Best Places in MD? (Baltimore, Columbia: power lines, renting, violent crime)

[quakerchick]

What are the best places in Maryland to live and raise a family?
Please if you could give me some reason why?
Looking for some affordability doesn't have to be cheap.
Good schools.
Good healthcare.
Some things to do.
SAFE SAFE SAFE SAFE.

[RamblingMan]

What constitutes "best" really depends on individual preferences and circumstances. Are you looking for urban, suburban, or rural? What kinds of things do you want to do for leisure? What constitutes "affordability" and "doesn't have to be cheap?"

In the DC area, where traffic is among the worst in the country, my own view is that finding the right place to live has to start with looking at where you work and thinking about how long you are willing to commute. Draw a circle around that commuting distance and you can consider the places inside. It would be easy to tell you that Rock Hall or St. Michael's is a great place to live and raise a family, but it won't matter much if you have to commute to DC.

[Lubina]

- Where in MD are you looking? For a relatively small state land-wise, MD is spread out and vastly diverse. DC metro versus Baltimore metro versus eastern shore versus western Maryland are like different countries.
-What is your budget? a $300,000 house in one area may cost $800,000 in one area and $150,000 in another
- Good healthcare can be found all over the DC metro area. That is a plus about the area.
- "Things to do" depends on what you like to do. Indoors, outdoors, sports, music, plays, free museums, pay museusm, child centric, adult centric?
- No place is 100% safe. There are areas that are overall safer than others. Are you talking about no one steps on my foot or bumps into me or looks at me in the eye for longer than three seconds safe or free of black and brown people safe?
-good schools What is your definition of "good" and for what age? are you looking for small class sizes? special programs? graduation rates? Public? private? religious based

[quakerchick]

I will be renting for the first 2 years so i don't want to pay more than 1700 for a 2 bedroom.
I like museums, child fun, sports ect..
As for safety low property crime and barley any violent crime.
I don't want it to be all white though a little diversity is fine.
As for schools i will mostly send to private however the public schools should have small class sizes, good teacher, high graduation rates. My son is three and will be turning 4, however its in October and will not meet the d.o.b requirement in September.

[AZ Bound2013]

quakerchick,
From what you have described, I would look at Ellicott City and Columbia, MD. I have lived in Columbia for 6 years now and my wife has been here for even longer. This town is growing by leaps and bounds and it is very diverse. The location is really good because you are right between DC and Baltimore. The schools are always in the top ten every year. The city is a planned community and for the most part the city has most of its power lines under ground, so you will not loose power. I haven't lost it yet since I lived here. As for crime, I haven't had any problems with it at all. There are also a lot of gyms/clubs and pools and all kinds of family oriented things to do around here.