6 Best Starter Towns In Maryland For First-Time Homeowners
Maryland is one of the smaller states in the United States, just 198.6 miles from east to west. Yet Maryland packs a wide variety of geographical features within its borders. The Eastern Shore is known for its beaches, both on the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay. Western Maryland offers a totally different experience, with mountain towns like Cumberland and Frostburg appealing to people who enjoy the outdoors, whether hiking in warmer weather or skiing and tubing in the snowy winters. Hagerstown, with its spacious City Park and proximity to the Pennsylvania and West Virginia borders, offers lots to do and the ease of getting to other towns via convenient Interstate highways.
The median home sold price for 2025 is given for each town. Compare them to the state median for 2025 of $431K, and the national median of $433K. Chances are, you will see that finding a starter home in Maryland is quite doable.
Frostburg
In the far western region of the state is Frostburg, whose slogan is, "It's just cooler here." It's a clever way of conveying what you'll find in the town: cooler weather year-round, cold and snowy winters, the youthful vibe of a college town, and lots to do, whatever your interests. Frostburg State University is located here, and students enjoy both outdoor sports and the arts around campus and in the town. The median home sold price as of late 2025 was $174K, which is well under the state and national medians. Frostburg earned a Maryland Main Street/Main Street America designation, which means it consciously works to strengthen community connection with a lively arts and cultural district downtown, along with shops and businesses, adding up to an attractive place to shop, dine, and socialize.
The Palace Theater shows classic, foreign, and independent films and documentaries, like recent showings of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and the original 1947 version of "Miracle on 34th Street" during the holiday season. Events continue year-round with the Spring and Fall Arts Walks and numerous festivals. Get outdoors and enjoy both Tracks and Yaks railbikes and the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. The area is served by the UPMC Western Maryland hospital system, which is affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh's cutting-edge, advanced care.
Cumberland
While Frostburg is a college town, nearby Cumberland is more of an all-around town for people of all ages and is ideal for first-time home buyers. The median home sold price in Cumberland was $165K at year-end 2025. Cumberland is an outdoor lover's paradise as well, and with an average of 34.1 inches of snow falling annually in the area, it is known for winter sports like skiing and snowmobiling. But outdoor enthusiasts love Cumberland in the spring, summer, and fall as well. The Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) is a 150-mile trail that follows old railroad right-of-ways from Pittsburgh, PA, to Cumberland. From there, hikers and bikers can continue on the C&O Canal Towpath all the way to Washington, DC. This was a vital water route for getting goods to markets along the East Coast in Colonial times. Today, the hikers and cyclists enjoy the towns, shops, and eateries along the towpath.
Cumberland is also known for its thriving and growing arts scene. The Allegany County Arts Council hosts a huge variety of events all year, from the Mountain Maryland Plein Air (MMPA) Competition and Exhibition to quilt shows, free summer music events, and the Mountain Maryland Film Festival. The historic Embassy Theatre downtown is a live performance venue that hosts plays, concerts, musicals, and children's events on an ongoing basis.
Grantsville
Situated near the Pennsylvania border, the town of Grantsville is surrounded by four seasons of fun thanks to Deep Creek Lake, Wisp Mountain Resort, and Big Run State Park. Big Run State Park sits at the mouth of the Savage River Reservoir and offers camping, fishing, hiking, and hunting, with day-use and overnight camping available. Deep Creek Lake State Park is just 20 miles away and also has day use plus 112 camp sites. The park has two beaches on its one-mile shoreline, 20 miles of trails, a boat ramp, fishing, hunting in a marked designated area, and a 6,000 sq. ft. Discovery Center. Adjacent to Deep Creek Lake is Wisp Mountain Resort, which offers 33 ski trails for skiers and snowboarders of all levels, plus snow tubing and golf in the warmer months. To enjoy these and more outdoor activities, consider moving to Grantsville, where the median home sold price was $227K in December 2025. At this price, you can live year-round where others come to vacation.
Hancock
Traveling east, to the narrowest part of the state, you will find the town of Hancock. Here, Maryland's odd shape puts Hancock near both the borders of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, which are just 1.8 miles apart at the narrowest part. This gives Hancock residents opportunities in three states for work, shopping, and a myriad of activities. The median home sold price in November 2025 was $240K, which is nearly $200K below the state and national medians. To top it off, Hancock is a very safe town, with a crime rate below the national average.
Hancock is known for its proximity to Antietam Battlefield, famous as the site of the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. Six generals were killed during the 12-hour battle, and 23,000 soldiers were missing, wounded, or killed. The battlefield is open year-round and receives over 200K visitors annually. Along the C & O Canal Towpath, stop to see the 3,118-foot-long Paw Paw Tunnel, which was built between 1836 and 1850. Park at the tunnel's campground and enter the tunnel through the small door, as the front of the tunnel may be boarded up to preserve its interior. Bring a flashlight to get a better look at its rub rails, weep holes, and brass plates. The additional Paw Paw Tunnel Trail is 2 miles long and has great views of the area. The tunnel has no street address to plug into a GPS, but it is easy to get to. From Cumberland, take MD-51 south about 24 miles, and the parking lot will be on the left. Hancock's Widmeyer Park has a Veterans Memorial, five pavilions, several playgrounds, basketball and tennis courts, and a splash pad that opened in June 2025.
Hagerstown
The largest town in Maryland’s panhandle, Hagerstown’s metropolitan area extends into Pennsylvania and Martinsburg, West Virginia. It is conveniently located on both I-81 north-south and I-70 east-west, as well as Route 40, earning the town the nickname of Hub City. Its median home sold price of $278K—nearly $200K under both the state and national medians—makes it a popular choice to live more economically in Hagerstown and commute to surrounding areas for work, including to Frederick using I-70 and even into Washington, D.C., riding the MARC Train.
City Park is the town’s showpiece and the venue for events such as 4th of July fireworks, the Christmas tree lighting, and concerts at the band shell. Residents also enjoy the park’s playgrounds, viewing geese and swans on the water, and walking the loop around the pond with its central fountain. Washington County Fine Arts Museum sits at the edge of the park, known for its statuary, displays, and competitions featuring local, regional, and national artists. Meritus Park stadium, home to local baseball team The Flying Boxcars, was completed in 2024 as part of an initiative to bring people and businesses back downtown. It is also a venue for concerts and events. Hagerstown is served by the Meritus Medical Center, a full-service hospital and medical office complex.
Havre de Grace
Situated where the Susquehanna River meets the Chesapeake Bay, the town was named by the Marquis de Lafayette because the harbor reminded him so much of the town in France. Sailors are greeted by the 36-foot-high Concord Point Light, still favored by visitors and residents as a place to tour and walk the grounds. Tours of the lighthouse and Lightkeeper's House are free and available on weekends from April through October, weather permitting. Sometimes, determined folks can even climb to the top! HdG, as the town is nicknamed, is a designated Arts & Entertainment District, so you will find art of all kinds in unexpected places. Look for the leaping striped bass sculpture, Big Fish, School of Fish, in Concord Point Park. Even the bike racks downtown are pieces of art, adorned with colorful depictions of local sights.
The Havre de Grace Maritime Museum displays flora and fauna from this part of the bay and explains local history. For more about the town, take the self-guided Lafayette Trail Tour, which winds through downtown streets and identifies points of interest. You might think living in a harbor town would be out of reach for a first-time home buyer, but the median home sold price in Havre de Grace at the end of 2025 was $347K. And remember, that means numerous homes sold for less than the median, including starter homes in the $200K range.
Finding Your Starter Home in Maryland
From the mountains of Cumberland to the Baltimore suburb of Havre de Grace, many people are finding their starter homes in Maryland, and you can too. Wherever you decide to live, you will enjoy visiting other parts of the state that may be very different from where you live. Maryland has a rich history going back to before the founding of the country, and many towns have preserved buildings and artifacts from those days. As a Maryland resident, you'll be ideally positioned to travel to other towns and cities outside of the state as well, from nearby Washington, DC, to the surrounding states. So check out the Maryland map and start exploring! You may just find the perfect spot to call home.
