Best places to live in Maryland
By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays. Updated November 2026.
- Frederick#1 pickScore 82 of 100
- FrederickFastest growing+17.8% since 2020
- College ParkShortest commute26.2 min average
The top 3 in Maryland
- #1Score 82
Frederick
- Growth
- +17.8%
- Home value
- $401,500
- Commute
- 30 min
- #2Score 54
Westminster
- Growth
- +2.2%
- Home value
- $337,600
- Commute
- 29 min
- #3Score 49
College Park
- Growth
- +1.9%
- Home value
- $437,900
- Commute
- 26 min
The 10 best places to live in Maryland
| # | Place | Score | Median home value | Median rent | Commute | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frederick | 82 | $401,500 | $1,764 | 30.0 min | +17.8% |
| 2 | Westminster | 54 | $337,600 | $1,476 | 28.5 min | +2.2% |
| 3 | College Park | 49 | $437,900 | $1,912 | 26.2 min | +1.9% |
| 4 | Gaithersburg | 35 | $496,500 | $2,058 | 29.4 min | +2.1% |
| 5 | Laurel | 35 | $385,500 | $1,873 | 30.9 min | +0.6% |
| 6 | Rockville | 14 | $682,300 | $2,274 | 30.7 min | +0.7% |
| 7 | Bowie | 13 | $459,300 | $2,330 | 34.8 min | +0.1% |
Every Maryland city and town we ranked
See all 7, with scores
| # | Place | Score | Median home value | Median rent | Commute | Growth since 2020 | Population 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frederick | 82 | $401,500 | $1,764 | 30.0 min | +17.8% | 92,059 |
| 2 | Westminster | 54 | $337,600 | $1,476 | 28.5 min | +2.2% | 20,589 |
| 3 | College Park | 49 | $437,900 | $1,912 | 26.2 min | +1.9% | 35,418 |
| 4 | Gaithersburg | 35 | $496,500 | $2,058 | 29.4 min | +2.1% | 71,113 |
| 5 | Laurel | 35 | $385,500 | $1,873 | 30.9 min | +0.6% | 30,254 |
| 6 | Rockville | 14 | $682,300 | $2,274 | 30.7 min | +0.7% | 67,563 |
| 7 | Bowie | 13 | $459,300 | $2,330 | 34.8 min | +0.1% | 58,383 |
How we ranked them
Who makes the list: places that grew from 2020 to 2025 and whose median home value is at least 75% of the state's typical place ($301,125 in Maryland). Of 13 places, 3 lost population and 3 sit below that line, so they are left off this list. They are all on the cheapest places in Maryland page. Population growth counts births as well as moves.
| Weight | Measure |
|---|---|
| 45% | Population growth, 2020 to 2025 |
| 25% | Shorter commutes (mean travel time to work) |
| 20% | Lower home values (median value of owner-occupied homes) |
| 10% | Lower rent (median gross rent) |
Places are incorporated cities and towns with at least 20,000 residents in July 2025. Unincorporated communities are left out because the Census population estimates do not cover them. Census reports home values of $2 million or more as $2,000,000+ and rents of $3,500 or more as $3,500+. A place with no figure on a measure gets half points on it. Home values are what owners estimate their homes are worth, averaged over 2020 to 2024, so they run below today's listing prices.
Statewide, Maryland has a top income tax rate of 6.50%, an effective property tax rate of 0.98% and a combined sales tax of 6.00%, and it does not tax Social Security. See property taxes by state and states with no income tax.
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Questions people ask
What is the best place to live in Maryland?
On our ranking of the 7 growing Maryland cities and towns with 20,000 or more people, Frederick, followed by Westminster and College Park. Frederick has a median home value of $401,500, median rent of $1,764, an average commute of 30.0 min and grew +17.8% from 2020 to 2025 (US Census Bureau).
What is the fastest-growing city in Maryland?
Of the places we rank, Frederick, up +17.8% from the 2020 base to July 2025 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025).
Where in Maryland are commutes shortest?
College Park, where the average trip to work takes 26.2 min (American Community Survey 2020-2024).
Do you rank places by who lives there?
No. The ranking uses population growth, commute times, home values and rent only. Nothing about who lives in a place goes in.
Why isn't the cheapest town in Maryland on this list?
This list ranks the places people are moving to. Places that lost population from 2020 to 2025, or whose median home value is below 75% of the state's typical place, are left off. Every place is on our cheapest places to live in Maryland page.
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Sources for this page
- Population, 2020 and July 2025: US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 city and town estimates (May 2026)
- Median home value: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, B25077
- Median gross rent: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, B25064
- Mean travel time to work: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, S0801