The Town FilesShady Side, Maryland
Community in Anne Arundel County · population 5,806 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $503,500
- Household income
- $153,661
- Jan low / Jul high
- 30° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 15 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 49.8
Shady Side is a community of 5,806 people in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The median home is worth $503,500, above the typical Maryland town ($412,300). It ranks more of a college town than 98% of Maryland towns, more seaside character than 96% of Maryland towns, better for families than 83% of Maryland towns.
How Shady Side ranks
Percentile among Maryland towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maryland towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Shady Side is worth $503,500, above the typical Maryland town ($412,300). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $153,661, which is more affordable than 77% of Maryland towns. Median rent is $2,490 a month. 88.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shady Side | Typical Maryland town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $503,500 | $412,300 |
| Median rent | $2,490 | $1,748 |
| Median household income | $153,661 | $108,677 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 88.9% | 77.3% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 10.5% | — |
Who lives in Shady Side
| People | Shady Side | Typical Maryland town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.2% | 16.4% |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.4% | 39.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.8% | 7.1% |
| Veterans | 8.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.6% | — |
| Work from home | 14.9% | 17.4% |
| Average commute | 36.7 min | 31.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.3% | 94.3% |
Weather in Shady Side
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 29.8°F. About 44.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 15.3 inches of snow (typical Maryland town: 15.9 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 56 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shady Side since 1950, compared with 18 for the typical Maryland town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on September 1, 2021 about 4.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 5, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 1, 2020.
Severe weather in Anne Arundel County since 1996
Anne Arundel County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3634: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4491: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3430: Covid-19 |
| March 4, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4261: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| November 20, 2012 | Hurricane | DR-4091: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County had 288,447 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $79,546 a year. Unemployment was 1.8% in 2023; in Shady Side itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Public schools in Shady Side
1 public school with 396 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shady Side Elementary | PK-5 | 396 | 13.2 |
Towns near Shady Side
- Deale, MD3.2 mi · 4,943 people · home $431,400
- Mayo, MD5.2 mi · 8,832 people · home $604,900
- Annapolis Neck, MD7.5 mi · 10,973 people · home $739,100
- Edgewater, MD7.8 mi · 9,446 people · home $454,100
- Riva, MD8.9 mi · 4,257 people · home $644,500
- Chesapeake Beach, MD9.8 mi · 6,356 people · home $444,600
- Annapolis, MD9.9 mi · 40,812 people · home $548,900
- Marlboro Meadows, MD10.4 mi · 3,655 people · home $408,400
Shady Side questions
Is Shady Side, Maryland a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shady Side scores better for retirees than 71% of Maryland towns and quieter than 70%. 19.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.8).
How much does a house cost in Shady Side?
The median owner-occupied home in Shady Side is valued at $503,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $153,661, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $2,490 a month.
What is the weather like in Shady Side?
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 29.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.0 inches of precipitation a year and 15.3 inches of snow.
Does Shady Side get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shady Side since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on September 1, 2021. The typical Maryland town has had 18.
- 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)