Maryland mixes older brick rowhouses in Baltimore and other cities with wood-frame suburban houses around Washington and Baltimore, plus condos and apartments. Brick and plaster are common in pre-1960 homes, which are about a quarter of the state's housing, while newer suburban homes use drywall on wood studs.

median year homes were built: 1980; median year homes were built
built in 2000 or later: 22.7%; built in 2000 or later
built before 1960: 25.5%; built before 1960
single-family homes: 72.5%; single-family homes
in buildings with 5+ units: 22.7%; in buildings with 5+ units
mobile homes: 1.4%; mobile homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year (tables B25035, B25034, B25024)

Common wall types

Brick rowhouse walls with plaster

Where: Baltimore rowhouses in neighborhoods such as Fells Point, Mount Vernon and Bolton Hill, and older homes in Annapolis and Frederick.

Mounting: Party and exterior walls are solid brick, often with plaster applied directly or on furring. Use masonry anchors into the brick itself, drilling into brick faces rather than mortar joints where possible, and expect in-wall wire runs to be limited.

Plaster on lath

Where: Interior walls in homes built before about 1940, including many older city and small-town houses.

Mounting: Plaster is hard and brittle over wood lath. Find studs, pre-drill slowly, and use toggle bolts if a stud is not available; avoid hammer-drill mode on plaster.

Wood-frame stud walls

Where: Interior partitions and exterior walls in most houses built since the mid-20th century.

Mounting: Studs are typically 16 inches on center. Lag the mount into at least two studs; use a stud finder and confirm with a small pilot hole before drilling.

Poured concrete and metal-stud high-rises

Where: Condo and apartment buildings in Bethesda, Silver Spring, downtown Baltimore and the Inner Harbor, and Ocean City condos.

Mounting: Concrete ceilings and floors need concrete anchors and a hammer drill. Interior partitions are often metal studs. Condo associations commonly require approval and a certificate of insurance.

Basement foundation walls

Where: Block or poured concrete basements in suburban houses, often finished with furring and drywall.

Mounting: Anchor into the block face shell or concrete, not the furring. Keep wiring away from damp walls and use surface raceway if needed.

Tips before you mount

Brick walls: use 1/4" concrete screws or 3/8" sleeve or wedge anchors with a hammer drill, drilling into solid brick faces rather than mortar joints where possible. Older soft brick can crumble, so test a spot first and use a mount with a wider bearing plate.
Stud walls: studs are usually 16" on center. Lag the mount into at least two studs with 5/16" lag bolts, typically about 2.5" to 3" long. A full-motion arm puts much more leverage on the wall than a flat mount, so it needs studs or masonry and should never hang on drywall anchors alone.
Metal studs and plaster: use toggle bolts or snap toggles rated for the TV and mount weight, or have wood blocking added behind the wall. Plaster can crack if drilled carelessly, so locate framing first and pre-drill slowly.
Hiding wires: the National Electrical Code (NEC 400.12) does not allow a regular TV power cord to be concealed inside a wall. Use an in-wall rated recessed power kit, and choose low-voltage cable rated CL2 or CL3 for in-wall HDMI and speaker runs. Where walls are solid masonry, plan on a paintable surface raceway instead.
Over a fireplace: heat rising from a working fireplace can exceed a TV's operating limits, so check the manufacturer's specs, use a deep mantel or a pull-down mount, and never mount on a stone or brick surround without confirming it is solid and anchoring into it correctly. For decks and porches, use an outdoor-rated TV and stainless-steel hardware, especially in coastal areas such as Ocean City where salt air corrodes standard fasteners.
Condos and rowhouse co-ops: ask the association whether drilling into concrete or exterior and party walls needs approval, and get the installer's certificate of insurance (COI) naming the association before work day.
Before work starts, tell the installer the wall type (studs, plaster, brick, block or concrete), the TV size and weight, the mount type and whether wires need to be hidden. These change the anchors, labor time and price.

Sources: Census Reporter, ACS 2024 1-year: Maryland (B25035, B25034, B25024) · Baltimore Heritage: Anatomy of a rowhouse · Baltimore Magazine: Baltimore rowhome architectural history. General guidance only — your installer will confirm the right method for your wall.