More Marylanders regard housing affordability as their top concern — ahead of all other issues, including crime and taxes, according to a poll conducted by the Maryland REALTORS, the state’s professional association for real estate agents.

In addition, more than 80% of those surveyed said the cost to rent or buy a home in Maryland is too high, with a majority saying it’s “much too high.”

In a January 2025 “State of Housing” poll, 19% of respondents volunteered housing affordability as the topic they wanted the Maryland legislature to work on during its 90-day session, more than any other issue. And 60% of those who took the poll said their rent or mortgage costs caused a slight or significant strain on their budgets, up 5 percentage points from 2024 and 17 points from 2020.

“Maryland’s housing challenges are getting worse, not better, over time,” said Cheryl Abrams Davis, the Maryland REALTORS president.

The survey of 800 Maryland registered voters was conducted by phone and online from Jan. 6-9.

The results closely mirror those published from a January University of Maryland/Washington Post poll, which also identified housing affordability as voters’ chief concern.

Last year, polls from Maryland REALTORS and the housing research and advocacy nonprofit Greater Greater Washington helped push a trio of new policies over the finish line. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed those bills into law, resulting in more density for developments in certain areas of the state, expanded financing and tenant protections.

This year, the first-term Democrat has endorsed additional proposals that would require local governments to greenlight new housing developments in certain areas, unless an environmental, public health or other threat exists. Administration-backed bills also include a measure allowing governments and developers to enter payment-in-lieu-of-taxes deals if at least 50% of the units are made affordable; and one codifying a state funding program for community developers.

Jake Day, the secretary of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, said the difficulties Marylanders face in finding affordable housing are likely to persist unless the government takes action.

“Every day we wait to act is another day a Marylander suffers, can’t pay their rent or mortgage, or becomes homeless,” Day said in a statement. “The Moore-Miller Administration remains committed to addressing the housing crisis to increase affordability, expand economic opportunity, and stimulate economic growth for all Marylanders.”

State and local officials received poor marks from poll respondents on their handling of housing and supply. About 73% said the governor and legislature were doing a “poor” or “fair” job at mitigating the problems. County and city officials fared even worse, with 77% saying they were doing “poor” or “fair.”

Meanwhile, about two-thirds of the voters polled said not enough housing exists for people with moderate incomes — an issue they were split on as recently as 2020. And not enough stock exists for young people, people with low incomes and older adults, a majority of respondents said.

About 72% of respondents said wages have not kept up to match housing prices, and 65% said high interest rates had kept them from buying. And, 60% of respondents said not having enough money for a down payment was their biggest hurdle to buying a home.

Voters, including a majority of Democrats, also blamed regulations for making homes hard to build. And they were nearly unanimous (92%) that young people today have it harder than their parents.

Baltimore Banner reporter Madeleine O’Neill contributed to this report.