a rowhome that sells for $250–280k. The income dislocation is not structural dysfunction (it's an immigrant enclave with stable working families) but rather a lag effect. Prices are moving but still 40–50% below Canton one mile west.
Arts district designation
Canton income halo (west)
P/R ~14× — exceptional
Active gentrification corridor
Rowhome stock in good condition
+6% YoY 2024
21211
Hampden / Remington, North Baltimore
Tier A — High Conviction
Median Price~$340k
Med. Income~$68k
Price/Rent~16×
Neighbor Inc.$120k+ (Roland Park)
Hampden is the most mature appreciation story in Baltimore — it has been "next up" for 20 years and has continued to deliver. The northern half of the zip (Hampden proper, the "Avenue") is more discovered. The real value now is in Remington, the southern block — JHU bought ~$300M of real estate in Remington specifically to anchor neighborhood investment. Median prices are ~4% up YoY and still significantly below Roland Park to the north (~$750k median). The Hopkins income halo is real: Remington is walkable to both Hopkins Homewood and MICA.
JHU $300M Remington investment
Roland Park income halo ($120k+)
MICA / Hopkins walkable
Proven appreciation track record
Strong rental demand
Hampden already partially priced in
21218
Waverly / Pen Lucy / Govans, North Baltimore
Tier B — Income Halo Play
Median Price~$220k
Med. Income~$48k
Price/Rent~13×
Neighbor Inc.$90k+ (N)
This is a classic income-halo play. The zip's own income is modest and crime is elevated in the southern blocks — hence Tier B, not A. But Waverly (northern section, around the farmers market) is rapidly improving with renovation activity clearly accelerating. The Hopkins medical campus is three blocks east. Roland Park is directly north. You're buying a home at $200–240k within a 5-minute walk of a $90k-income neighborhood. The price/rent ratio at ~13× is among the best in the region — rents of $1,400–1,600/mo for a $220k home. Do not buy in the southern blocks (Pen Lucy / Coldstream area). Buy on the Waverly side: 30th–40th St corridor north of the Beltway.
P/R ~13× exceptional
Roland Park income halo (N)
Hopkins Medical 3 blocks E
Waverly farmers market anchor
Southern blocks elevated crime
Lower in-zip income ($48k)
⚠ Strong block-level variance. The zip spans Waverly (viable) and Pen Lucy/Coldstream (do not buy). Must filter by specific blocks, not zip-level stats.
21230
Pigtown / Federal Hill South / Carroll-Camden
Tier B — Federal Hill Spillover
Median Price~$295k
Med. Income~$64k
Price/Rent~15×
Neighbor Inc.$88k+ (Fed Hill)
Pigtown has been on the verge of tipping for a decade and is finally tipping. The University of Maryland BioPark is directly west, the MARC Camden Line station is here, and Federal Hill — at $450k median — presses from the northeast. The National Road corridor (Washington Blvd) has active city investment. The 21230 zip is large and includes the more established Federal Hill South blocks (which are actually quite good) as well as the Pigtown/Carroll area that is the real value play. Income is better than it looks because Federal Hill's higher earners inflate the zip average — the Pigtown section is more affordable.
UMD BioPark west anchor
Federal Hill income halo NE
MARC Camden line station
Active city corridor investment
Rents $1,700+ for $290k homes
Slower appreciation than east side
Explicitly Avoided in Baltimore City
21216 / 21223
West Baltimore (Sandtown, Edmondson)
Classic cheap-for-a-reason. Structural vacancy (30%+ in some blocks), no income halo from any direction, deep disinvestment cycle. Homicides fell below 200 city-wide but remain concentrated here. No anchor employer in realistic spillover distance.
21213
Belair-Edison / Oliver
Some investor activity but income trajectory has not inflected. Very high vacancy rates in the Oliver portion. Not enough income halo from any adjacent neighborhood to drive organic appreciation vs. speculation.
21202
Downtown Baltimore Core
Office vacancy over 25% downtown creates serious structural headwinds for residential. Downtown condo market has poor P/R ratios (~22–25×) with high HOA fees. Wait for office conversion thesis to play out before buying here.
— § —
Baltimore County
Baltimore County — Suburban Value Plays
3 ZIPs highlighted
21206
Overlea / Fullerton, Balt. County
Tier B
Median Price~$250k
Med. Income~$72k
Price/Rent~14×
Neighbor Inc.$78k+
The most interesting Baltimore County value zip. Overlea and Fullerton are solidly working-class communities with good civic infrastructure, reasonable schools, and tight inventory. The income-to-price ratio is strong: median income ~$72k supporting a $250k median price is one of the best ratios in the metro. It's not "undiscovered" — it's just unglamorous. First-time buyers dominate and DOM is consistently under 25 days, indicating real organic demand not investor speculation. No gentrification story needed here — it's just priced fairly with good fundamentals.
Income/price ratio strong ($72k/$250k)
P/R ~14× exceptional
Sub-25 day DOM
Stable owner-occupant base
No marquee appreciation catalyst
21234
Parkville, Baltimore County
Tier B
Median Price~$270k
Med. Income~$75k
Price/Rent~15×
Neighbor Inc.$80k+
Parkville is the "Towson adjacent" play — it borders Towson ($410k median) to the west and has been an underappreciated beneficiary of Towson's price appreciation. Baltimore County identifies Parkville as a "value proposition" area with homes moving sub-30 days consistently. The income base is stable — healthcare, government, trades — and the community has seen renovation investment pick up as buyers priced out of Towson move east. The Loch Raven Reservoir greenspace to the north adds quality-of-life without any development risk.
Towson income halo (west)
Sub-30 day DOM
Loch Raven proximity
Renovation activity accelerating
No transit (car dependent)
21220
Middle River / Bowleys Quarters
Tier C — Waterfront Value
Median Price~$260k
Med. Income~$70k
Price/Rent~16×
Neighbor Inc.$78k
Middle River / Bowleys Quarters is a Tier C because it's more speculative — the play is waterfront access (Back River / Chesapeake) at mainland Baltimore County prices. Waterfront lots and water-access properties here trade at dramatic discounts to Annapolis or the Eastern Shore. The remote work tailwind benefits places with water access. The income base is working class but stable, and the Amazon Air Hub at BWI is a 15-minute drive providing a logistics employment anchor. This is a longer-horizon bet (5+ years) on the remote work + water access combination.
Waterfront access at mainland prices
Amazon Air / BWI employment
Remote work / lifestyle demand trend
Car dependent
Longer appreciation horizon
— § —
Eastern Shore
Eastern Shore — Lifestyle Demand Undervaluation
3 ZIPs highlighted
21620
Chestertown, Kent County
Tier B — Lifestyle + Income Halo
Median Price~$280k
Med. Income~$58k
Price/Rent~15×
Buyer ProfileDC/Bal remote
Chestertown is perhaps the most compelling non-obvious value on the Eastern Shore. Washington College (small liberal arts institution) provides an anchor and a year-round economic base that Easton lacks in relative terms. The in-zip income looks modest ($58k) but that's legacy local workers — the buyer pool increasingly comes from DC and Baltimore ($100k+ remote workers), which is the income that sets the price floor. The historic downtown, Chester River waterfront, and curated restaurant/arts scene are driving strong second-home demand that is pushing into primary-residence territory. Average days on market dropped significantly in 2024. Prices are still 50% below Easton's luxury segment.
Washington College anchor
DC/Bal remote buyer pool
Historic waterfront downtown
P/R ~15× strong
Accelerating DOM compression
Kent County school district weak
⚠ School district quality is below state average — relevant if buying as a primary residence with school-age children. Does not affect rental/investment or empty-nester thesis.
21613
Cambridge, Dorchester County
Tier C — Contrarian / Long Horizon
Median Price~$210k
Med. Income~$48k
Price/Rent~13×
YoY Price+3–5%
Cambridge is the contrarian call. In-zip income is genuinely low and the structural economy has historically been challenged (lost manufacturing, poverty concentration). The thesis is: P/R of ~13× is a true fundamental floor, waterfront properties on the Choptank River are dramatically undervalued relative to Talbot County (Easton/St. Michaels) just 20 miles north, and the remote work effect on lower-cost waterfront markets has been durable. Downtown Cambridge (Race Street area) has active investment from Dorchester County and private developers. This is a longer horizon (5–7 years) and requires buying in the specific downtown/waterfront district, not outlying areas. Forecasted +0.8% by late 2025 per Norada, but the real upside is structural over a longer window.
P/R ~13× exceptional value
Choptank waterfront massively underpriced vs. Talbot Co.
Active downtown redevelopment investment
Low in-zip income ($48k)
Longer horizon (5–7 yr)
Structural economic challenges
⚠ True contrarian play. Only consider downtown/waterfront parcels. Outlying Cambridge has no foreseeable appreciation catalyst. Buy with patience or don't buy.
21601
Easton (non-luxury), Talbot County
Tier B — Below Luxury Floor
Median Price~$380k
Med. Income~$68k
Price/Rent~17×
Buyer ProfileDC remote + retirees
You already own in Easton so this is context rather than a recommendation for you. The observation is that the non-luxury entry-level in 21601 (under $350k, non-waterfront, smaller lots) is where the income dislocation exists. The in-zip income of $68k is being overridden by the DC/Baltimore buyer pool with $120–160k incomes buying second homes and remote-primary residences. NeighborhoodScout notes appreciation is below 90% of Maryland zips — meaning it's still catching up from a higher base rather than being in the acceleration phase. The P/R is decent at ~17× (higher than other entries here because Easton commands lifestyle premium). Best value is in non-waterfront single-family under $320k on the west side of town — Route 50 corridor has the supply.
DC remote buyer floor effect
Shore Medical Center employment
Talbot County schools above average
Below-luxury entry point still accessible
You already own here
Appreciation below MD median pace