
Ocean Pines is a planned community on Maryland's Eastern Shore that manages itself with a level of consistency most neighborhoods only aim for. The extensive network of canals and wooded trails provides a natural buffer that reinforces the area's secluded, resort-like atmosphere. Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin covers local healthcare needs without requiring a long drive. Most people here have lived in the same house for years, which means they know their neighbors well enough to notice when something is not right. That familiarity is an asset that makes Ocean Pines one of the safest places in Maryland.
Ocean Pines is a planned community on Maryland's Eastern Shore that manages itself with a level of consistency most neighborhoods only aim for. The extensive network of canals and wooded trails provides a natural buffer that reinf...
Personal Safety : 93
Property Safety : 94
Community Safety : 83
Median Home Price
$409,000
Median Home Rent
$2,250

Sykesville is a small city that takes its character seriously, and the crime record is one of the clearest signs of that. The community's identity is anchored by its beautifully restored Baldwin Station, symbolizing a deep pride in its Baltimore and Ohio Railroad roots. Sykesville Middle School gives local families a strong institution to build around. The historic Main Street district brings people together on a regular basis, from seasonal events to everyday errands. Consistent social contact builds the kind of community fabric that makes crime less likely. People here are genuinely engaged with where they live.
Sykesville is a small city that takes its character seriously, and the crime record is one of the clearest signs of that. The community's identity is anchored by its beautifully restored Baldwin Station, symbolizing a deep pride i...
Personal Safety : 96
Property Safety : 84
Community Safety : 88
$585,000
Median Home Rent
$2,600

University Park occupies a quiet corner of Prince George's County just outside Washington D.C. The crime rate is well below what most people would expect from a community this close to a major city. The civic association is active and holds neighborhood standards with real consistency year-round. University Park Elementary School keeps family life locally anchored and gives residents a shared civic institution worth investing in. Streets are narrow, tree-lined, and calm. Residents tend to know each other by name, and that social familiarity creates an informal layer of awareness. It makes the neighborhood genuinely safer for everyone who lives here.
University Park occupies a quiet corner of Prince George's County just outside Washington D.C. The crime rate is well below what most people would expect from a community this close to a major city. The civic association is active...
Personal Safety : 98
Property Safety : 66
Community Safety : 86
$617,000
Median Home Rent
$1,400

Hampstead has added residents over the years without losing its attentive residential character. It is one of the safest areas in Maryland, made up largely of long-term homeowners who pay real attention to what is happening on their streets. Large plots of land and a slow-moving pace of life offer a rare sense of rural privacy within a reasonable commute of the Baltimore beltway. There are no busy commercial strips generating late-night activity here, and that absence is deliberate in feel if not in policy. The quiet is part of what keeps crime low, and residents here seem to understand and value that.
Hampstead has added residents over the years without losing its attentive residential character. It is one of the safest areas in Maryland, made up largely of long-term homeowners who pay real attention to what is happening on the...
Personal Safety : 81
Property Safety : 89
Community Safety : 87
$375,000
Median Home Rent
$1,650

Gaithersburg is a larger city that manages its scale better than most, and the crime numbers are evidence of that. The Gaithersburg Police Department runs genuine community policing programs that keep residents actively engaged in local safety rather than leaving it entirely to law enforcement. Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center is nearby and well-equipped for the community's healthcare needs. The Kentlands neighborhood is walkable, thoughtfully maintained, and calm through every season. A mix of long-term residents from different backgrounds, all invested in the same streets, makes Gaithersburg one of the safest cities in Maryland.
Gaithersburg is a larger city that manages its scale better than most, and the crime numbers are evidence of that. The Gaithersburg Police Department runs genuine community policing programs that keep residents actively engaged in...
Personal Safety : 76
Property Safety : 77
Community Safety : 78
$549,900
Median Home Rent
$2,250

Rate Ellicott City
4.0/5
1 Review
Job Market
100%
Commute
100%
Good Schools
100%
Affordability
100%
Public Transit
100%
Future Growth
100%
Ellicott City has a history that makes people want to take care of it, and the residents here clearly do. Howard County Police covers both the beloved historic Main Street corridor and the newer residential developments. This keeps crime low across two very different kinds of neighborhoods within the same community. Howard County General Hospital is accessible and well-regarded for local healthcare. Long-term homeownership is the dominant pattern here, not the exception, and that sustained personal investment in the community creates an attentive neighborhood culture. Ellicott City has stayed safe because the people who live here are consistently paying attention.
Ellicott City has a history that makes people want to take care of it, and the residents here clearly do. Howard County Police covers both the beloved historic Main Street corridor and the newer residential developments. This keep...
Personal Safety : 80
Property Safety : 51
Community Safety : 69
$720,000
Median Home Rent
$2,800
Rate Ellicott City
4.0/5
1 Review
Job Market
100%
Commute
100%
Good Schools
100%
Affordability
100%
Public Transit
100%
Future Growth
100%

Rate Columbia
4.0/5
1 Review
Job Market
100%
Commute
100%
Good Schools
100%
Affordability
100%
Public Transit
100%
Future Growth
100%
Columbia was designed from the start with the idea that how a place is built shapes how people live in it, and decades later that vision still holds. A vast system of interconnected pathways allows residents to traverse thousands of acres of green space without ever needing to cross a major highway. Howard County General Hospital is accessible within the community. Wilde Lake High School and Oakland Mills High School both anchor their villages with strong community presence. It functions less like a suburb and more like a collection of real neighborhoods where people actively pay attention to what is happening around them.
Columbia was designed from the start with the idea that how a place is built shapes how people live in it, and decades later that vision still holds. A vast system of interconnected pathways allows residents to traverse thousands ...
Personal Safety : 80
Property Safety : 51
Community Safety : 69
$489,900
Median Home Rent
$2,109
Rate Columbia
4.0/5
1 Review
Job Market
100%
Commute
100%
Good Schools
100%
Affordability
100%
Public Transit
100%
Future Growth
100%

Easton sits at a size that works in its favor, making it one of the safest towns in Maryland. The town serves as a cultural hub for the region, where the preservation of colonial architecture meets a sophisticated modern culinary scene. University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton handles healthcare reliably for the local population. Washington Street carries independent shops and the Avalon Theatre, keeping foot traffic active without being disruptive. People here look out for one another in a way that feels habitual. It is a town that has figured out how to stay lively and safe at the same time.
Easton sits at a size that works in its favor, making it one of the safest towns in Maryland. The town serves as a cultural hub for the region, where the preservation of colonial architecture meets a sophisticated modern culinary ...
Personal Safety : 61
Property Safety : 65
Community Safety : 58
$485,000
Median Home Rent
$2,500

Rate Bethesda
5.0/5
1 Review
Bethesda sits at the top of the D.C. metro safety rankings and has the infrastructure to explain why. The Capital Crescent Trail hums with activity, serving as a scenic artery for commuters and weekend cyclists moving through the urban center. Suburban Hospital, part of the Johns Hopkins Medicine network, is located directly in Bethesda, giving residents access to top-tier care without needing to travel into D.C. Walter Johnson High School ranks consistently among Maryland's stronger public schools. The residential base here is educated and treats neighborhood safety as something worth actively maintaining rather than taking for granted.
Bethesda sits at the top of the D.C. metro safety rankings and has the infrastructure to explain why. The Capital Crescent Trail hums with activity, serving as a scenic artery for commuters and weekend cyclists moving through the ...
Personal Safety : 71
Property Safety : 53
Community Safety : 70
$1,200,000
Median Home Rent
$3,174
Rate Bethesda
5.0/5
1 Review

Bowie does not always come up first in conversations about safe Prince George's County communities, but anyone who looks at the data closely will find it deserves more attention. The Bowie Police Department runs structured community engagement programs that have kept crime low and residents involved in the safety of their neighborhoods over time. Bowie High School anchors family life across much of the city and gives the community a shared institution that matters. Allen Pond Park keeps residents active and connected through every season. People who move to Bowie tend to stay, and that long-term rootedness is reflected in how settled and secure the city genuinely feels day to day.
Bowie does not always come up first in conversations about safe Prince George's County communities, but anyone who looks at the data closely will find it deserves more attention. The Bowie Police Department runs structured communi...
Personal Safety : 67
Property Safety : 41
Community Safety : 67
$519,900
Median Home Rent
$2,950
Transparent & data-driven
Each city is scored against the national average across three weighted categories, built entirely from FBI NIBRS crime data spanning 18 offense categories. Every metric is converted to a per-capita rate and a common 0–100 scale, so no single offense can dominate — and a city served by a non-reporting agency is never treated as crime-free.
Homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, kidnapping & human trafficking vs. the national rate.
Burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, arson & theft from buildings or vehicles vs. the national rate.
Simple assault, sex offenses, stolen property, vandalism, weapon & drug violations — the tiebreaker.
Recalculated as each new annual NIBRS reporting year is released · agency-to-city mappings refresh quarterly.
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