There’s nothing crabby about Maryland except for maybe their all-you-can-eat blue crab specials. The people here are super friendly, and some of the best places in America are inside Maryland’s Mid-Atlantic borders.
You don’t have to do a Google scavenger hunt to find the best places to live in Maryland.
We used Saturday Night Science to compare Census, FBI, and Zillow data to identify the best places in Maryland for 2025. We looked at 39 places and analyzed factors like median home prices, median household incomes, education, and crime.
Whether you want to be a Chesapeake Bay crabber, a Potomac housewife, or you want to live like Maryland royalty, there’s a place on our top ten list for you.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Table | Map | Methodology | Summary
The 10 Best Places To Live In Maryland For 2025
What is the best place to live in Maryland? The best place to live in Maryland is Mount Airy.
We can thank some of Maryland’s best places for Marriott Hotels, The Discovery Channel, and John Hopkins University for educating the future of those companies.
For more reading, check out:
The 10 Best Places To Live In Maryland For 2025
| Stat | Mount Airy | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,746 | 6,170,738 |
| Rank Last Year | 1 | – |
| Median Home Value | $474,800 | $397,700 |
| Median Income | $154,514 | $101,652 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.3% | 4.9% |
| Crime Per Capita | 0.0203 | 0.0251 |
More on Mount Airy: Data
Life can be difficult, choosing the best place to live doesn’t have to be. So, if your thinking about living in Maryland, think about Mount Airy first as it’s the #1 best place to live in the Old Line State for 2025. Yes, this Mid Atlantic marvel located between Baltimore and Frederick just off the I-70 in the Four-County Area, scored high marks on our SnackAbility scale for quality of life indicators like job opportunities, affordable housing, and education.
In terms of affordability, Mount Airy’s median home price is the 7th highest in the state at $474,800. However, don’t let this deter you, Mount Airy has the lowest unemployment rate at 2.3%, so you just need to find a job that will help you earn the city’s median income, $154,514/year, to offset your overall cost of living. On a side note, health services are less expensive here than the rest of the state and 97.6 of this small town’s 9,746 residents have health insurance.
Mount Airy is super safe, but if we could give one piece of advice, make sure to set a little cash aside from your salary to splurge on a reliable car as Mount Airy scored a 2/10 for longer commute times.
| Stat | Manchester | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,446 | 6,170,738 |
| Rank Last Year | 4 | – |
| Median Home Value | $351,500 | $397,700 |
| Median Income | $112,679 | $101,652 |
| Unemployment Rate | 1.8% | 4.9% |
| Crime Per Capita | 0.0020 | 0.0251 |
More on Manchester: Data
Located in Carroll County, Maryland, Manchester is known for being one of the best places to live in the state. With a population of 5,446 and a median income of 112,679, this small incorporated town offers a low cost of living and a high quality of life. The median home price in Manchester is $351,500, making it an affordable option for residents.
Despite its small size, Manchester has plenty to offer in terms of attractions and things to do. Residents can explore the town’s historic charm, with its old churches and leafy streets. The town also boasts a variety of outdoor activities, including parks and nature trails, perfect if you enjoy spending time in nature.
In addition to its own amenities, Manchester is conveniently located near larger cities like Baltimore and Washington D.C. This makes it easy for you to access a broader range of entertainment, dining, and employment opportunities.
| Stat | Rockville | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 67,218 | 6,170,738 |
| Rank Last Year | 5 | – |
| Median Home Value | $658,300 | $397,700 |
| Median Income | $122,384 | $101,652 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% | 4.9% |
| Crime Per Capita | 0.0142 | 0.0251 |
More on Rockville: Data
Located just 30 minutes north of Washington D.C., Maryland’s 3rd best place to live, Rockville, is at the core of the I-270 Technology Corridor which is home to numerous software and biotechnology companies and federal government institutions.
So, if you are wondering why the median home price here is the 3rd highest in the state at $658,300 this is one of the reasons. The other, the very educated people here demand high salaries ($122,384/year) and being that Rockville is one of the fastest growing cities in Maryland, that demand trickles down into the economy. Incidentally, high demand has also increased Rockville’s cost of living. If you choose this upscale Maryland city as your home, expect to pay a bit more for groceries, transportation, and utilities.
And if you were wondering about Rockville’s education system, you can stop. Not only do the majority of Rockville’s 67,218 residents have some sort of degree, the city itself houses 12–count them–12 National Blue Ribbon Schools. Plain and simple, folks, Rockville is ‘the bees knees’.
| Stat | Bowie | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,771 | 6,170,738 |
| Rank Last Year | 2 | – |
| Median Home Value | $442,000 | $397,700 |
| Median Income | $141,831 | $101,652 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5% | 4.9% |
| Crime Per Capita | 0.0155 | 0.0251 |
More on Bowie: Data
Much like the game of Monopoly, Maryland’s 4th best place to live, Bowie rose to fame in the mid 19th Century after the Baltimore and Potomac Railroads were purchased by Pennsylvania Railroad making Bowie one of the wealthiest places to live in the country. Well folks, things haven’t changed, Bowie is still one of the richest places in Bowie and it’s 57,771 residents are showing no signs of slowing down.
Bowie’s motto is “Growth, Unity, and Progress,” and their numbers prove that they’re winning at the game of LIFE. First of all, they scored one of the highest SnackAbility scores on our list (9/10) with an emphasis on–but not limited to–cost of living, education, and amenities.
The median home prices for a home in Bowie are less expensive than the rest of the state at $442,000 and the combined household median_income is $141,831/year. Bowie has great schools and the people here are pretty smart–out of the 57,771 residents, over 30% have their Master’s. However, the best part about living in Bowie is that you will be the halfway point between Washington D.C. to the west and Annapolis and the Chesapeake Bay to the east. So, basically, you will never run out of things to do.
| Stat | Walkersville | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,352 | 6,170,738 |
| Rank Last Year | 3 | – |
| Median Home Value | $442,300 | $397,700 |
| Median Income | $137,218 | $101,652 |
| Unemployment Rate | 1.3% | 4.9% |
| Crime Per Capita | 0.0231 | 0.0251 |
More on Walkersville: Data
When you look at the science and data, Walkersville is well deserving of the ranking, “5th best place to live in the Free State.” And if you don’t act now, there might not be real estate left in this small Maryland town of 6,352 residents, because it’s pretty popular. So popular, that there aren’t as many job opportunities like the rest of our top ten. In fact, the unemployment rate here is the highest in the state at 1.3% and the poverty level is teetering at 2.3%.
However, if you do get a chance to buy some real estate in Walkersville’s market, be prepared to the pay the 11th median home price of $442,300–which isn’t too bad, but to cover Walkersville’s overall cost of living you’re going to have to make at least $137,218/year.
| Stat | Hampstead | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,311 | 6,170,738 |
| Rank Last Year | 15 | – |
| Median Home Value | $305,400 | $397,700 |
| Median Income | $96,802 | $101,652 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.9% | 4.9% |
| Crime Per Capita | 0.0098 | 0.0251 |
More on Hampstead: Data
Want to know what it’s like to be able to bike some of the best trails and sip some of the best wine without leaving your city limits? Well, you can do this and more in Maryland’s 6th best place to live, Hampstead. Not to mention, you can do it at a fraction of the cost as Hampstead is super affordable.
Yes the cost of living here is less than the state average. Living expenses like groceries, housing, and utilities are such a deal, it’s like they are practically giving services away. If you want to buy a home in Hampstead instead of rent, do. Hampstead has the 6th best median home price at $305,400 and the combined household median income is $96,802/year.
| Stat | Berlin | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,161 | 6,170,738 |
| Rank Last Year | 9 | – |
| Median Home Value | $345,100 | $397,700 |
| Median Income | $78,883 | $101,652 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.3% | 4.9% |
| Crime Per Capita | 0.0086 | 0.0251 |
More on Berlin: Data
Berlin, located in Worcester County, Maryland, is the 7 best place to live in the state for 2025. This historic town, established around the Burley Plantation, is known on the National Register of Historic Places for its downtown.
Berlin’s location near U.S. Route 50 and U.S. Route 113 offers easy travel to Salisbury and Ocean City. Affordability is evident with a median home value of $345,100 and a median rent of $1,079
The 2.3 unemployment rate, 4th lowest in Maryland, underscores a robust local economy.
| Stat | La Plata | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,470 | 6,170,738 |
| Rank Last Year | 18 | – |
| Median Home Value | $405,200 | $397,700 |
| Median Income | $121,707 | $101,652 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% | 4.9% |
| Crime Per Capita | 0.0222 | 0.0251 |
More on La Plata: Data
La Plata is another great place to live in Maryland about an hour south of Washington, DC. It’s a family friendly town with a possible commutes to the city or to other surrounding major suburbs. The Laurel Springs Regional Park is in a great location within town as it’s walking distance to everything with a playground and several sports fields.
As a rural town of population 10,470, you have access to the beautiful outdoors all around you. There are plenty of hikes and fishing to be done in the surrounding area. There’s no traffic, so you won’t have to wait to get back to your family after a day working for the Charles County Board of Education or Southern Maryland Oil, some of the bigger employers in the area.
On the numbers side of things, La Plata is part of the Charles County Public School District which offers your kids a solid education. There’s basically no crime in town and the city ranks 7th for incomes.
| Stat | Chesapeake Beach | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,428 | 6,170,738 |
| Rank Last Year | 11 | – |
| Median Home Value | $438,300 | $397,700 |
| Median Income | $135,888 | $101,652 |
| Unemployment Rate | 1.6% | 4.9% |
| Crime Per Capita | 0.0406 | 0.0251 |
More on Chesapeake Beach: Data
Based on its name, you can probably guess a lot about Chesapeake Beach, Maryland. Yes, it’s a beach along the Chesapeake Bay. One thing you can’t tell just by the name? That Chesapeake Beach is one of the nicest places to live in Maryland.
Given its location, Chesapeake Beach offers plenty of summer fun. It has a series of picturesque beaches and a well-known water park in town. When you get tired of sun and sand, you can head an hour north to reach Baltimore, Maryland’s biggest city.
The community offers more than just a pleasant tourist spot, though. It offers excellent schools (rated 9/10 at Great Schools) and a solid economic base. The median income in the area is $135,888, the 5th highest level in Maryland. The unemployment rate sits at 1.6%.
As a result of its prime location, the cost of living in Chesapeake Beach is high. Prices sit about 30% above the national average. Meanwhile, the median home value sits at a lofty $438,300.
| Stat | Poolesville | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,704 | 6,170,738 |
| Rank Last Year | 10 | – |
| Median Home Value | $672,300 | $397,700 |
| Median Income | $216,653 | $101,652 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5% | 4.9% |
| Crime Per Capita | 0.0618 | 0.0251 |
More on Poolesville: Data
Balancing affordable living, a low crime rate and keeping a great place to live great is what Maryland’s 10th best place to live, Poolesville, does best. Yes, this small town of 5,704 residents in “Little America” has all of the bells and whistles. In fact, Poolesville received high scores on our SnackAbility scale for job opportunities, housing, education, and amenities. If you guessed that the locals here work hard based on the city’s current unemployment rate of 4.5, you guessed right. The poverty level here is well below the state and national level as well.
The median home price in Poolesville is the 2nd best price in Maryland with a $672,300 price tag, and the locals make upwards of $216,653/year to offset the city’s overall cost of living. This leaves all kinds of extra money to enjoy the fun day-life and nightlife that Poolesville offers. Matter fact, we hear that biking the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail is a must do.
And, folks, the people here are smart–they knew that if they lived in one of the least expensive places in Maryland that they would save money. So, we were not at all surprised to find Poolesville to be one of the richest cities in the state, too.
Mapping The Best And Worst Places To Live in Maryland
Best Places To Live In Maryland Size Requirement
Before we even started to collect data on the best places to live in Maryland, we had to answer a tough question: Is it fair to pit Annapolis, with a population of 40,744, against places with a population of 18?
We firmly decided no, that just isn’t fair.
So, to create our ranking, we broke the best places to live into three tiers:
- Cities — Populations over 5,000
- Towns — Populations between 1,000 and 5,000
- Small Towns — Populations below 1,000
This filter left 39 cities, 120 towns, and 139 small towns.
We then decided no matter how much anyone loves their town, the best cities to live in Maryland have more of everything, and therefore, you need over 5,000 people to truly be ‘the best.’
Methodology: How We Calculated The Best Cities To Live In Maryland
Now that we had our set of the best possible cities, it was time to rank them using Saturday Night Science.
We ranked each place in Maryland across a number of criteria from one to 39, with one being the best.
We then took the average rank across all criteria, crowning the city posting the lowest overall score, the “Best Place To Live In Maryland.”
The criteria we looked to determine the best places were:
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Population Density (Higher is better)
- Unemployment Rate
- Commute Time
- Crime
- Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty rates
Sources of criteria include the New Census Data, FBI Crime Data, and Zillow. We updated this article for 2025. This report is our tenth time ranking Maryland’s best places to live.
If your city or town isn’t among the top 10, jump down to the bottom of the post to see a detailed chart of the best places in Maryland. Otherwise, buckle up for a ride down good living lane with Mount Airy at the end of the cul-de-sac.
Summary: The Best Places In Maryland
If you’re looking at areas in Maryland with the best economic situations, where there’s lower than average crime, and a lot to do, this is an accurate list.
The best places to live in Maryland are Mount Airy, Manchester, Rockville, Bowie, Walkersville, Hampstead, Berlin, La Plata, Chesapeake Beach, and Poolesville.
Mount Airy made a strong showing to take in the overall number one spot for the best place to live in Maryland for 2025.
If you’re curious enough, here are the worst places to live in Maryland according to the data:
- Cambridge (Pop. 13,094)
- Bladensburg (Pop. 9,552)
- Salisbury (Pop. 33,080)
For more Maryland reading, check out:
- Cheapest Places To Live In Maryland
- Most Dangerous Cities In Maryland
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Maryland
- Best Places To Retire In Maryland
- Richest Cities In Maryland
- Safest Places In Maryland
- Worst Places To Live In Maryland
Best Places To Live In Maryland Table
| Rank | City | Population | Unemployment Rate | Home Value | Median Income | Rent | Crime Per Capita |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Airy | 9,746 | 2.3% | $474,800 | $154,514 | $1,939 | 0.0203 |
| 2 | Manchester | 5,446 | 1.8% | $351,500 | $112,679 | $1,329 | 0.0020 |
| 3 | Rockville | 67,218 | 3.7% | $658,300 | $122,384 | $2,244 | 0.0142 |
| 4 | Bowie | 57,771 | 4.5% | $442,000 | $141,831 | $2,240 | 0.0155 |
| 5 | Walkersville | 6,352 | 1.3% | $442,300 | $137,218 | $1,390 | 0.0231 |
| 6 | Hampstead | 6,311 | 4.9% | $305,400 | $96,802 | $1,229 | 0.0098 |
| 7 | Berlin | 5,161 | 2.3% | $345,100 | $78,883 | $1,079 | 0.0086 |
| 8 | La Plata | 10,470 | 3.2% | $405,200 | $121,707 | $1,483 | 0.0222 |
| 9 | Chesapeake Beach | 6,428 | 1.6% | $438,300 | $135,888 | $1,490 | 0.0406 |
| 10 | Poolesville | 5,704 | 4.5% | $672,300 | $216,653 | $0 | 0.0618 |
| 11 | Gaithersburg | 69,225 | 5.1% | $484,500 | $107,496 | $2,008 | 0.0170 |
| 12 | Thurmont | 6,439 | 2.6% | $325,700 | $92,391 | $1,011 | 0.0053 |
| 13 | Annapolis | 40,744 | 4.0% | $510,200 | $104,257 | $1,855 | 0.0301 |
| 14 | Havre de Grace | 14,857 | 4.0% | $348,800 | $106,798 | $1,314 | 0.0318 |
| 15 | Cheverly | 6,107 | 8.4% | $466,500 | $117,633 | $1,786 | 0.0272 |
| 16 | Glenarden | 6,320 | 5.3% | $411,900 | $96,875 | $1,684 | 0.0060 |
| 17 | Brunswick | 7,994 | 5.6% | $348,500 | $115,972 | $1,139 | 0.0083 |
| 18 | Westminster | 20,257 | 3.5% | $318,100 | $79,431 | $1,410 | 0.0203 |
| 19 | Takoma Park | 17,522 | 4.6% | $721,500 | $97,872 | $1,388 | 0.0618 |
| 20 | Frederick | 80,617 | 3.7% | $365,200 | $95,150 | $1,688 | 0.0231 |
| 21 | Frostburg | 7,025 | 6.8% | $172,600 | $51,052 | $865 | 0.0023 |
| 22 | Taneytown | 7,295 | 5.1% | $323,700 | $78,726 | $799 | 0.0203 |
| 23 | Easton | 17,202 | 2.7% | $348,400 | $73,460 | $1,177 | 0.0237 |
| 24 | Mount Rainier | 8,235 | 5.1% | $522,100 | $68,281 | $1,434 | 0.0418 |
| 25 | Fruitland | 5,698 | 8.1% | $211,200 | $64,352 | $1,354 | 0.0137 |
| 26 | Riverdale Park | 7,249 | 2.5% | $447,000 | $104,583 | $1,668 | 0.0349 |
| 27 | Laurel | 29,594 | 4.4% | $367,300 | $94,063 | $1,878 | 0.0501 |
| 28 | Aberdeen | 16,831 | 3.6% | $239,000 | $76,019 | $1,339 | 0.0318 |
| 29 | New Carrollton | 13,544 | 10.6% | $378,300 | $80,292 | $1,745 | 0.0265 |
| 30 | Hyattsville | 20,861 | 3.8% | $463,500 | $94,231 | $1,831 | 0.0534 |
| 31 | College Park | 34,397 | 7.7% | $429,000 | $74,867 | $1,846 | 0.0614 |
| 32 | Cumberland | 18,938 | 7.7% | $120,800 | $47,819 | $728 | 0.0485 |
| 33 | Baltimore | 577,193 | 6.6% | $219,300 | $59,623 | $1,290 | 0.0573 |
| 34 | Hagerstown | 43,490 | 8.3% | $207,700 | $49,957 | $1,041 | 0.0282 |
| 35 | Elkton | 15,867 | 6.6% | $271,700 | $56,565 | $1,368 | 0.0566 |
| 36 | Greenbelt | 24,572 | 7.4% | $258,600 | $86,352 | $1,807 | 0.0614 |
| 37 | Cambridge | 13,094 | 6.7% | $254,400 | $46,261 | $971 | 0.0477 |
| 38 | Bladensburg | 9,552 | 12.3% | $330,400 | $62,400 | $1,652 | 0.0467 |
| 39 | Salisbury | 33,080 | 10.4% | $217,500 | $56,402 | $1,247 | 0.0407 |