The Town FilesSykesville, Maryland
Town in Carroll County · population 4,316 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $453,400
- Household income
- $139,556
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 29 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 34.8
Sykesville is a town of 4,316 people in Carroll County, Maryland. The median home is worth $453,400, above the typical Maryland town ($412,300). It ranks more of a college town than 98% of Maryland towns, better for young professionals than 96% of Maryland towns, more upscale than 83% of Maryland towns.
How Sykesville 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 Sykesville is worth $453,400, above the typical Maryland town ($412,300). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $139,556, which is more affordable than 83% of Maryland towns. Median rent is $1,828 a month. 77.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sykesville | Typical Maryland town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $453,400 | $412,300 |
| Median rent | $1,828 | $1,748 |
| Median household income | $139,556 | $108,677 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 77.5% | 77.3% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sykesville
| People | Sykesville | Typical Maryland town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.2% | 16.4% |
| Under 18 | 29.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 56.7% | 39.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.1% | 7.1% |
| Veterans | 4.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.9% | — |
| Work from home | 10.2% | 17.4% |
| Average commute | 30.8 min | 31.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.7% | 94.3% |
Weather in Sykesville
July highs average 84.3°F and January lows 24.5°F. About 47.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.8 inches of snow (typical Maryland town: 15.9 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 98 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sykesville since 1950, compared with 18 for the typical Maryland town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on July 19, 1996 about 7.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on June 8, 1990.
Severe weather in Carroll County since 1996
Carroll County has been included in 19 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 |
| April 10, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4170: Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Carroll County
Carroll County had 59,195 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,405 a year. Unemployment was 1.7% in 2023; in Sykesville itself the ACS puts it at 2.3%.
Public schools in Sykesville
14 public schools with 11,041 students, about 16.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marriotts Ridge High | 9-12 | 1,701 | 17.2 |
| Century High | 9-12 | 1,083 | 17.8 |
| Liberty High | 9-12 | 1,000 | 16.9 |
| South Carroll High | 9-12 | 935 | 17.3 |
| Mount View Middle | 6-8 | 876 | 16.2 |
| Sykesville Middle | 6-8 | 758 | 15.2 |
| Oklahoma Road Middle | 6-8 | 758 | 16.1 |
| Linton Springs Elementary | PK-5 | 738 | 16.8 |
| Freedom District Elementary | K-5 | 643 | 15.7 |
| Carrolltowne Elementary | PK-5 | 623 | 15.6 |
| Piney Ridge Elementary | PK-5 | 583 | 15.8 |
| Mechanicsville Elementary | PK-5 | 497 | 15.1 |
Towns near Sykesville
- Eldersburg, MD2.4 mi · 32,582 people · home $494,300
- Randallstown, MD9.1 mi · 33,655 people · home $327,200
- Mount Airy, MD9.7 mi · 9,654 people · home $487,400
- Ellicott City, MD9.9 mi · 75,947 people · home $661,700
- Reisterstown, MD10.1 mi · 26,822 people · home $358,700
- Owings Mills, MD10.1 mi · 35,674 people · home $361,000
- Milford Mill, MD10.9 mi · 30,622 people · home $273,600
- Garrison, MD11.9 mi · 9,487 people · home $331,600
Sykesville questions
Is Sykesville, Maryland a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sykesville scores better for retirees than 79% of Maryland towns and quieter than 9%. 13.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.8).
How much does a house cost in Sykesville?
The median owner-occupied home in Sykesville is valued at $453,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $139,556, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,828 a month.
What is the weather like in Sykesville?
July highs average 84.3°F and January lows 24.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.9 inches of precipitation a year and 28.8 inches of snow.
Does Sykesville get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sykesville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on July 19, 1996. 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)