10 Safest Cities in Maryland (2024 Update)

Note: This article’s statistics come from third-party sources and do not represent the opinions of this website.

Maryland has a much higher violent crime rate than most of America, though it has decreased over the last few years. The state-wide violent crime rate is currently 4.5 per 1,000 people. However, the nationwide violent crime rate is only 3.6 per 1,000 people.

Based on this information, Maryland is much more dangerous than most states out there. If you live in Maryland, you’re more likely to be a victim of violent crime or property crime.

However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any safe areas in Maryland. Below, we’ve listed some of the safest cities in Maryland, based on their crime rate. We considered violent crimes to weigh the heaviest, but we also considered their property crime rate as well.

Keep reading to find out the safest places for you to live and visit in Maryland.

The 10 Safest Cities in Maryland: A Quick Look

All crime statistics were taken from the FBI crime database.

1. Ocean Pines

Ocean Pines is a small residential community that is located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. It features a lot of waterfronts with stunning views. There are also thousands of acres of wooded areas. With a decently low population, this community is quiet, but there is still quite a bit to do here for those who like to swim and boat.

They even have their own public yacht club and a golf course. There are dozens of parks and many walking trails, allowing you to enjoy plenty of outside time.

In total, this community is located just 5 miles from the coast, so many people enjoy ocean-related activities in their free time.

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2. Hampstead

Hampstead is a smaller town located in the middle of Maryland. Because of the much lower population, it isn’t odd that the violent crime rate would be much lower as well. This area has been named one of the best places to raise children in Maryland, thanks mostly to the lower crime rate and higher school ratings.

Violent crime here is almost nonexistent. According to the FBI statistics, murder and robbery are practically unheard of in this smaller community. Overall, most violent crimes seem to be assault.

Property crimes are also quite low. Theft is much less common than the national average, making this a much safer community to live in as well.

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3. Glenarden

Glenarden is technically a suburb of Washington, D.C. It is a small community, though most people who live there commute to Washington for most of their needs. There are quite a few retirees in the area, as this seems to be one of the more popular places to retire to in the area. However, there is also a good number of younger professionals.

Crime rates are much lower in this area than they are throughout most of Maryland. Violent crime, in particular, is extremely low and practically unheard of. However, property crime is a bit higher. Therefore, we moved this town down a bit on the list.

The median income in this community is higher than the national average. Therefore, this can be considered a richer community, which may also help explain why the crime rate is lower.

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4. Centreville

Centreville is an extremely small community located in Queen Anne’s County. While this town is rather small, it does host the biggest population in the area. Therefore, there is a surprising number of services and businesses for residents to enjoy. Everyone from the surrounding areas comes here for entertainment and even work, so the community is flourishing despite the lower population.

There are many historical sites in this town as well. While it is a traditional small-town, residents enjoy quiet, tree-lined streets, numerous public schools, and many town parts. There are several major roadways that meet in the town, so the businesses benefit from travelers as well.

Centreville is also right along a river and features a public access point and boardwalk. Residents enjoy fishing and boating on the river.

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5. Mount Airy

Mount Airy has a pretty low violent crime rate. However, the property crime rate is pretty high. Therefore, the town’s overall crime rate is a bit higher than most we’ve reviewed so far. But your chance of being involved in a violent crime is still fairly low.

Furthermore, this town has gotten a bit more dangerous over the last year or so. We don’t have much data on this particular community, since it has only reported crimes for the past two years. The town was simply too small for the FBI to keep track of the crime rate before that.

Generally, this area is considered one of the better places to live in Maryland. There are lots of parks and many families live in the area. Professionals also flock to this area due to the low crime rate. Their schools are also rated relatively high.

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6. Berlin

Berlin is a relatively small town with an extremely low crime rate. However, their property crime rate is substantially higher than others on this list, which is a big reason why they ended up lower on this list.

The area is mostly known for its historical significance. There are quite a few historical sites within the town. For instance, there is a museum and historic homes that you can visit if you are so inclined. They also have the Burley plantation, which dates back to 1677.

The median home value is higher than the national average, and the income is about average. These two points of data together tell us that this community has a high price of living, which may put off many people from living here.

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7. Thurmont

Like most towns on this list, Thurmont is a decently small town. There isn’t much here, either, due to its smaller size. This town has quite a few young professionals that live here, and it is one of the better places to raise a family. The public schools are decent, though they are not the best in the state.

There are various festivals in the town yearly, drawing in outsiders and livening up the town a bit. For the most part, Thurmont is everything you would expect from a small town.

Most people commute to the surrounding area for work. The town is older, so it tends to share older values. Most people here are extremely conservative.

Despite being smaller, there are over 20 different restaurants for people to enjoy, and this town also features fun events, like horse carriages and a tree lighting ceremony.

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8. Taneytown

Taneytown used to be the safest town in Maryland. However, they have had a significant increase in crime over the last few years, so they are no longer considered the safest. However, they do still come in at number eight, making them safer than most towns.

This town is full of families and young professionals. The public schools are pretty good, though they are not the best in the state.

However, because this town’s population is relatively small, there is not much to do here. While this keeps the crime rate pretty low as well, many residents also complained that there were few entertainment opportunities.

Beyond that, everything in the town is pretty average. The price of living is average, and the income is just above average. It’s just your average small town.

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9. Bowie

Bowie has had a pretty even crime rate over the last few years. While the violent crime rate is extremely low, the property crime rate is substantially higher. Therefore, it landed at the bottom of our list. We don’t know why the property crime rate is so high, especially considering that the median income is far higher than average, meaning this community is pretty affluent.

With that said, it is one of the better places to live in Maryland—if you can afford it.

This moderately-sized suburb is just outside of Washington, D.C. Many people travel to the larger city for work and play. However, there are still many things to do within the community of Bowie itself.

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10. Havre de Grace

This small community lies on the coast and is a suburb of Baltimore, where most residents travel for work and entertainment. It is considered one of the better places to live in Maryland due to the better public school. Plus, there is quite a lot to do here, and plenty more to do in the nearby city. Therefore, it is a great option for those that like to frequent restaurants and go out regularly.

The crime rates are a bit higher than most communities on this list, but they are still much lower than the state and national average. The crime rate seems to be remaining quite steady over the years, though the property crime rate has dropped a bit.

Therefore, we expect this community to remain one of the safer options throughout the next few years.

How to Stay Safe in Maryland

Staying safe in Maryland is a lot like staying safe anywhere else. To reduce the odds of being caught up in a crime, it is best to avoid high-crime areas. Sticking to the lower-crime areas of the state is one of the most significant ways you can improve your safety.

If you’re looking to move within Maryland, then you should consider living in one of these safer areas as well. However, because many of these areas are suburbs, you have to be aware of the crime rate in the city you’re commuting to. While having your actual residence in a safer area can be essential, you have to consider where you’re working as well.

Of course, you should also take regular precautions. For instance, you should not travel with large amounts of cash or flash it around, especially after visiting an ATM, nor should you ever count bills in a public area, as it may make you a target of theft. You may also want to dress down a bit as well, as wearing expensive jewelry is often just asking for a thief to make you their target, especially if walking around an unsecured area.

Conclusion

While Maryland itself isn’t super safe, there are many safer cities in the state. Some of them have very close to a violent crime rate of zero, which means that violent crime would be relatively unheard of.

Most of the safer communities are smaller. None of the larger cities made it onto our list, largely because larger cities are typically more dangerous. The more people you get together, the more likely crime is to happen.

Therefore, those who are interested in living in a city will likely not find anything for them on this list. However, there were a few safer suburbs that found their way onto this list, especially around Washington D.C. However, you also have to consider where you’re commuting to, which can make you less safe. Even if you live in a safe suburb, regularly visiting the more dangerous city will make your surroundings more unsafe overall.

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Featured Image Credit: 1778011, Pixabay