Best Counties for Families in Maryland 2026

24 counties ranked by schools, safety, income, and affordability.

Top 5 Family Counties in Maryland

1Queen Anne's County

All 24 Family-Ranked Counties in Maryland

Rank	County	Persona Score	Overall Score
1	Queen Anne's County, MD	71	58.9
2	Carroll County, MD	70	57
3	Calvert County, MD	69	59.1
4	Garrett County, MD	66	62.7
5	Talbot County, MD	65	56.9
6	St. Mary's County, MD	62	52.3
7	Kent County, MD	61	52.8
8	Frederick County, MD	60	49.9
9	Howard County, MD	60	48.8
10	Charles County, MD	60	48.2
11	Harford County, MD	58	50.1
12	Worcester County, MD	55	48.4
13	Cecil County, MD	54	42.2
14	Montgomery County, MD	53	46.9
15	Allegany County, MD	53	49.8
16	Washington County, MD	53	44.6
17	Anne Arundel County, MD	50	45.6
18	Dorchester County, MD	49	47
19	Caroline County, MD	48	42
20	Baltimore County, MD	47	38.3
21	Wicomico County, MD	43	39.4
22	Prince George's County, MD	41	32.5
23	Somerset County, MD	38	40.2
24	Baltimore city, MD	27	24.8

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best county for families in Maryland?

Based on our analysis of school quality, safety, income, and cost of living, Queen Anne's County ranks as the top family county in Maryland with a family score of 71.

How many counties in Maryland are ranked for families?

We rank 24 counties in Maryland for family suitability, scoring each on school quality (35%), safety (30%), income (20%), and cost of living (15%).

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Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019-2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.