Are there any "quaint" towns? (Baltimore, Frederick: condos, low crime)

[isis297]

Are there any small towns where housing is affordable, crime is low, schools are great, etc.? I'd love to find a town where there is a real community feel in addition to the above.

[westsideboy]

There are plenty of quaint towns in Maryland. The question I have for you is what kind of employment do you need? Do need a town within communting distance of D.C. or Baltimore, or do you want to live out of the metro area? If you want to live within communting distance of the city I would recommend northern Frederick County and Carroll County. Both have plenty of small towns. If you want to really be out in a rural area, try Allegany and Garrett county if the mountains are your thing, or the lower Eastern Shore if you like water.

[rkj]

If you're looking for more of a small town feeling but with access to Baltimore/Washington/Annapolis my home town (Pasadena) might fit the bill. It's nestled on a peninsula with easy access to just about every metropolitan area. Has extraordinary public parks (Ft Smallwood, Downs), very low crime and good schools.

Like most small towns pretty much everyone in The Dena knows everyone else since we were raised there and are now raising our own. I think the most telling thing about Pasadena is the large number of people I know that left for college or career but eventually came back to raise their children here.

As for housing, Pasadena has a house to fit or bust any budget. From 200k townhouses/condos to 3 million dollar estates and everything in between.

[isis297]

Most of the jobs my husband has looked at have been in Hunt Valley, Towson, Reisterstown, etc. He's an IT guy. We used to live in Hampstead and while it was safe enough minus a couple of issues with kids (wasn't much to do there til they put in the skate park), the house prices are ridiculous now plus I don't think they even have developments available where you could get a couple of acres.

[rkj]

If you're in that part of the state I'd look in the northern/western counties. You don't want to be south of Baltimore and working in Towson.

[RoadTripGurl]

Originally Posted by rkj

If you're in that part of the state I'd look in the northern/western counties. You don't want to be south of Baltimore and working in Towson.

I second that. Maybe you could try Bel Air? Or towns farther north.

[isis297]

I keep hearing about Carroll County being so great. My husband reminded me one of the things we didn't like about Hampstead which is in Carroll County is the "yo" factor as he calls it. LOL These were white teen boys that behaved this way so I am not trying to be offensive to anybody.

I know there are other parts though but not sure they would be as easy a drive to Hunt Valley and Towson and Hampstead was. He also has a friend who works for Aberdeen Proving Ground who said he would help him find work but that's on the other side so I need opinions on both areas.

What parts of Carroll County are safe, great schools, affordable housing, minus the "yo" factor and what areas near APG would fit that bill? Please keep in mind I REALLY want land too. I would be happy with a development but then give me 4 acres in the back yard or something. LOL

[westsideboy]

You are going to find "yo" culture among the youth in any rural Maryland town. The unfortunate reality is that youth culture is "yo" culture. Just watch MTV if you don't belief me. Somehow everything that is considered culturally "white" is now either redneck or preppy and thus lame. In the rural parts of Maryland especially there is a strong desire for the youth to not appear "country" like their parents, neighbors etc. The biggest rebellion against this to embrace the hip-hop culture, dress and lingo and spray your neighborhood with faux-gang graffetti. The only place to go to avoid this "yo" stuff entirely is the middle of a farm field or a wannabe rich "OC" like surburb. What ever happened to normal kids?

[isis297]

To think, when *I* was watching MTV, my mom had to worry about Alice Cooper and all the hair bands.

Time really changes things...

Anybody have any input on these two areas then? Carroll County - specific parts - and Aberdeen or towns around Aberdeen?

[katzenfreund]

I always liked Chestertown, on the Eastern Shore, nice little town with shopping, restaurants and right on the water!