Best counties to raise a family in Maryland

- Niche grades: good for families (C), public schools (C-), cost of living (B+), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B-)
- Population: 24,685
- Median household income: $52,462
- Median home value: $164,300
- Top places to live: Crisfield (B-), Princess Anne (B-), Fairmount (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (C+), public schools (C), cost of living (B), weather (B-), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 32,612
- Median household income: $60,495
- Median home value: $252,300
- Top places to live: Algonquin (C+), Cambridge (C), Hurlock (C+)

- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (C+), cost of living (B-), weather (A-), outdoor activities (B)
- Population: 19,265
- Median household income: $74,402
- Median home value: $307,100
- Top places to live: Chestertown (B), Tolchester (A-), Galena (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (B-), cost of living (B), weather (B-), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 33,406
- Median household income: $66,368
- Median home value: $272,400
- Top places to live: Denton (B-), Federalsburg (C+), Ridgely (B-)

- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B-), cost of living (A-), weather (C), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 28,713
- Median household income: $69,031
- Median home value: $217,000
- Top places to live: Oakland (B), Mountain Lake Park (C+), Bloomington (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (C+), cost of living (A-), weather (C+), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 67,762
- Median household income: $57,393
- Median home value: $149,200
- Top places to live: La Vale (A-), Frostburg (B+), Bel Air (B+)

- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B-), cost of living (B-), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 104,366
- Median household income: $91,146
- Median home value: $311,800
- Top places to live: North East (B), Rising Sun (B), Charlestown (B-)

- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (C-), cost of living (C+), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 955,584
- Median household income: $100,708
- Median home value: $404,300
- Top places to live: University Park (A+), West Laurel (A), Fairwood (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B), cost of living (B), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B-)
- Population: 104,117
- Median household income: $72,861
- Median home value: $238,900
- Top places to live: Fruitland (A-), Delmar (B), Salisbury (B-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B), cost of living (B-), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 37,707
- Median household income: $84,378
- Median home value: $398,300
- Top places to live: Easton (B+), St. Michaels (A-), Oxford (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (A-), cost of living (B), weather (C+), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 155,033
- Median household income: $74,157
- Median home value: $275,900
- Top places to live: St. James (B+), Robinwood (B), Smithsburg (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B+), cost of living (B-), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 168,710
- Median household income: $120,592
- Median home value: $402,300
- Top places to live: La Plata (B+), Potomac Heights (B+), Bryans Road (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (A-), cost of living (B-), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 50,951
- Median household income: $113,347
- Median home value: $441,800
- Top places to live: Stevensville (A-), Kingstown (B+), Centreville (B+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A+), cost of living (B-), weather (B), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 53,279
- Median household income: $81,455
- Median home value: $348,100
- Top places to live: Berlin (A-), Ocean City (A-), Pocomoke City (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A), cost of living (B-), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 174,318
- Median household income: $115,876
- Median home value: $406,400
- Top places to live: Sykesville (A), Eldersburg (A), Hampstead (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A-), cost of living (B-), weather (B), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 114,372
- Median household income: $114,580
- Median home value: $390,900
- Top places to live: California (A), Leonardtown (A), Lexington Park (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A-), cost of living (B-), weather (C+), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 262,509
- Median household income: $111,317
- Median home value: $367,300
- Top places to live: Fallston (A), Pleasant Hills (A), Havre de Grace (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A), cost of living (B-), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 93,791
- Median household income: $132,059
- Median home value: $440,200
- Top places to live: Chesapeake Beach (A), Dunkirk (A), Owings (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A+), public schools (B+), cost of living (B-), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 590,936
- Median household income: $120,324
- Median home value: $450,300
- Top places to live: Crofton (A+), Arnold (A), Odenton (A)

- Niche grades: good for families (A+), public schools (A-), cost of living (B-), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 849,586
- Median household income: $90,904
- Median home value: $330,000
- Top places to live: Lutherville (A+), Towson (A+), Timonium (A+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A+), public schools (A), cost of living (B-), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 280,341
- Median household income: $120,458
- Median home value: $437,700
- Top places to live: Monrovia (A+), Urbana (A+), Spring Ridge (A+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A+), public schools (A+), cost of living (C+), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 1,057,586
- Median household income: $128,733
- Median home value: $615,200
- Top places to live: North Potomac (A+), North Bethesda (A+), Potomac (A+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A+), public schools (A+), cost of living (C+), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 333,916
- Median household income: $146,982
- Median home value: $576,700
- Top places to live: Fulton (A+), Ellicott City (A+), Columbia (A+)