Best overall
Carroll County
Overall score 75
Economy 85.4 / Affordability 51.7
State rankings
Best Counties to Live in Maryland
Compare counties in Maryland by affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and quality-of-life tradeoffs.
Use the county-size filter to compare large metro counties, mid-size counties, small counties, and rural areas separately. These modules are a starting point, then you can open the full rankings table or compare individual counties.
County size
County size helps compare places with similar scale. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.
Showing all 24 Maryland counties
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Compare counties in Maryland
Put Maryland counties side by side.
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Compare housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, insurance, and tax-pressure estimates.
Open Maryland rankings
Open the full Maryland ranking table with filters.
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Scan county scores geographically across the country.
Maryland county rankings at a glance
Compact winners for common county-search priorities.
Best for families
Carroll County
Family score 79.3
Schools 98 / Safety 88.6
Best value
Somerset County
Value score 69.1
Affordability 67.2 / Taxes 55.5
Most affordable
Allegany County
Affordability 78.2
Typical home $151,212
Best schools
Howard County
Schools 99.1
Safety 100 / Economy 85.4
Safest
Howard County
Safety 100
Schools 99.1 / Peace 18.5
Low taxes
Garrett County
Taxes 64.7
Affordability 38.9 / Typical home $333,182
Peace & quiet
Kent County
Peace & Quiet 81.4
Density and built-environment signals
Top counties by category
Use these short lists to jump into the state rankings that match your priorities.
Best overall counties in Maryland
View full- 1Carroll County
Typical home $490,460
75
Overall
- 2Calvert County
Typical home $483,001
74.9
Overall
- 3Queen Anne's County
Typical home $522,258
74.1
Overall
- 4Frederick County
Typical home $503,055
74
Overall
- 5Harford County
Typical home $416,736
73.2
Overall
Best counties for families in Maryland
View full- 1Carroll County
Typical home $490,460
79.3
Family
- 2Queen Anne's County
Typical home $522,258
78.2
Family
- 3Calvert County
Typical home $483,001
78.0
Family
- 4Frederick County
Typical home $503,055
77.8
Family
- 5Worcester County
Typical home $422,344
77.1
Family
Best value counties in Maryland
View full- 1Somerset County
Typical home $204,515
69.1
Value
- 2Allegany County
Typical home $151,212
65.3
Value
- 3Wicomico County
Typical home $273,211
64.8
Value
- 4Calvert County
Typical home $483,001
63.2
Value
- 5Queen Anne's County
Typical home $522,258
62.4
Value
Most affordable counties in Maryland
View full- 1Allegany County
Typical home $151,212
78.2
Afford.
- 2Baltimore city
Typical home $184,592
68.9
Afford.
- 3Somerset County
Typical home $204,515
67.2
Afford.
- 4Charles County
Typical home $450,316
59.6
Afford.
- 5Wicomico County
Typical home $273,211
59.5
Afford.
Best school counties in Maryland
View full- 1Howard County
Typical home $636,618
99.1
Schools
- 2Carroll County
Typical home $490,460
98
Schools
- 3Worcester County
Typical home $422,344
97.6
Schools
- 4Calvert County
Typical home $483,001
97.5
Schools
- 5Montgomery County
Typical home $622,527
95.7
Schools
Lowest tax-score counties in Maryland
View full- 1Garrett County
Typical home $333,182
64.7
Taxes
- 2Talbot County
Typical home $493,297
63
Taxes
- 3Worcester County
Typical home $422,344
56.4
Taxes
- 4Somerset County
Typical home $204,515
55.5
Taxes
- 5Queen Anne's County
Typical home $522,258
55.1
Taxes
Quietest counties in Maryland
View full- 1Kent County
Typical home $382,205
81.4
Quiet
- 2Dorchester County
Typical home $274,401
81.1
Quiet
- 3Somerset County
Typical home $204,515
78.9
Quiet
- 4Allegany County
Typical home $151,212
78
Quiet
- 5Garrett County
Typical home $333,182
77.8
Quiet
Safest counties in Maryland
View full- 1Howard County
Typical home $636,618
100
Safety
- 2Somerset County
Typical home $204,515
97.7
Safety
- 3Worcester County
Typical home $422,344
94.1
Safety
- 4Talbot County
Typical home $493,297
93.1
Safety
- 5Dorchester County
Typical home $274,401
92.4
Safety
Popular Maryland county comparisons
Put two counties side by side before you narrow the search.
How to choose a county in Maryland
The best county in Maryland depends on what you need most. Families may care more about schools and safety, budget-focused movers may care more about affordability and taxes, and quiet-living households may care more about density and peace & quiet. Large counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so use the county-size filter to compare places with similar scale.
Best for different needs
Best overall counties in Maryland
For best overall counties in Maryland, Carroll County, Calvert County, and Queen Anne's County stand out in this model because they combine several public-data signals instead of winning on only one category.
View this rankingBest counties for families in Maryland
For families, Carroll County, Queen Anne's County, and Calvert County score well in the family blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet.
View this rankingMost affordable counties in Maryland
For affordability-focused movers, Allegany County, Baltimore city, and Somerset County may appeal because they score well on housing and income tradeoff signals in the current model.
View this rankingBest school counties in Maryland
For school-first households, Howard County, Carroll County, and Worcester County lead the current school score, though families should still compare district-level details.
View this rankingBest low-tax counties in Maryland
For lower tax-pressure searches, Garrett County, Talbot County, and Worcester County score well on the tax model, but buyers should still check local property taxes and carrying costs.
View this rankingBest quiet counties in Maryland
For quieter-living searches, Kent County, Dorchester County, and Somerset County stand out on peace & quiet signals such as density and built-environment indicators.
View this rankingWhat to watch before moving to Maryland
Compare county scale carefully in Maryland; large metro counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.
Check town-level housing costs, commute patterns, school districts, and local services before making a final move decision.
Frequently asked questions about the best counties in Maryland
What is the best county to live in Maryland?
The best county depends on your priorities. In this ranking model, Carroll County currently scores highest overall, but families, budget-focused movers, and quiet-living households may prefer different counties.
What is the best county in Maryland for families?
Based on the family ranking blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet, Carroll County stands out in this model.
What is the most affordable county in Maryland?
Allegany County scores highly on affordability in this model, but buyers should still compare home prices, taxes, insurance, commute costs, and local job access.
How should I compare large and small counties?
Use the county-size filter. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so comparing similar county sizes usually gives a more realistic shortlist.
Are these rankings based on reviews?
No. These rankings use public-data signals such as affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and peace & quiet. Local reviews and personal visits should still be part of a final decision.
Which Maryland counties score well for schools or taxes?
Howard County currently leads the school-score view, while Garrett County stands out on the tax-score view. Use the rankings presets to compare those priorities separately.
All Maryland counties
Showing all 24 Maryland counties ranked by the default generated overall score.
| Rank | County | Overall | Economy | Afford. | Schools | Safety | Taxes | Peace & Quiet | Typical home | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carroll County FIPS 24013 | 75 | 85.4 | 51.7 | 98 | 88.6 | 49.3 | 57.9 | $490,460 | $118,211 |
| 2 | Calvert County FIPS 24009 | 74.9 | 83.8 | 58 | 97.5 | 80.8 | 51.7 | 53.2 | $483,001 | $133,922 |
| 3 | Queen Anne's County FIPS 24035 | 74.1 | 89 | 42.1 | 94.9 | 87.6 | 55.1 | 74.1 | $522,258 | $112,826 |
| 4 | Frederick County FIPS 24021 | 74 | 88.6 | 49.2 | 95.2 | 90.8 | 41.7 | 54.6 | $503,055 | $122,002 |
| 5 | Harford County FIPS 24025 | 73.2 | 81.2 | 59 | 94.3 | 80.9 | 49.6 | 44.4 | $416,736 | $112,265 |
| 6 | St. Mary's County FIPS 24037 | 71 | 82.7 | 55.8 | 89.1 | 67.4 | 52.2 | 64.4 | $429,557 | $119,446 |
| 7 | Howard County FIPS 24027 | 70.9 | 85.4 | 44.2 | 99.1 | 100 | 27.6 | 18.5 | $636,618 | $149,763 |
| 8 | Anne Arundel County FIPS 24003 | 69 | 84.6 | 49.1 | 91.6 | 74.8 | 51.2 | 18.3 | $505,792 | $124,911 |
| 9 | Worcester County FIPS 24047 | 66.8 | 64.7 | 31.1 | 97.6 | 94.1 | 56.4 | 71.6 | $422,344 | $81,745 |
| 10 | Allegany County FIPS 24001 | 66 | 44.3 | 78.2 | 69.5 | 91 | 39.5 | 78 | $151,212 | $59,603 |
| 11 | Caroline County FIPS 24011 | 64.5 | 67.5 | 46 | 71.8 | 88 | 46.7 | 77.5 | $328,465 | $68,457 |
| 12 | Montgomery County FIPS 24031 | 64.2 | 80.3 | 36.5 | 95.7 | 73.6 | 40.2 | 16 | $622,527 | $132,450 |
| 13 | Washington County FIPS 24043 | 63.3 | 66.7 | 51.4 | 68 | 78.3 | 52.2 | 64.8 | $327,979 | $77,747 |
| 14 | Somerset County FIPS 24039 | 63.1 | 61.2 | 67.2 | 34.2 | 97.7 | 55.5 | 78.9 | $204,515 | $64,943 |
| 15 | Wicomico County FIPS 24045 | 62.2 | 66.5 | 59.5 | 40.9 | 90.8 | 52.4 | 72.6 | $273,211 | $76,210 |
| 16 | Cecil County FIPS 24015 | 61.4 | 71 | 52.9 | 46.2 | 86 | 49 | 66.7 | $379,572 | $92,007 |
| 17 | Charles County FIPS 24017 | 60 | 82 | 59.6 | 53.5 | 45.7 | 40.5 | 58.9 | $450,316 | $122,816 |
| 18 | Garrett County FIPS 24023 | 60 | 64.1 | 38.9 | 61.2 | 77.9 | 64.7 | 77.8 | $333,182 | $67,688 |
| 19 | Talbot County FIPS 24041 | 59.2 | 71.8 | 24 | 55.6 | 93.1 | 63 | 77.5 | $493,297 | $84,811 |
| 20 | Baltimore County FIPS 24005 | 57.9 | 73.8 | 54 | 58.6 | 66.3 | 33.9 | 18.8 | $360,187 | $91,768 |
| 21 | Kent County FIPS 24029 | 55.4 | 66.4 | 40.2 | 30.7 | 91.9 | 47.3 | 81.4 | $382,205 | $80,147 |
| 22 | Dorchester County FIPS 24019 | 51.8 | 58 | 47.1 | 17.5 | 92.4 | 41.2 | 81.1 | $274,401 | $61,839 |
| 23 | Prince George's County FIPS 24033 | 43.4 | 75.7 | 46.2 | 11.8 | 47.5 | 26.8 | 14.3 | $428,633 | $101,798 |
| 24 | Baltimore city FIPS 24510 | 31.1 | 50.6 | 68.9 | 2.2 | 0.1 | 1 | 14.2 | $184,592 | $62,177 |