9 Safest Small Communities To Settle In Maryland

Maryland is a lovely state on the East Coast, where everything is tailored to make life enjoyable for all. From vacationers to retirees, this state is a place for everybody, offering convenient access to some of the top destinations on the East Coast, rich history, and a diverse landscape that has earned it the nickname “America in Miniature.”

Needless to say, living here promises to be a pleasurable experience, especially in the state’s small towns, many of which boast some of the lowest crime rates in the country, according to the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer, unless otherwise stated. From a town on the Pennsylvania border with the state’s largest waterfall to one close to the US capital, these small towns in Maryland promise safe neighborhoods, plenty of activities, laid-back atmospheres, and easy access to some of the country’s top features, making them excellent places to settle.

Boonsboro

Boonsboro sits beautifully at the foot of South Mountain, with a small population of around 3,700, and some of the lowest crime rates in the country. Settling here is sure to be a great decision, as the town is not just safe but full of outdoor attractions. For starters, it is near the Greenbrier State Park, which has a 42-acre lake offering a white sandy beach, and opportunities for boating, fishing, swimming, and kayaking. Additionally, the park has dozens of campsites, picnic facilities, and over 10 miles of trails winding through wooded areas and rocky terrain.

One will also find the Devil’s Backbone Park in this town, with incredible scenery defined by lush trees and a waterfall dam on the Antietam Creek. The park is a cool place to picnic, stroll on nature trails, and fish or kayak on the creek. In the meantime, the Annapolis Rock Trail, one of Maryland’s most popular trails, is nearby, offering a five-mile adventure with spectacular views. History buffs have the Boonsborough Museum of History to get more insight about the Civil War, while the Turn The Page Bookstore has a huge collection of books to delight book lovers.

Thurmont

This small town near the Pennsylvania border is charming, laid-back, and safe, making it a great place to settle. And on top of that, it is home to major outdoor attractions, including Catoctin Mountain Park and Cunningham Falls State Park, where Maryland’s largest cascading waterfall can be found. Both parks offer opportunities for hiking, wildlife watching, and fishing, while Cunningham Falls State Park offers even more activities, including swimming and canoeing on a 43-acre lake.

Thurmont also boasts the Catoctin Wildlife Preserve, a premier attraction featuring hundreds of animals from grizzly bears to macaws, tigers, and more. Moreover, Thurmont has other cool attractions like the Catoctin Mountain Orchard, where one can pick fruits seasonally and enjoy baked goods. It also features the Catoctin Breeze Vineyard, a great place to hang out with delicious wine and gorgeous views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Ocean Pines

Ocean Pines is an off-the-beaten-path town that combines safety with recreation and convenience. One of the safest communities in the state, it is located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and accommodates Northside Park, a popular attraction featuring sports facilities, fishing piers, and opportunities for kayaking. The park also has trails for biking and hiking, and playgrounds, plus it hosts several events year-round, including the nearby event called Winterfest of Lights, where millions of lights and fun activities usher everyone into the magic of Christmas.

Perhaps even more exciting, Ocean City is nearby with a long list of attractions to excite everyone. From Ocean Pines, one will be just nine miles from the world-famous Ocean City Boardwalk, a three-mile route featuring a beautiful beach, world-class rides, and Ripley’s Believe It or Not, a museum with a huge collection of unusual artifacts and artworks. Ocean Pines is also less than five miles from the Ocean Downs Casino, a bustling attraction offering hundreds of slot machines, live table games, and summer horse racing.

Frostburg

This adorable Appalachian town is a safe place to settle in Maryland, with a bit of college vibes, as it is home to Frostburg State University. The town is also uncrowded, with a population of approximately 7,000 people, plus it has several attractions to keep residents excited. Those who love history will be met with the Thrasher Carriage Museum, where a significant collection of horse-drawn vehicles offers an insight into the history of transportation.

For entertainment, the Frostburg Palace Theatre is a cool place to watch movies and shows year-round. Even more exciting, the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad is in the area to offer a pleasant three-hour train ride through the Allegheny Mountains aboard steam and diesel locomotives. In the meantime, adventurers have exciting things to enjoy in Frostburg, including a biking adventure on the Great Allegheny Passage, which stretches 150 miles through Cumberland, scenic areas, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Havre de Grace

This adorable town on the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay is drenched in rural charms and natural scenery, and makes for the perfect coastal spot to settle. Most importantly, it is safe, with the FBI Crime Data Explorer showing significantly low crime rates for a five-year period. When it comes to recreation, the town’s Millard Tydings Memorial Park sits on the river, offering picnic facilities, walking paths, a playground, and fishing areas.

Similarly, the Susquehanna State Park sits on the Susquehanna River, presenting even more opportunities for fishing, as well as 15 miles of multi-use trails, campsites, and boating facilities. To add to that, the Concord Point Park is in town, at the point where the river meets Chesapeake Bay, and hosts the 1827 Concord Point Lighthouse, the second oldest in Maryland. For history buffs, there’s a lot to enjoy here, including Havre De Grace Maritime Museum, which is a great place to learn about the region’s rich maritime heritage.

Berlin

Berlin is an excellent destination in Maryland that checks all the right boxes for pleasurable living. Besides being one of the state’s safest communities, it is home to one of the region’s most coveted attractions, Assateague State Park. This park is Maryland’s top natural draw, and the state’s only oceanfront park, featuring two miles of ocean beach and the chance to see feral horses. More features of the park include a well-equipped campground, fishing pier, boat ramp, and opportunities for surfing, swimming, and bird watching.

Besides the oceanfront park, however, Berlin has the Stephen Decatur Park, where one can picnic, stroll through natural areas, watch kids play, or engage in sports activities like tennis and pickleball. For curious minds, the Mermaid Museum in town is a great place to learn about mermaids, while the Ghost Museum contains artifacts, stories, and historical accounts that offer an immersion into the world of ghost sightings and paranormal phenomena.

Those who love golf are also in luck, as the town is home to the Rum Pointe Seaside Golf Links, one of Maryland’s coolest spots to play golf. This establishment has well-maintained greens and fairways, an 18-hole course, and spectacular views of Sinepuxent Bay.

Sykesville

With only around 4,600 residents, Sykesville might seem like an uninteresting place, but this town is an amazing place to live, work, play, and retire with some of the lowest crime rates in the country. The town is also around 28 miles from Baltimore, and 48 miles from Washington DC, placing some of the country’s top attractions and facilities within easy reach, including the incredibly popular National Aquarium, which has thousands of animals from oceans and other habitats around the world.

Back in Sykesville, families will have the Millard Cooper Park to enjoy a playground, splash pad, and picnic facilities, plus nature lovers are always welcome to the Piney Run Park for a satisfying experience. This park has hiking trails winding through wooded areas full of birds, a 300-acre lake ideal for boating and fishing, and a nature center highlighting that shed light on the area’s ecosystem.

Furthermore, Patapsco Valley State Park is just 20 minutes from Sykesville by car; it offers a plethora of activities. At 14,000 acres, this park is one of the largest in Maryland and has over 200 miles of trails and opportunities for birdwatching, camping, fishing, mountain biking, and canoeing.

Centreville

Centreville is a lesser-known town on the Delmarva Peninsula, ideal for a laid-back life away from the hustle and bustle of city life. The town is populated by around 4,700 people and has a significantly low crime rate. But more than that, it has a couple of attractions to offer, including Millstream Park, which has a picnic area and walking trails along a stream.

Similarly, the White Marsh Park in town features picnic facilities and trails, alongside sports facilities, and a pond for fishing. The Doc’s Riverside Grill is also another great attraction in town, offering a variety of delicious food, including seafood, in a cozy setting. Centreville is just 46 minutes from the Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, a paradise for birdwatching featuring over 240 species of birds, including bald eagles.

Leonardtown

According to NeighborhoodScout and AreaVibes, Leonardtown is one of the top-ranking towns when it comes to safety in Maryland and the broader East Coast. Beyond that, the town is exciting and home to the Leonardtown Wharf Park, from where one can launch a boat into the Breton Bay for kayaking and canoeing activities. The park is also a great place to catch events, picnic, or stroll with beautiful bay views.

St. Mary’s River State Park is just outside town and has a myriad of activities to offer, including freshwater fishing, kayaking, picnicking, birdwatching, and hiking. Beyond the outdoors, Leonardtown’s Old Jail Museum will delight history buffs with information and artifacts related to the town’s early days, plus it doubles as a visitor center. As for art enthusiasts, the North End Gallery in town features a variety of artworks from over 40 artists, and it hosts art classes and events year-round.

You can’t go wrong when settling in Maryland, a state renowned for having so much packed into its 10,460-square-mile area that it was nicknamed America in Miniature. Whether you seek a life full of adventures, coastal scenery, great food, and rich history, these towns in Maryland are excellent places to consider, as they also come with incredibly low crime rates. You’ll not find other places with such an appealing mix in Maryland.