- Baltimore renters can save over $7,100 a year by taking public transit: With car commuting costs averaging nearly $8,000 versus $860 for public transport, renters stand to pocket savings equal to more than two months’ salary.
- But public transit adds extra commuting time: Commuting by car takes about an hour, while public transport stretches to over 96 minutes, costing commuters more than five extra days per year.
In a recent study carried out by Point2Homes, 30 of the largest U.S. cities were analyzed to see how much money renters could save each year by switching from driving to public transport for their daily commute. The study also compared how much time is saved or lost by driving versus taking public transit.
While Baltimore ranks near the middle overall in terms of dollar savings, it climbs into the top three when those savings are measured against the average renter’s monthly income. And, with renters making up more than half of Baltimore’s occupied housing units (51%), the potential impact is significant.
Still, in a city where more than 161,100 residents commute by car compared to just 22,230 who take the bus or trolley, how realistic is it for renters to make the switch? And do the financial benefits truly outweigh the extra commuting time?
Saving Money: Baltimore Renters Can Save More Than 2 Months’ Salary a Year by Switching to Public Transport Instead of Driving
Considering the costs of fuel, maintenance, parking, and insurance, the average annual cost of commuting by car in Baltimore is $7,995 (about half of what it costs in Manhattan, for example). This puts Baltimore more or less in the middle of the rankings when compared to the other 29 major cities in the study.
For those using public transport, commute costs drop to $864 a year on average. This equates to savings of $7,131 a year for those who make the switch. Considering that the median renter’s income in Baltimore is $3,481, renters can save well over two months’ salary per year. Only two other cities can make this claim: Detroit and Philadelphia.
Over the course of a year, this puts almost $600 extra a month in the pockets of renters who ditch the car. For anyone struggling financially, it can go a long way toward covering rent, bills, or debt repayment.
Saving Time: Baltimore Commuters Can Save 5 Days per Year by Driving to Work
There are clear financial benefits to ditching the car in favor of public transport in Baltimore. But reducing the time spent commuting can mean more free time to indulge in hobbies, socializing, working on aside hustle, or just about anything else than sitting in traffic. Plus, driving undoubtedly offers far more freedom, allowing renters to carry out several tasks, such as picking up groceries or dropping the kids off at school.
With an average car commute time of 64.4 minutes, drivers in Baltimore are more or less in the middle of the rankings once again. In comparison, public transport commute takes over 96 minutes spent traveling. For public transport users, this results in a difference of just over half an hour extra spent commuting each day. Over the course of a year, it equates to almost five and a half days spent commuting compared to driving.
How Reliable Is Public Transport in Baltimore?
With a Walk Score of 64 and a lower Transit Score of 53 out of 100, Baltimore is considered somewhat walkable. This means that, in general, a car isn’t always crucial in carrying out errands. Naturally, Downtown Baltimore is one of the most walkable parts of the city, but other neighborhoods in the central part of the city, such as Mount Vernon and Fells Point, are also walkable. Baltimore also benefits from reasonable cycling infrastructure, making parts of the city fairly bikeable.
As expected, the state’s most populous city also enjoys good public transit, with several options available. The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) is responsible for public transit in and around Baltimore, providing more than 80 bus lines, a metro service, and numerous light rail routes across the metropolitan area. Specialized commuter bus and rail routes serve numerous suburbs, while the city center benefits from a wealth of routes.
For Baltimore renters, the choice ultimately comes down to balancing time and money. While driving saves several days a year in commuting time, the thousands saved by switching to public transit can make a lasting difference in monthly budgets and financial stability.
Methodology
Point2Homes.com is a real estate listing portal for rental homes across the United States. Part of Yardi Systems, Point2Homes covers housing trends and news through comprehensive studies that draw from internal data, public records, governmental sources, and online research.
- For this study, we took into consideration the 30 most populous U.S. cities, per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (ACS 2023).
- Data about means of transportation to get to work, tenure by vehicles and commute time for the 30 largest U.S. cities were also sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey (ACS 2023).
- Data on fuel and maintenance costs was sourced from AAA, car insurance costs from Bankrate, and parking rates from Spothero.
- Data on the financial cost of public transit commuting in each city was sourced from APTA and local transit authority websites.
- The median income for the renter and owner households at the national level and also for the 30 cities used in the analysis were sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey (ACS 2023).
Image: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.com
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