Most commonly referred to as the Old Line State, the Free State or the Chesapeake Bay State, Maryland is by far one of the most interesting places to live in, especially if you are a history buff.
It was actually first named after the wife of King Charles I, Queen Henrietta Maria, and it instantly became one of the most popular states in the US.
After the years passed though, it’s no surprise that a lot of its popularity decreased, to the point where it’s nowhere near as sought-after to live here as it used to be.
But it would be unfair to say that Maryland is not worth checking out, because it still has a wide variety of amenities, a very low crime and unemployment rate, and one of the highest numbers of historic landmarks you’ll ever see.
So, moving here is actually nowhere near as bad as you’d think. But, since it does have 23 counties in total, you will be hard pressed to find the perfect place for you with ease.
As such, we decided to give you a helping hand, showcasing the top 20 best places to live in Maryland, starting off with:
20. Towson
The thing about larger cities is that while they do come with more than a handful of advantages such as great schools and a ton of high-class amenities, they also tend to have high crime rates at that too.
Towson might be one of Baltimore’s most popular suburbs, with a pretty large population of 58,766 people, but at the same time it manages to keep its crime rate at almost zero all around.
But that’s not all, as Towson also has a fair number of amenities, amazing public services, and a very vibrant nightlife that you’ll be sure to enjoy during the weekends.
19. Annapolis
Usually, we’d put the state capital a bit higher up on our list, but the fact of the matter is that there are just so many better options coming up.
Regardless, Annapolis still makes for a great option to consider because it is very safe, clean, and easy to commute from.
It is also the homeplace of the 340-acre Quiet Waters Park, and more than a handful of theaters, museums and centers of culture.
The average median income is also worth noting here, being at a staggering $81,143, but do keep in mind the fact that properties are also on the expensive side, costing around $395,900 per average.
18. La Plata
Moving to La Plata is a bit of a double-edged sword type of a deal, because while the place is beautiful and very safe, with a booming job market and a median income of $92,738, it also does come with a pretty massive price tag of $337,000 per property.
But if you can afford that, you will be happy to hear that La Plata is one of the most desirable places to live in while in Maryland, especially so due to the amazing schools that you can find here too.
17. Burtonsville
Next up on our list we have Burtonsville, a smaller town that has a total population of just above 10,500 people in total.
One of its best selling points is the fact that it is located only a few minutes away from both Washington D.C. and Baltimore, which instantly makes it a worthwhile place to live in, thanks to the countless job opportunities you’ll get access to.
While it is on the smaller side, its community is actually quite diverse, being one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse places in Small America.
Be sure to check out the many annual events that take place here too, because that’s a great way for you to socialize with your neighbors. Events such as the Burtonsville Day for example are always a joy to experience.
16. Clarksburg
Despite having a total population of 18,700 people, Clarksburg still manages to keep its crime rate low somehow, while also having a thriving economy and a prospering job market too.
This does come at a pretty high price, as you can expect to have to pay as much as $448,200 per property, or around $2,300 on rent alone.
Luckily, the average household income is just as high, coming up to around $135,078 per year, making this a great place to invest into.
15. South Kensington
South Kensington may seem like your average small town, but it does come with more than a few features that you’ll be sure to want to take advantage of, apart from being just a few minutes outside of Washington D.C.’s center.
For example, it has a very low crime and unemployment rate, and quite a lot of outdoor activities for you to partake in, thanks to the six parks that are always right around the corner.
The average household incomes are also quite high, with most people earning around $145,125 per year.
14. Chesapeake Beach
With a total population of only around 5,930 people, Chesapeake Beach is the perfect place to move to if you want that small town vibe.
It is mostly populated by open minded young families and single professionals, with most of them also being highly educated too.
Moving in, you can expect to earn around $102,679 per year, which is not too bad considering the fact that buying a home here will cost you around $313,600 or so.
13. Rockville
Nestled just a few minutes outside Washington D.C., Rockville is known as one of the best places to live in around the capital, especially if you are primarily looking for an elevated standard of living.
That is because everything about it is great, you get some extremely highly paid jobs, which can promise you around $100,436 per year, and on top of that you also get some of the best public service your money could get you.
But, as you can expect, the “but” here is the price tag for it all, as most homes range around the $498,200 mark.
12. Columbia
Columbia makes for a great place to raise a family or just start one altogether. That is because it is very safe and clean, and it has some of the best schools in the county.
It also features a pretty wide range of amenities and services, while also being an absolute stunning place to live in.
Overall, Columbia is the type of a city that manages to have a pretty large population while also not feeling overcrowded or dirty, making it a great option to consider.
11. Chevy Chase
Chevy Chase is basically a neighborhood of Washington D.C. that has a total population of around 20,461 people. It is known for its incredibly low crime rate and the absolutely enormous median household income of $170,511.
But before you start preparing your bags, we do recommend that you keep in mind the fact that most homes here cost around $1,053,271 or so.
But even so, if you want to live alongside Maryland’s elite, there’s no better place to do it than Chevy Chase.
10. Havre de Grace
Havre de Grace is known for being the location where a very special episode of Boardwalk Empire took place. Other than that though, Havre de Grace is also known for its beautiful Friends-Concord Point Lighthouse.
Homes here will cost around $288,900 per average, and if you want to go for something less permanent, you can still rent a pretty massive single-family home for $1,026 per month.
Most families bring home around $67,813 per year too, and of course, we can’t forget to mention the plethora of high-performing public schools here that children attend.
9. Travilah
Travilah is one of the most sought-after places to live in Maryland, although it also does come with a pretty enormous price tag too.
Moving in here will cost you around $1,053,700 per average, but after you do, you’ll be happy to hear that the average salary is around four times higher than the national average, with most households bringing home upwards of $206,827 per year.
So, if you can afford it, we definitely recommend checking out Travilah, because it is by far one of the most luxurious places in all of Maryland.
8. Poolesville
Poolesville is a great place to start a family in, due to the high standard of living that its residents have gotten used to by now.
The unemployment rate stands at an all-time low of only 4,9%, and on top of that, the poverty rate stands at a 1.6%, making this a very safe place to live in.
The job market is also worth mentioning as most families here bring home as much as $154,107 per year, and while it may not seem like it, properties are also on the cheaper side, costing you around $397,800.
You can always just rent out a place if you can’t afford that though, as most single-family homes will cost you around $1,851 per month.
7. Potomac
Potomac is not for everyone, mostly due to the fact that housing prices here are astronomical. While the prices are expected to fall sometime soon though, don’t expect them to go under the $893,600 mark either.
But even so, for that price tag you will be getting access to some of the best services your money could get you, including first-class shopping malls, acclaimed schools, award winning dining opportunities and a very highly educated population.
On top of all of that, you can also take advantage of the high median income here, as most households bring around $187,568 every year, which is over $130,000 over the national average.
6. Urbana
Urbana is a fast-growing town from the Frederick County that has a total population of around 12,000 people in total.
There are plenty of reasons as to why you should consider Urbana, with the most often brought up one being the fact that it is located next to a famous tech corridor.
You can get access to well over 20,000 businesses here, where around 300,000 people work. This allows the locals here to enjoy a very high income of around $137,188 per year.
While it doesn’t have an official community center for you to go to, it still has a very lively nightlife which is always nice to see.
5. Olney
With a total population of 35,100 residents, Olney makes its way onto our top 5 simply due to it having one of the best job markets in the state. It sits only ten miles north of Washington, D.C., so that might explain that.
Couple this with the fact that Olney also has a very highly educated population, and the fact that the schools here have a graduation rate of 96%, and you can quickly tell why so many people want to move here lately.
On top of its excellent education district, Olney is also known for being a cultural melting pot, as there is so much diversity to be seen here, that there’s no official culture to be seen anywhere, it’s just a beautiful blend that get to live together in harmony.
4. Garrett Park
If you want to earn upwards of $173,889 you need to move to the small little suburb of Garrett Park, and we do mean small, as it only has a total population of 1,020 people in total.
But why do so few people live here if it is so great? After all, it has amazing schools, amenities, jobs, low crime and unemployment rates and whatnot.
Well, the truth is that while it is a great contender for the first place quality wise, it also has the price tag to make up for it as you can expect to have to pay as much as $810,000 per property here in Garrett Park.
3. Bethesda
Bethesda is a fairly large community of 62,100 people that can be found in the northern side of Washington D.C.
It is known for being a great place to live in all around, scoring highly in terms of health, fitness and income, with that last part being especially prominent since most people earn upwards of $144,772 per year.
The crime rates are also at an all-time low, and let’s not forget about the fact that the unemployment rate is practically nonexistent.
Be ready to shill out as much as $840,500 per household though, as Bethesda’s home prices are just as high as the overall quality of life is.
2. North Potomac
North Potomac is one of the best places to live in while in Maryland, with it receiving constant praise from outlets such as Forbes and CNN over the years.
It has a total population of 24,100 people, and one of the best school districts in the country. Homes are quite expensive to buy here though, as most of them range around the $627,500 mark, while renting a place will also cost you around $2,013 or so.
Do keep in mind however that at the same time, most residents earn around $150,000 or so per year, which makes sense considering the thriving job market.
1. Mount Airy
Life is anything but easy to get through, which is why choosing the best place to live is so important. But what is the best place you could live in? In our honest opinion, there’s nothing quite like Mount Airy in Maryland.
That is because the median home price here stands at an affordable $387,800, despite the incredibly high standard of living here.
On top of that, most families earn as much as $123,750 per year, and the cost of living is quite acceptable considering just how amazing of a deal you’re getting.
The unemployment rate is also worth mentioning as it stands at a very low 2.2%, and the streets are about as safe as they get. Overall, due to the high quality of life and the affordability coupled with the high incomes, Mount Airy more than earns its keep at the top of our list.
Conclusion
Maryland may not be for everyone, but then again, the people that think like this have never heard of these 20 places right here.
So, as long as you choose any of these places and you can afford to buy or rent out a place every month, you’ll be sure to enjoy your time living in any of these places.
Thank you for reading and we hope that this helped you decide on the best place you could live in if you decide to move to Maryland.
For more interesting places to live in, check out Maryland’s neighboring states: Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia and.. Washington D.C.
