2026 ranking

Best small towns to live in Maryland

The 25 Maryland small towns with the best mix of affordability, safety, schools and jobs, picked from 40 real small towns of 1,000 to 15,000 people — not suburbs.

1
Ocean Pines, MD Score 69/100
12,351 people · typical home $380k · household income $92k · 39 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 1% of MD · 6.0% unemployment · 6 mi to a hospital
2
New Windsor, MD Score 68/100
1,400 people · typical home $374k · household income $111k · 114 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 8% of MD · 3.0% unemployment · 6 mi to a hospital
3
Berlin, MD Score 67/100
5,232 people · typical home $424k · household income $81k · 61 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 1% of MD · 3.0% unemployment · 1 mi to a hospital
4
Oakland, MD Score 67/100
2,254 people · typical home $244k · household income $60k · 11 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 54% of MD · 3.0% unemployment · 2 mi to a hospital
5
Mountain Lake Park, MD Score 64/100
2,167 people · typical home $216k · household income $61k · 21 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 54% of MD · 6.0% unemployment · 1 mi to a hospital
6
Grasonville, MD Score 64/100
3,564 people · typical home $460k · household income $121k · 91 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 12% of MD · 2.0% unemployment · 13 mi to a hospital
7
Frostburg, MD Score 63/100
6,977 people · typical home $182k · household income $53k · 63 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 46% of MD · 7.0% unemployment · 9 mi to a hospital
8
Cresaptown, MD Score 62/100
5,121 people · typical home $143k · household income $68k · 130 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 61% of MD · 0.0% unemployment · 5 mi to a hospital
9
Church Hill, MD Score 61/100
1,060 people · typical home $307k · household income $72k · 91 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 12% of MD · 2.0% unemployment · 7 mi to a hospital
10
La Vale, MD Score 61/100
4,196 people · typical home $171k · household income $78k · 130 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 46% of MD · 4.0% unemployment · 4 mi to a hospital
11
Taneytown, MD Score 61/100
7,932 people · typical home $338k · household income $88k · 97 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 8% of MD · 4.0% unemployment · 12 mi to a hospital
12
Centreville, MD Score 60/100
4,761 people · typical home $450k · household income $90k · 86 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 12% of MD · 2.0% unemployment · 11 mi to a hospital
13
Bel Air, MD Score 60/100
1,837 people · typical home $196k · household income $98k · 130 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 65% of MD · 1.0% unemployment · 7 mi to a hospital
14
Stevensville, MD Score 59/100
8,802 people · typical home $481k · household income $115k · 91 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 12% of MD · 4.0% unemployment · 13 mi to a hospital
15
Westernport, MD Score 58/100
1,588 people · typical home $86k · household income $48k · 130 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 65% of MD · 1.0% unemployment · 7 mi to a hospital
16
Rock Hall, MD Score 58/100
1,215 people · typical home $262k · household income $75k · 68 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 75% of MD · 2.0% unemployment · 10 mi to a hospital
17
Kingstown, MD Score 57/100
1,713 people · typical home $293k · household income $94k · 91 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 75% of MD · 3.0% unemployment · 2 mi to a hospital
18
Chester, MD Score 57/100
4,797 people · typical home $487k · household income $102k · 91 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 12% of MD · 2.0% unemployment · 14 mi to a hospital
19
Emmitsburg, MD Score 56/100
2,845 people · typical home $324k · household income $81k · 203 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 21% of MD · 1.0% unemployment · 10 mi to a hospital
20
Romancoke, MD Score 56/100
2,064 people · typical home $451k · household income $128k · 91 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 12% of MD · 10.0% unemployment · 12 mi to a hospital
21
West Ocean City, MD Score 56/100
5,198 people · typical home $424k · household income $97k · 127 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 1% of MD · 10.0% unemployment · 6 mi to a hospital
22
Pocomoke City, MD Score 55/100
4,405 people · typical home $199k · household income $67k · 473 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 1% of MD · 3.0% unemployment · 21 mi to a hospital
23
Highfield-Cascade, MD Score 55/100
1,089 people · typical home $209k · household income $62k · 297 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 49% of MD · 3.0% unemployment · 6 mi to a hospital
24
Prince Frederick, MD Score 54/100
2,955 people · typical home $404k · household income $80k · 128 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 25% of MD · 2.0% unemployment · 1 mi to a hospital
25
Snow Hill, MD Score 51/100
2,659 people · typical home $223k · household income $48k · 106 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 1% of MD · 12.0% unemployment · 14 mi to a hospital

How we ranked them

Every small town in Maryland with 1,000–15,000 people that stands on its own (not part of a big metro core, by USDA rural-urban codes) and has solid Census data. Each town is scored against the others in Maryland on: affordability (household income vs. home prices), safety (violent crime, FBI), schools (reading proficiency vs. other Maryland districts), jobs (unemployment, half weight) and everyday access (distance to a hospital and a grocery store, quarter weight each). Missing numbers count as average.

The "best" town is different for everyone — weather, size, politics, things to do and more all matter too.

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