Is being in an area of Maryland that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Baltimore and Frederick, while others want peace and quiet like in Middl and Berlin, thank you very much.
But today, we’re going to put opinions aside and look at the cold, hard facts — since 2010, which cities in Maryland have grown the fastest.
After getting knee-deep in the Census’s American Community Survey using Saturday Night Science, we emerged with this set of cities in the Old Line State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Maryland For 2026
What’s the fastest growing city in Maryland for 2026? Based on the most recent ACS data, Brunswick ranks as the fastest-growing city in Maryland. If you happen to be a resident of Brunswick, you’re probably not surprised to find it on our list.
If you’re surprised — and you’re wondering why these places are a big deal — keep reading. We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 places in Maryland grow like weeds.
For more Maryland state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In Maryland
- Cheapest Places To Live In Maryland
- Most Dangerous Cities In Maryland
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Maryland For 2026
1. Brunswick
/10
Population: 8,450
Population 2010: 5,770
Percent Growth 46.4%
Absolute Growth: 2,680
More on Brunswick: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. Frederick
/10
Population: 83,395
Population 2010: 63,731
Percent Growth 30.9%
Absolute Growth: 19,664
More on Frederick: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
3. Middl
/10
Population: 5,014
Population 2010: 3,894
Percent Growth 28.8%
Absolute Growth: 1,120
More on Middl: Data | Movers
4. La Plata
/10
Population: 10,683
Population 2010: 8,496
Percent Growth 25.7%
Absolute Growth: 2,187
More on La Plata: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Fruitland
/10
Population: 5,801
Population 2010: 4,704
Percent Growth 23.3%
Absolute Growth: 1,097
More on Fruitland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. Laurel
/10
Population: 29,798
Population 2010: 24,433
Percent Growth 22.0%
Absolute Growth: 5,365
More on Laurel: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. Hyattsville
/10
Population: 20,966
Population 2010: 17,254
Percent Growth 21.5%
Absolute Growth: 3,712
More on Hyattsville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Taneytown
/10
Population: 7,932
Population 2010: 6,566
Percent Growth 20.8%
Absolute Growth: 1,366
More on Taneytown: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. Berlin
/10
10. Gaithersburg
/10
Population: 69,825
Population 2010: 58,169
Percent Growth 20.0%
Absolute Growth: 11,656
More on Gaithersburg: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Old Line State for 2026
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we used Saturday Night Science to look at the growth rates for cities since the beginning of the decade, according to the American Community Survey put out by the census every year. Specifically:
- Current Population
- Population in 2010
- Growth rate from 2010 to Current (The latest available data which came out in Dec 2024)
We ranked all 44 Maryland cities with a population over 5,000 people from highest growth rate to lowest.
The city with the highest growth rate during this time was crowned the fastest-growing city in the Old Line State.
And for those of you who are a little rusty with their statistics, you can calculate the growth rate by the following formula:
[Current Population – Population 2010] / [Population 2010]
The data has been updated for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the fastest growing cities in Maryland.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Maryland with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Maryland, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Maryland are led by Brunswick which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Maryland are Brunswick, Frederick, Middl, La Plata, Fruitland, Laurel, Hyattsville, Taneytown, Berlin, and Gaithersburg.
It’ll be interesting to see if these places can keep growing at the same rate over the next couple of years. We’ll be here to let you know!
These places have been growing (or shrinking) the slowest (fastest):
- Frostburg
- Cumberland
- Baltimore
For more Maryland reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Maryland
- Safest Places In Maryland
- Worst Places To Live In Maryland
Fastest Growing Places In Maryland For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brunswick | 8,450 | 5,770 | 46.4% | 2,680 |
| 2 | Frederick | 83,395 | 63,731 | 30.9% | 19,664 |
| 3 | Middl | 5,014 | 3,894 | 28.8% | 1,120 |
| 4 | La Plata | 10,683 | 8,496 | 25.7% | 2,187 |
| 5 | Fruitland | 5,801 | 4,704 | 23.3% | 1,097 |
| 6 | Laurel | 29,798 | 24,433 | 22.0% | 5,365 |
| 7 | Hyattsville | 20,966 | 17,254 | 21.5% | 3,712 |
| 8 | Taneytown | 7,932 | 6,566 | 20.8% | 1,366 |
| 9 | Berlin | 5,232 | 4,358 | 20.1% | 874 |
| 10 | Gaithersburg | 69,825 | 58,169 | 20.0% | 11,656 |