Why does down payment vary across Maryland?

Home prices vary widely; a 12% down payment scales with the local median. Owner financing often accepts less.

Yes, owner-finance deals commonly land in the 10-20% range. Conventional underwriting usually wants 20% to avoid PMI.

Can I find lower-down options?

Browse low-down-payment homes by city, many owner-finance and lease-option deals sit under 10%.

Buyer authority MD

Estimated owner-finance down payment by city in Maryland.

Down payments scale with home prices but flex by financing type. This ranks Maryland cities by an estimated typical down payment on an owner-financed or low-down deal (12% of estimated median home value). This is a modeled directional comparison, not a survey of actual closings.

Last updated September 2026

Maryland ranking

50 cities ranked. Click any row for the matching local page.

#	City	Est. typical down payment	Score
1	Potomac	$104,900	0	View →
2	Chevy Chase	$95,000	3	View →
3	Bethesda	$94,200	4	View →
4	Clarksville	$86,200	13	View →
5	Davidsonville	$82,700	17	View →
6	Annapolis	$79,600	20	View →
7	Ellicott City	$77,800	22	View →
8	Severna Park	$77,000	23	View →
9	Gaithersburg	$76,000	24	View →
10	Rockville	$75,100	25	View →
11	Olney	$74,900	26	View →
12	Boyds	$74,400	26	View →
13	Crownsville	$73,400	27	View →
14	Bowie	$72,500	28	View →
15	Derwood	$73,100	28	View →
16	Mount Airy	$71,900	29	View →
17	Kensington	$72,200	29	View →
18	Silver Spring	$70,700	30	View →
19	Sykesville	$70,600	30	View →
20	Woodbine	$71,400	30	View →
21	Frederick	$70,000	31	View →
22	Laurel	$70,200	31	View →
23	Lutherville Timonium	$70,200	31	View →
24	Crofton	$70,400	31	View →
25	Clarksburg	$70,400	31	View →
26	Fallston	$69,800	31	View →
27	Columbia	$69,600	32	View →
28	Bel Air	$68,500	33	View →
29	Clinton	$68,400	33	View →
30	Odenton	$68,600	33	View →
31	Accokeek	$68,300	33	View →
32	Upper Marlboro	$67,800	34	View →
33	Fort Washington	$67,800	34	View →
34	Reisterstown	$67,100	34	View →
35	Elkridge	$67,700	34	View →
36	Millersville	$67,100	34	View →
37	Huntingtown	$67,200	34	View →
38	Gambrills	$67,700	34	View →
39	Germantown	$66,700	35	View →
40	Waldorf	$66,800	35	View →
41	Pasadena	$66,600	35	View →
42	Towson	$66,200	35	View →
43	Severn	$66,500	35	View →
44	Hanover	$66,400	35	View →
45	New Market	$66,100	35	View →
46	Middletown	$66,700	35	View →
47	Owings Mills	$65,900	36	View →
48	Montgomery Village	$65,300	36	View →
49	Edgewater	$65,500	36	View →
50	La Plata	$65,200	36	View →

Methodology

Estimated down = 12% of estimated median home value (representative of owner-financed and low-down deals). Conventional loans typically require 20%; FHA can be 3.5%. Use as a directional comparison.

FAQ

Why does down payment vary across Maryland?: Home prices vary widely; a 12% down payment scales with the local median. Owner financing often accepts less.
Is 12% realistic?: Yes, owner-finance deals commonly land in the 10-20% range. Conventional underwriting usually wants 20% to avoid PMI.
Can I find lower-down options?: Browse low-down-payment homes by city, many owner-finance and lease-option deals sit under 10%.