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Baltimore, situated in northern Maryland on the Patapsco River estuary above Chesapeake Bay, is the largest city in the state. Settled in the early 1600s and founded as a town in 1729, it was named after Lord Baltimore, the founder of Maryland. Baltimore's excellent harbor has made it one of the country's most important ports since colonial times. During the War of 1812, the flag at nearby Fort McHenry served as inspiration for Francis Scott Key's Star-Spangled Banner. More recently, Baltimore was an important shipbuilding and supply center during World Wars I and II. Although the city suffered a loss of prosperity and population in the 1960s and 1970s, urban redevelopment projects of the 1980s and 1990s (Harborplace shops and restaurants, the National Aquarium, a convention center, Oriole Park at Camden Yards) have revitalized the city. Today, Baltimore has around 650,000 residents and is a commercial and industrial hub. Its leading exports include coal, grain, iron, steel, an d copper. Shipbuilding remains a top industry, as are sugar and food processing, oil refining, biotechnology and chemicals. Baltimore is a center for scientific research, with facilities at Johns Hopkins Hospital and University of Maryland Hospital. Tourism is a rising industry. Directors John Waters and Barry Levinson have given a new glamour to the city in their films.
Edgar Allan Poe's grave is located in the city, where the tortured poet spent his last 18 years. Northwest of downtown is Mount Vernon, home of Baltimore's Washington Monument and the Walters Art Gallery. Nearby Annapolis, seat of the US Naval Academy, has an old-town feel, with many historic homes and buildings. Other historic sites and museums include the Baltimore Museum of Art, Maryland Historical Society, Baltimore Civil War Museum, Baltimore Public Works Museum, USS Constellation, Baltimore Maritime Museum, Baltimore Museum of Industry, Port Discovery, Contemporary Museum and Mount Clare. The Babe Ruth Museum reminds thousands of visitors annually that baseball's greatest player was born in Baltimore.
For recreation, the water is just a stone's throw away. Druid Hill Park within the city has not only the Baltimore Zoo, but also 17 tennis courts, 4 softball diamonds, 2 sand volleyball courts, a basketball court, a baseball diamond, a swimming pool and a frisbee field. Annapolis, known as the "Sailing Capital" of the country, has literally thousands of cruising and racing sailboats. Within 3 hours of the city is the Wisp Ski Area in Maryland; dozens more ski slopes are within a similar drive to the mountains in Pennsylvania.
Baltimore has an energetic nightlife, ranking #2 (with Washington) among Forbes Magazine's list of the Top Cities for Singles. The "SoWeBo" area, much like New York City's SoHo, is a funky, bohemian district popular with artists and free thinkers. Fells Point, one of the city's oldest and ethnically-varied neighborhoods, is now a revitalized hotspot loaded with shops, restaurants, bars and clubs. And, of course, Baltimore has some of the best seafood (especially crabs and crab cakes) in the country. Nearby Annapolis and Washington offer even more options.
Comparing Baltimore to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Maryland (State):
Ratings range from 
(lowest) to 
(highest).
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Female Share of the Population | |  |
| Age of the Population |  |  |
| Senior Citizens |  | |
| Well-Paid Single Men |  | |
| Children Under 5 Years Old | | |
| Racial Diversity |  | |
| Male Share of the Population | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | | |
| Portion of People Married | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| College Educated Adults | |  |
| People in Middle Class or Better | | |
| People Above Poverty | | |
| Median Family Income | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Public Transportation Use | | |
| Walking and Biking to Work | | |
| Working at Home | | |
| Short Commute Times | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| People Living Alone | | |
| Affordability of Rents | | |
| Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals | | |
| Seasonal and Vacation Housing | | |
| Affordability of Property Taxes |  | |
| Housing Recently Built | | |
Detailed pages on related topics: Baltimore colleges • Baltimore travel • Baltimore mortgages and property.
 | Baltimore Careers Baltimore career and employment information. |
 | Baltimore Colleges Baltimore colleges and trade schools. |
 | Baltimore Hotels & Travel Baltimore hotels, landmarks, tourism, transportation. |
 | Baltimore Mortgage Baltimore property, mortgage, and real estate. |
We've crunched the numbers to create PlaceMatch™, which compares thousands of cities and towns to find the places most similar to each.
Select a photo to view (Source):
Court House c1903.
The Calvert Building c1906
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