2018’s Best Places to Live in Maryland for Families

Adam McCann, Financial WriterMay 23, 2018

Adam McCann, Financial Writer
May 23, 2018

Maryland, known as the “Bay State” for its position on the Chesapeake, has a long and rich history as one of the thirteen original colonies. Its largest city, Baltimore, is the 30th most populated city in the U.S., boasting over 614,000 residents.

Baltimore has no lack of attractions. For the nautical types, there’s plenty of sailing and fishing to do on the Chesapeake Bay. Other outdoor activities include skiing at Wisp Resort. For people into history, Maryland holds Fort McHenry, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center, the Antietam battleground and the NASA Goddard Visitor Center. Baltimore’s Inner Harbor is a key hub for shopping.

Maryland’s largest industry is “finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing” which accounts for 22.8% of the state’s $393.6 billion GDP. Maryland ranks 15th in the country for total GDP but 5th for per capita personal income ($59,524).

Maryland has a solid public-school system, placing 19th on WalletHub’s ranking of the best school systems by state. But it also boasts some excellent universities, including Johns Hopkins University and the United States Naval Academy.

The variety of available activities, strong economy, and good education combine to make Maryland a great state to raise a family. But some cities within the state are more ideal than others. WalletHub compared more than 120 cities across 21 metrics in order to determine most family-friendly cities. Our data set ranges from number of attractions to median family income to the quality of the school system. Read on for the results, insight from a panel of experts and a full description of our methodology.

Table of Contents

Main Findings Ask the Experts Methodology

Main Findings

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Best Places to Live in Maryland

Overall Rank (1 = Best)	City	Total Score	‘Family Life & Fun’ Rank	‘Education, Health & Safety’ Rank	‘Affordability’ Rank	‘Socio-economics’ Rank
1	Columbia, MD	69.39	19	18	2	39
2	Mays Chapel, MD	69.25	15	48	26	17
3	Elkridge, MD	69.08	4	37	9	26
4	North Potomac, MD	68.61	21	35	24	2
5	North Laurel, MD	68.55	16	45	6	27
6	Ilchester, MD	67.53	36	66	1	38
7	Bensville, MD	67.39	69	38	14	9
8	Clarksburg, MD	67.27	32	41	17	16
9	Bethesda, MD	67.11	65	9	12	14
10	Bel Air North, MD	67.08	57	15	28	11
11	Lake Shore, MD	66.89	75	39	19	5
12	Linthicum, MD	66.76	52	14	10	25
13	Urbana, MD	66.74	30	30	30	3
14	Travilah, MD	66.37	25	60	43	1
15	Severna Park, MD	66.22	94	11	5	13
16	Ellicott City, MD	66.11	83	31	4	10
17	Eldersburg, MD	65.76	108	36	3	18
18	Crofton, MD	65.64	86	20	8	15
19	Bel Air South, MD	65.38	40	33	18	33
20	Halfway, MD	64.65	13	4	41	58
21	Annapolis Neck, MD	64.49	120	10	23	6
22	Maryland City, MD	64.26	39	55	20	36
23	Potomac, MD	64.20	91	44	15	4
24	Rockville, MD	63.99	12	19	62	22
25	Bel Air, MD	63.69	43	6	42	28
26	Arnold, MD	63.43	41	29	16	40
27	Damascus, MD	63.41	79	22	11	41
28	Timonium, MD	63.22	101	2	35	23
29	Kemp Mill, MD	63.13	17	102	45	19
30	Olney, MD	63.07	98	59	21	8
31	Odenton, MD	62.60	82	17	13	34
32	Brock Hall, MD	62.39	51	98	33	12
33	California, MD	62.04	33	47	36	44
34	Cloverly, MD	62.04	95	42	47	7
35	Pasadena, MD	61.93	26	57	25	46
36	Riviera Beach, MD	61.42	68	23	31	42
37	Rosaryville, MD	60.88	81	99	22	24
38	Colesville, MD	59.81	111	65	29	21
39	Bowie, MD	59.57	80	8	50	50
40	Redland, MD	58.85	20	67	64	32
41	Ballenger Creek, MD	58.34	2	94	56	79
42	Havre de Grace, MD	57.92	109	7	37	68
43	Parole, MD	57.82	126	73	7	20
44	Perry Hall, MD	57.80	114	5	32	48
45	Ocean Pines, MD	57.72	128	1	81	31
46	Overlea, MD	56.96	61	49	52	57
47	Lexington Park, MD	56.52	5	3	57	107
48	Gaithersburg, MD	56.42	35	28	84	47
49	Towson, MD	56.33	87	54	34	59
50	Catonsville, MD	55.85	104	52	48	35
51	Mitchellville, MD	55.83	112	81	44	29
52	Westminster, MD	55.19	45	25	54	90
53	Cockeysville, MD	55.04	53	21	90	37
54	Pikesville, MD	54.71	117	24	46	62
55	Carney, MD	54.48	76	32	70	54
56	Severn, MD	54.37	115	51	39	53
57	Frederick, MD	53.99	28	34	98	61
58	Takoma Park, MD	53.79	70	12	102	49
59	Arbutus, MD	53.72	66	16	66	63
60	Germantown, MD	53.50	48	75	63	56
61	Annapolis, MD	53.37	6	50	97	85
62	Joppatowne, MD	53.13	96	43	61	64
63	Friendly, MD	52.62	124	127	27	43
64	Lake Arbor, MD	52.44	64	70	54	88
65	North Bethesda, MD	52.40	73	114	60	30
66	Marlboro Village, MD	52.36	24	110	83	51
67	Glenn Dale, MD	52.31	107	68	58	52
68	Accokeek, MD	52.10	123	69	49	55
69	Woodlawn	51.39	58	56	76	81
70	Easton, MD	51.05	84	13	103	77
71	Waldorf, MD	50.75	103	63	51	86
72	Fairland, MD	50.63	44	117	71	65
73	Owings Mills, MD	50.28	62	71	79	76
74	Randallstown, MD	49.72	119	62	40	95
75	Montgomery Village, MD	49.55	71	96	67	72
76	Ferndale, MD	49.46	90	39	87	78
77	Calverton, MD	49.01	102	77	93	45
78	Rossville, MD	48.96	11	123	99	80
79	Kettering, MD	48.39	121	87	69	60
80	Cumberland, MD	48.29	8	76	59	116
81	Aspen Hill, MD	47.89	29	85	104	69
82	Glen Burnie, MD	47.51	50	80	73	100
83	Hagerstown, MD	47.45	22	27	96	117
84	Brooklyn Park, MD	47.23	46	79	65	112
85	Silver Spring, MD	47.09	42	53	116	70
86	Milford Mill, MD	47.06	34	92	82	104
87	South Laurel, MD	47.04	10	103	109	71
88	Rosedale, MD	47.00	116	89	68	83
89	Glenmont, MD	46.96	49	74	105	73
90	Largo, MD	46.64	100	84	74	92
91	Fort Washington, MD	46.36	127	115	38	67
92	Lochearn, MD	46.10	106	82	78	94
93	Greenbelt, MD	46.10	74	61	101	91
94	Aberdeen, MD	45.90	105	26	85	113
95	Laurel, MD	45.62	55	78	108	74
96	Middle River, MD	45.61	85	72	72	108
97	Parkville, MD	45.05	97	95	75	97
98	Summerfield, MD	44.92	27	107	92	102
99	Clinton, MD	44.87	125	116	53	82
100	Edgewood, MD	44.79	88	46	77	114
101	College Park, MD	44.24	113	113	86	75
102	Seabrook, MD	43.84	18	88	114	87
103	Wheaton, MD	43.24	60	97	112	66
104	Forestville, MD	43.09	89	100	80	105
105	Reisterstown, MD	43.04	78	90	89	109
106	Camp Springs, MD	41.12	122	120	88	84
107	Lanham, MD	40.98	56	124	107	89
108	New Carrollton, MD	40.14	38	64	121	99
109	Elkton, MD	39.87	9	112	100	110
110	Salisbury, MD	39.84	1	104	110	118
111	White Oak, MD	39.53	14	86	120	103
112	Oxon Hill, MD	39.47	118	106	95	101
113	Essex, MD	38.66	110	58	94	119
114	Dundalk, MD	38.49	99	93	91	120
115	Beltsville, MD	37.37	92	108	117	96
116	Walker Mill, MD	35.72	93	91	106	122
117	Hyattsville, MD	35.43	63	109	122	93
118	East Riverdale, MD	34.95	3	127	123	115
119	Cambridge, MD	34.23	37	111	113	121
120	Chillum, MD	33.59	23	125	124	106
121	Suitland, MD	33.43	77	101	115	123
122	Hillcrest Heights, MD	33.24	67	121	111	124
123	Coral Hills, MD	32.45	31	83	119	128
124	Adelphi, MD	31.58	47	119	127	98
125	Langley Park, MD	30.26	7	126	128	111
126	Landover, MD	28.88	54	105	125	126
127	Baltimore, MD	28.58	72	118	118	127
128	Glassmanor, MD	25.88	59	122	126	125

Ask the Experts

Deciding where to settle down as a family can be difficult. There are so many factors to balance in order to give children the best upbringing possible. With that in mind, we asked a panel of experts in fields such as family studies and public health to share their insight on how to evaluate Maryland’s cities. Click on the experts’ profiles below to read their bios and their thoughts on the following key questions:

What are some tips for young families looking for quality public schools and affordable housing in Maryland?
How can local officials in Maryland make their cities more attractive to young families?
Looking just within Maryland, to what degree is child development and a family’s quality of life influenced by the city they live in?

Ask the Experts

: Stephanie A. Flores-Koulish
Associate Professor & Director, Curriculum & Instruction MA degree, Education Specialties Department, Loyola University Maryland
Read More

: Wendy Osefo
Ph.D.,Visiting Assistant Professor, Doctor of Education Program, Johns Hopkins University
Read More

: Kindel Nash
Ph.D., Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Read More

: Mariale Hardiman
Ed.D., Vice Dean, Academic Affairs, Professor of Education, Director, Neuro-Education Initiative, Johns Hopkins University School of Education
Read More

: Kevin Banks
Vice President, Student Affairs, Morgan State University
Read More

: Rachel L. Grover
Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at Loyola University of Maryland and a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of Maryland
Read More

Methodology

To help families find the best Maryland cities in which to put down roots, WalletHub compared a sample of 128 cities in the state across four key dimensions: 1) Family Life & Fun, 2) Education, Health & Safety, 3) Affordability and 4) Socio-economics. Our sample considers only the city proper in each case and excludes cities in the surrounding metro area.

We evaluated the four dimensions using 21 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most suitable conditions for family life.

Finally, we determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its total score and used the resulting scores to rank-order the cities in our sample.

Family Life & Fun – Total Points: 25

- - Playgrounds per Capita: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)
  - Number of Attractions: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)
    Note: “Attractions” includes, for instance, museums, theaters and zoos.
  - Share of Families with Children Aged 0 to 17: Double Weight (~8.33 Points)
  - Weather: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)
    Note: Based on WalletHub’s Cities with the Best & Worst Weather ranking.
  - Average Commute Time: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)

Education, Health & Safety – Total Points: 25

- - Quality of School System: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)
  - High School Graduation Rate: Half Weight (~1.47 Points)
  - Air Quality: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)
  - Pediatricians per Capita: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)
  - Share of Uninsured Children: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)
    Note: “Children” include the population aged 0 to 17.
  - Violent-Crime Rate per Capita: Double Weight (~5.88 Points)
  - Property-Crime Rate per Capita: Double Weight (~5.88 Points)

Affordability – Total Points: 25

- - Housing Affordability: Full Weight (~12.50 Points)
    Note: This metric was calculated as follows: Housing Costs (accounts for both rental and sale prices) / Median Annual Family Income.
  - General Affordability: Full Weight (~12.50 Points)
    Note: This metric was calculated as follows: Median Annual Family Income / Cost-of-Living Index.

Socio-economics – Total Points: 25

- - Separation & Divorce Rate: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
  - Share of Two-Parent Families: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
  - Share of Families Living Below Poverty Level: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
  - Share of Households Receiving Food Stamps: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
  - Unemployment Rate: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
  - Wealth Gap: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
  - Foreclosure Rate: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Environmental Protection Agency, County Health Rankings, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Renwood RealtyTrac, SchoolDigger.com, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Areavibes and WalletHub research.

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