Economy & Jobs
As Baltimore’s largest anchor institution, Johns Hopkins is firmly rooted at the heart of the city’s economy. From labs to lecture halls, from startups to local nonprofits, Johns Hopkins’s impact reaches across neighborhoods and businesses throughout Baltimore.
Baltimore Strategic Impact Initiative
The Johns Hopkins initiative is building strong partnerships and productive engagements between the public sector, community leaders and university officials to support a renewed vision for and contributions to economic growth and opportunity across the Baltimore region.
The East Baltimore Development Initiative exemplifies how a coalition of partners from local government, the nonprofit sector and community organizations worked together to transform a neighborhood, including the creation of the 5.5-acre Eager Park featuring an amphitheater, fountain, walking paths, exercise equipment and a playground.
Economic Impact
The operations of Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Health System generated a $19.4 billion economic impact across its hometown in fiscal year 2024, a cascade that fuels jobs, tax revenues, community investment and business expansion.
Business Incubator
Johns Hopkins has partnered with local businesses to procure goods and services to the tune of more than $1 billion over the past decade, working with Baltimore-based enterprises to help them expand and provide more opportunity to city residents.
Growing With Hopkins
When the COVID-19 pandemic caused shortages in hand sanitizer, Johns Hopkins forged a new partnership with a local company, Mount Royal Soaps, to increase supplies. Contracts with Johns Hopkins helped the company secure bank loans needed to expand their manufacturing and hire more employees – all in Baltimore. “Now producing hand sanitizer is part of our business model,” said Matthew Williams, a company co-founder. “Johns Hopkins’s ability to support the local economy is a big deal.”
Community Investments
Johns Hopkins spent $409 million across a variety of community programs in fiscal year 2024 that support crucial economic and neighborhood development and spurred job growth across Baltimore.
Growing With Hopkins
Taharka Brothers, the Baltimore-based ice cream maker, has grown rapidly over the past decade thanks to its contracts to supply its tasty treats across Johns Hopkins campuses. “The sheer volume of Johns Hopkins’ purchasing absolutely helps us a lot,” says Sean Smeeton, one of the owners of Taharka Brothers. He also says the company’s relationship with the university has opened the door to work with other schools and colleges so “every year we’re continuing to grow.”
Live Near Your Work
Nearly 17,000 Johns Hopkins employees live in Baltimore. Through the Live Near Your Work program, Johns Hopkins helps its employees afford to buy homes in the city. Since founding the program in 2009, Johns Hopkins has provided over $10 million to more than 1,500 employees to buy homes in Baltimore. Hopkins employees live in nearly every neighborhood in the city.
Growing With Hopkins
“I live really close to work because of the Live Near Your Work program. I’m able to use my car a lot less, and I use my e-bike a lot, and there’s a lot of really great bike paths near work. […] I live so close that I can ride it back to my daughter’s school and walk with her home. ”
