Want to know where your family can have the best of the best that Maryland has to offer? HomeSacks is going to tell you.
That’s right, If you can picture your family crabbing in Aberdeen, strolling the promenade in Potomac, or spending the day at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, then you should choose one of Maryland’s best places to raise a family to live. The trick, however, was narrowing down the best places for families to live in this Mid-Atlantic gem, And lucky for you, HomeSnacks has done it again. We’ve created the ultimate guide to the best places for families in Maryland for 2026 and you can find it below.
But first, how did we do it? We consulted the US Census on places in the Old Line State with more than 10,000 residents. We looked at several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We ended up with 22 family friendly Maryland places that any family would be lucky to call home.
Now, we’re not just any national ranking website. We’ve been researching and ranking states and cities based on all types of criteria for the last five years. We’ve had more than ten million people read our published articles and we’ve been featured in hundreds of media outlets for our best of the best rankings, including this Maryland Patch feature. So, yes, we know what we’re talking about. Want to know more? We suggest you take a look below at HomeSnacks’ list of Maryland’s top ten most family friendly places: we’ve taken the guessing out of the equation.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Cities To Raise A Family In Maryland For 2026
Maryland currently has 1.9 million families, and that number is expected to increase over the next ten years; and that folks, is because the state has a ton of awesome “Maryland” stuff to do, 90 Blue Ribbon schools, and local universities like the University of Maryland in College Park keep showing up on U.S. News’ ‘Best College’ lists year after year.
No need to flip a coin and gamble with your family’s happiness if you take a look at our list. There can only be one number one best place to raise your family in Maryland and that would be, La Plata.
To see how your favorite place in Maryland compared, take a look at the list below; and if you don’t see it there, head to the bottom.
More reading about Maryland and the best places for families in the country:
- Best Places To Live In Maryland
- Cheapest Places To Live In Maryland
- Best Cities To Raise A Family In America
- Best States To Raise A Family In America
The 10 Best Places To Raise A Family In Maryland For 2026
/10
Population: 10,683
Median Income: $121,208
Average Home Price: $481,282
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 60
Closest Major City: Arlington
Households with kids: 33.0%
More on La Plata: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 67,671
Median Income: $128,649
Average Home Price: $618,892
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 66
Closest Major City: Washington
Households with kids: 28.0%
More on Rockville: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 40,720
Median Income: $113,860
Average Home Price: $618,837
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 94
Closest Major City: Baltimore
Households with kids: 23.3%
More on Annapolis: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 57,926
Median Income: $141,995
Average Home Price: $524,117
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 54
Closest Major City: Washington
Households with kids: 30.3%
More on Bowie: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 69,825
Median Income: $112,467
Average Home Price: $527,608
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 36
Closest Major City: Arlington
Households with kids: 32.2%
More on Gaithersburg: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 83,395
Median Income: $97,069
Average Home Price: $466,011
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 62
Closest Major City: Arlington
Households with kids: 32.1%
More on Frederick: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 17,632
Median Income: $108,136
Average Home Price: $686,398
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 35
Closest Major City: Washington
Households with kids: 36.7%
More on Takoma Park: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 29,798
Median Income: $100,504
Average Home Price: $476,647
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 41
Closest Major City: Washington
Households with kids: 27.9%
More on Laurel: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 20,445
Median Income: $86,219
Average Home Price: $462,868
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 37
Closest Major City: Baltimore
Households with kids: 26.9%
More on Westminster: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 14,994
Median Income: $105,817
Average Home Price: $404,054
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 55
Closest Major City: Baltimore
Households with kids: 25.4%
More on Havre De Grace: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Maryland anyways?
To give you the places in Maryland that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Maryland, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 10,000 people. For Maryland, that meant a total of 22 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for families in Maryland.
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Maryland
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Maryland ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Maryland are La Plata, Rockville, Annapolis, Bowie, Gaithersburg, Frederick, Takoma Park, Laurel, Westminster, and Havre de Grace.
Here’s a look at the best cities for singles Maryland according to the data:
- Cambridge
- Aberdeen
- Baltimore
For more Maryland reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Maryland
- Worst Places To Live In Maryland
- Best Places To Live In Maryland
Best Places For Families In Maryland
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Amenities Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Plata, MD | 10,683 | $121,208 | $481,282 | 67 |
| 2 | Rockville, MD | 67,671 | $128,649 | $618,892 | 88 |
| 3 | Annapolis, MD | 40,720 | $113,860 | $618,837 | 99 |
| 4 | Bowie, MD | 57,926 | $141,995 | $524,117 | 53 |
| 5 | Gaithersburg, MD | 69,825 | $112,467 | $527,608 | 60 |
| 6 | Frederick, MD | 83,395 | $97,069 | $466,011 | 80 |
| 7 | Takoma Park, MD | 17,632 | $108,136 | $686,398 | 36 |
| 8 | Laurel, MD | 29,798 | $100,504 | $476,647 | 41 |
| 9 | Westminster, MD | 20,445 | $86,219 | $462,868 | 51 |
| 10 | Havre De Grace, MD | 14,994 | $105,817 | $404,054 | 43 |