The 10 Best Small Towns for Young Families in Maryland
Ranked on The Town Files lifestyle rankings among 124 towns of 500–10,000 people in Maryland, scoring every town on all of these at once. #1 is Braddock Heights, MD.
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10Hampstead, Maryland
Families: 71st percentile · Quiet: 70th percentile · First-time buyers: 75th percentile

Photo: User:Mopenstein (public domain, Wikimedia Commons) Hampstead is a town of 6,241 people in Carroll County, Maryland. Homes have a median value of $333,000 against household income of $97,871; January lows average 24°F.
6,241 people · Carroll County · median home $333,000 · income $97,871 · Jan low 24°F · 34 in snow
Full Hampstead, Maryland profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →
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9Brunswick, Maryland
Families: 65th percentile · Quiet: 71st percentile · First-time buyers: 88th percentile
Brunswick is a city of 7,762 people in Frederick County, Maryland. Homes have a median value of $374,500 against household income of $118,025; January lows average 21°F.
7,762 people · Frederick County · median home $374,500 · income $118,025 · Jan low 21°F · 32 in snow
Full Brunswick, Maryland profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →
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8Brown Station, Maryland
Families: 75th percentile · Quiet: 68th percentile · First-time buyers: 85th percentile
Brown Station is a community of 3,298 people in Prince George's County, Maryland. Homes have a median value of $470,300 against household income of $168,848; January lows average 25°F.
3,298 people · Prince George's County · median home $470,300 · income $168,848 · Jan low 25°F · 16 in snow
Full Brown Station, Maryland profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →
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7Walkersville, Maryland
Families: 78th percentile · Quiet: 70th percentile · First-time buyers: 82nd percentile
Walkersville is a town of 6,156 people in Frederick County, Maryland. Homes have a median value of $488,300 against household income of $130,893; January lows average 27°F.
6,156 people · Frederick County · median home $488,300 · income $130,893 · Jan low 27°F · 30 in snow
Full Walkersville, Maryland profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →
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6Middletown, Maryland
Families: 90th percentile · Quiet: 52nd percentile · First-time buyers: 90th percentile
Middletown is a town of 4,943 people in Frederick County, Maryland. Homes have a median value of $554,800 against household income of $173,333; January lows average 27°F.
4,943 people · Frederick County · median home $554,800 · income $173,333 · Jan low 27°F · 31 in snow
Full Middletown, Maryland profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →
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5Woodmore, Maryland
Families: 74th percentile · Quiet: 75th percentile · First-time buyers: 91st percentile
Woodmore is a community of 4,513 people in Prince George's County, Maryland. Homes have a median value of $604,600 against household income of $184,286; January lows average 25°F.
4,513 people · Prince George's County · median home $604,600 · income $184,286 · Jan low 25°F · 16 in snow
Full Woodmore, Maryland profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →
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4Marlboro Meadows, Maryland
Families: 59th percentile · Quiet: 92nd percentile · First-time buyers: 97th percentile
Marlboro Meadows is a community of 3,655 people in Prince George's County, Maryland. Homes have a median value of $408,400 against household income of $111,313; January lows average 25°F.
3,655 people · Prince George's County · median home $408,400 · income $111,313 · Jan low 25°F · 16 in snow
Full Marlboro Meadows, Maryland profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →
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3Jefferson, Maryland
Families: 84th percentile · Quiet: 79th percentile · First-time buyers: 90th percentile
Jefferson is a community of 2,697 people in Frederick County, Maryland. Homes have a median value of $533,100 against household income of $150,854; January lows average 27°F.
2,697 people · Frederick County · median home $533,100 · income $150,854 · Jan low 27°F · 32 in snow
Full Jefferson, Maryland profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →
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2West Laurel, Maryland
Families: 86th percentile · Quiet: 86th percentile · First-time buyers: 99th percentile
West Laurel is a community of 4,428 people in Prince George's County, Maryland. Homes have a median value of $541,000 against household income of $164,688; January lows average 26°F.
4,428 people · Prince George's County · median home $541,000 · income $164,688 · Jan low 26°F · 16 in snow
Full West Laurel, Maryland profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →
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1Braddock Heights, Maryland
Families: 91st percentile · Quiet: 87th percentile · First-time buyers: 96th percentile

Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author (public domain, Wikimedia Commons) Braddock Heights is a community of 3,075 people in Frederick County, Maryland. Homes have a median value of $537,700 against household income of $124,000; January lows average 27°F.
3,075 people · Frederick County · median home $537,700 · income $124,000 · Jan low 27°F · 31 in snow
Full Braddock Heights, Maryland profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →
Percentile vs Maryland towns on each part of this ranking.
Price vs ranking
More Maryland rankings
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Maryland
- The 25 Quietest Small Towns in Maryland
- The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Maryland
- The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in Maryland
- The 19 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Maryland
- 25 Small Towns in Maryland With the Cheapest Homes
- 25 Small Towns in Maryland With the Mildest Winters
- The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in Maryland
- 25 Small Towns in Maryland With the Fewest Tornadoes Since 1950
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Maryland
Same ranking, other places
- The 50 Best Small Towns for Young Families in America
- The 25 Best Small Towns for Young Families in Pennsylvania
- The 25 Best Small Towns for Young Families in New York
- The 10 Best Small Towns for Young Families in Michigan
- The 17 Best Small Towns for Young Families in Texas
- The 25 Best Small Towns for Young Families in California
- The 25 Best Small Towns for Young Families in New Jersey
- The 25 Best Small Towns for Young Families in Florida
- The 17 Best Small Towns for Young Families in Massachusetts
- The 10 Best Small Towns for Young Families in Maine
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)