Ocean, MD housing market
The typical Ocean home is worth about $444,000, down 1% in a year, close to the Maryland typical home.
Home values, sales, trends and how Ocean compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Ocean at a glance
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Ocean | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $257,000 | $290,000 |
| 2018 | $267,000 | $301,000 |
| 2019 | $279,000 | $310,000 |
| 2020 | $288,000 | $322,000 |
| 2021 | $316,000 | $349,000 |
| 2022 | $402,000 | $384,000 |
| 2023 | $434,000 | $398,000 |
| 2024 | $458,000 | $412,000 |
| 2025 | $456,000 | $427,000 |
| 2026 | $441,000 | $429,000 |
| August 2026 | $444,000 | $428,000 |
61 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 61 new homes in Ocean in 2025, all single-family houses, worth about $24.3 million to build. That's 8.8 per 1,000 residents, faster than across Maryland (2.4). Over the past 10 years, Ocean has permitted 610 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Ocean's population fell by 258 even though 372 new homes were permitted. Homes are holding fewer people: households are getting smaller, or more homes are used part of the year. 83% of Ocean's homes are seasonal or vacation homes, which adds housing without adding residents. Across Maryland: 2.5 new residents per new home.
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 50 | 41 | 9 | $12.8 million |
| 2025 | 61 | 61 | 0 | $24.3 million |
| 2024 | 39 | 35 | 4 | $16 million |
| 2023 | 133 | 44 | 89 | $33.5 million |
| 2022 | 64 | 58 | 6 | $15 million |
| 2021 | 86 | 56 | 30 | $25.1 million |
| 2020 | 60 | 46 | 14 | $16.5 million |
| 2019 | 61 | 45 | 16 | $13.5 million |
| 2018 | 40 | 25 | 15 | $8.3 million |
| 2017 | 27 | 22 | 5 | $8.3 million |
| 2016 | 39 | 39 | 0 | $11 million |
| 2015 | 41 | 30 | 11 | $8.6 million |
| 2014 | 62 | 23 | 39 | $11.7 million |
| 2013 | 42 | 37 | 5 | $9.2 million |
| 2012 | 20 | 20 | 0 | $4.6 million |
| 2011 | 17 | 17 | 0 | $2.5 million |
| 2010 | 23 | 23 | 0 | $3.6 million |
| 2009 | 34 | 31 | 3 | $6.4 million |
| 2008 | 83 | 36 | 47 | $16.7 million |
| 2007 | 123 | 83 | 40 | $24 million |
| 2006 | 559 | 83 | 476 | $171.2 million |
| 2005 | 527 | 118 | 409 | $41.9 million |
| 2004 | 534 | 102 | 432 | $41.7 million |
| 2003 | 424 | 148 | 276 | $35.5 million |
| 2002 | 317 | 58 | 259 | $29 million |
| 2001 | 265 | 62 | 203 | $19.1 million |
| 2000 | 249 | 94 | 155 | $19.7 million |
How Ocean ranks on new homes being built →
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
5.7 years of income
The typical Ocean home costs about 5.7 years of the town's median household income, more than across Maryland (4.1 years).
How Ocean ranks on affordability →
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,210
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Ocean is $1,210 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Ocean pay a median of $1,353. A two-bedroom takes about 19% of the town's median household income.
Studio $1,040 · 4 bedrooms $1,940
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (21842; Worcester County, MD), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.