Best counties to raise a family in Maryland

- Population: 24,834
- Median home value: $143,600 (68% own)
- Median rent: $839 (32% own)
- Median household income: $48,661
- Top public schools: Crisfield Academy & High School (grade B minus), Deal Island School (grade C+), Carter G. Woodson Elementary School (grade C+)
- Top private schools: Holly Grove Christian School (grade B), Well Watered Wells Leadership Academy (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Crisfield (grade B minus), Princess Anne (grade C+), Fairmount (grade B)

- Population: 19,335
- Median home value: $266,900 (68% own)
- Median rent: $1,025 (32% own)
- Median household income: $64,451
- Top public schools: H.H. Garnett Elementary School (grade B minus), Kent County High School (grade B minus), Kent County Middle School (grade C+)
- Top private schools: Chestertown Christian Academy (grade B minus), Kent School (grade unavailable), Radcliffe Creek School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Chestertown (grade B), Betterton (grade B+), Tolchester (grade B+)

- Population: 32,486
- Median home value: $190,200 (69% own)
- Median rent: $878 (31% own)
- Median household income: $55,652
- Top public schools: South Dorchester School (grade B+), Warwick Elementary School (grade B), North Dorchester High School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: Countryside Christian School (grade unavailable), Open Bible Academy (grade unavailable), Cambridge Christian Academy (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Algonquin (grade C+), Cambridge (grade C), Hurlock (grade B minus)

- Population: 28,955
- Median home value: $197,600 (80% own)
- Median rent: $637 (20% own)
- Median household income: $58,011
- Top public schools: Swan Meadow School (grade B), Northern Garrett High School (grade B), Accident Elementary School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Bittinger Mennonite School (grade unavailable), Swanton Mennonite Fellowship School (grade unavailable), Casselman Valley School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Oakland (grade B), Mountain Lake Park (grade C+), Accident (grade B minus)

- Population: 68,684
- Median home value: $131,500 (69% own)
- Median rent: $719 (31% own)
- Median household income: $51,090
- Top public schools: Frost Elementary School (grade A minus), Parkside Elementary School (grade B+), Cash Valley Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Bishop Walsh School (grade A minus), Calvary Christian Academy (grade B minus), Lighthouse Christian Academy (grade C)
- Top places to live: La Vale (grade A minus), Frostburg (grade B+), Bel Air (grade B+)

- Population: 103,370
- Median home value: $264,500 (76% own)
- Median rent: $1,202 (24% own)
- Median household income: $81,817
- Top public schools: Charlestown Elementary School (grade B), Elkton High School (grade B), Bohemia Manor High School (grade B)
- Top private schools: West Nottingham Academy (grade A+), The Tome School (grade A), Tri-State Christian Academy (grade B)
- Top places to live: North East (grade B minus), Rising Sun (grade B minus), Perryville (grade B minus)

- Population: 957,767
- Median home value: $337,800 (62% own)
- Median rent: $1,593 (38% own)
- Median household income: $91,124
- Top public schools: Eleanor Roosevelt High School (grade A), Academy of Health Sciences at PGCC (grade A), Glenarden Woods Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Al-Huda School (grade A), DeMatha Catholic High School (grade A), Belair Baptist Christian Academy (grade A)
- Top places to live: University Park (grade A+), West Laurel (grade A), Fairwood (grade A)

- Population: 33,234
- Median home value: $225,200 (72% own)
- Median rent: $1,026 (28% own)
- Median household income: $63,027
- Top public schools: Ridgely Elementary School (grade B+), Denton Elementary School (grade B), Preston Elementary School (grade B)
- Top private schools: SMITHSON'S CHRISTIAN SCHOOL (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Denton (grade B minus), Federalsburg (grade C+), Ridgely (grade C+)

- Population: 103,223
- Median home value: $191,400 (58% own)
- Median rent: $1,105 (42% own)
- Median household income: $63,610
- Top public schools: North Salisbury Elementary School (grade A minus), James M. Bennett High School (grade B+), Northwestern Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: The Salisbury School (grade A+), Salisbury Christian School (grade B), Faith Baptist School (grade B+)
- Top places to live: Fruitland (grade B+), Delmar (grade B), Salisbury (grade B)

- Population: 153,956
- Median home value: $229,800 (66% own)
- Median rent: $979 (34% own)
- Median household income: $67,349
- Top public schools: Barbara Ingram School for the Arts (grade A), Fountaindale Elementary School (grade A), North Hagerstown High School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Saint James School (grade A+), St. Maria Goretti Catholic High School (grade A minus), Highland View Academy (grade A minus)
- Top places to live: St. James (grade A minus), Maugansville (grade A minus), Smithsburg (grade A minus)

- Population: 37,510
- Median home value: $337,200 (73% own)
- Median rent: $1,195 (27% own)
- Median household income: $79,349
- Top public schools: Tilghman Elementary School (grade A minus), Chapel District Elementary School (grade B+), White Marsh Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Saints Peter & Paul High School (grade A minus), Chesapeake Christian School (grade B minus), Ss. Peter & Paul Elementary School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Easton (grade B+), St. Michaels (grade B+), Trappe (grade B+)

- Population: 165,209
- Median home value: $339,000 (78% own)
- Median rent: $1,725 (22% own)
- Median household income: $107,808
- Top public schools: North Point High School (grade A), La Plata High School (grade A minus), Dr. James Craik Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Grace Christian Academy of Maryland (grade A minus), Southern Maryland Christian Academy (grade B), St. Peter's School (grade A)
- Top places to live: La Plata (grade B+), Waldorf (grade B+), Hughesville (grade B)

- Population: 52,322
- Median home value: $279,200 (76% own)
- Median rent: $1,068 (24% own)
- Median household income: $71,262
- Top public schools: Ocean City Elementary School (grade A), Stephen Decatur Middle School (grade A), Showell Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Worcester Preparatory School (grade A+), Seaside Christian Academy (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Ocean City (grade A minus), Berlin (grade A minus), Pocomoke City (grade B+)

- Population: 49,702
- Median home value: $374,100 (82% own)
- Median rent: $1,550 (18% own)
- Median household income: $99,597
- Top public schools: Kent Island High School (grade A minus), Bayside Elementary School (grade A minus), Church Hill Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: The Gunston School (grade A), Lighthouse Christian Academy (grade unavailable), Wye River Upper School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Stevensville (grade B+), Grasonville (grade B+), Centreville (grade B+)

- Population: 113,209
- Median home value: $326,800 (72% own)
- Median rent: $1,492 (28% own)
- Median household income: $102,859
- Top public schools: White Marsh Elementary School (grade A minus), Chesapeake Charter School (grade A minus), Leonardtown High School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: St. Mary's Ryken High School (grade A), The King's Christian Academy (grade B), Father Andrew White, S.J. School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: California (grade A), Leonardtown (grade A), Lexington Park (grade B+)

- Population: 172,148
- Median home value: $353,500 (83% own)
- Median rent: $1,228 (17% own)
- Median household income: $104,708
- Top public schools: Century High School (grade A+), Liberty High School (grade A), Eldersburg Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Gerstell Academy (grade A), Carroll Christian Schools (grade B), Springdale Preparatory School (grade A)
- Top places to live: Sykesville (grade A), Eldersburg (grade A), Hampstead (grade A)

- Population: 259,162
- Median home value: $315,200 (80% own)
- Median rent: $1,355 (20% own)
- Median household income: $98,495
- Top public schools: C. Milton Wright High School (grade A), Patterson Mill High School (grade A), Bel Air Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: The John Carroll School (grade A minus), Grace Classical Academy (grade A minus), New Covenant Christian School (grade B+)
- Top places to live: Fallston (grade A), Pleasant Hills (grade A), Havre de Grace (grade A minus)

- Population: 584,064
- Median home value: $380,600 (75% own)
- Median rent: $1,764 (25% own)
- Median household income: $108,048
- Top public schools: Severna Park High School (grade A), Broadneck High School (grade A), West Annapolis Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Key School (grade A+), Severn School (grade A+), Indian Creek School (grade A+)
- Top places to live: Crofton (grade A+), Arnold (grade A), Odenton (grade A)

- Population: 92,515
- Median home value: $374,200 (85% own)
- Median rent: $1,526 (15% own)
- Median household income: $120,295
- Top public schools: Huntingtown High School (grade A), Mount Harmony Elementary School (grade A), Windy Hill Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: The Calverton School (grade A+), Cardinal Hickey Academy (grade B+), Our Lady Star of the Sea School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Chesapeake Beach (grade A), Dunkirk (grade A), Huntingtown (grade A minus)

- Population: 850,702
- Median home value: $277,500 (66% own)
- Median rent: $1,387 (34% own)
- Median household income: $81,846
- Top public schools: Eastern Technical High School (grade A+), Dulaney High School (grade A+), Western School of Technology & Environmental Science (grade A+)
- Top private schools: McDonogh School (grade A+), St. Timothy's School (grade A+), The Park School of Baltimore (grade A+)
- Top places to live: Lutherville (grade A+), Towson (grade A+), Timonium (grade A+)

- Population: 267,498
- Median home value: $356,500 (76% own)
- Median rent: $1,503 (24% own)
- Median household income: $106,129
- Top public schools: Urbana High School (grade A+), Oakdale High School (grade A), Centerville Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Saint John's Catholic Prep (grade A), New Life Christian School (grade B+), Friends Meeting School (grade A)
- Top places to live: Urbana (grade A+), Monrovia (grade A+), New Market (grade A)

- Population: 1,057,201
- Median home value: $508,600 (65% own)
- Median rent: $1,844 (35% own)
- Median household income: $117,345
- Top public schools: Poolesville High School (grade A+), Walt Whitman High School (grade A+), Winston Churchill High School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Holton-Arms School (grade A+), Landon School (grade A+), Georgetown Preparatory School (grade A+)
- Top places to live: North Bethesda (grade A+), North Potomac (grade A+), South Kensington (grade A+)

- Population: 329,248
- Median home value: $483,200 (73% own)
- Median rent: $1,790 (27% own)
- Median household income: $129,549
- Top public schools: Marriotts Ridge High School (grade A+), River Hill High School (grade A+), Centennial High School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Glenelg Country School (grade A+), Chapelgate Christian Academy (grade A), Mount Airy Christian Academy (grade B+)
- Top places to live: Ellicott City (grade A+), Fulton (grade A+), Columbia (grade A+)