Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Maryland ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety

DAberdeenSafer than 14% of U.S. towns CWestminsterSafer than 33% of U.S. towns

Schools

BAberdeenBetter than 64% of districts in the state A+WestminsterBetter than 96% of districts in the state

Health

C−AberdeenHealthier than 25% of U.S. towns A−WestminsterHealthier than 78% of U.S. towns

7Aberdeen

13Westminster

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

HealthiestHealth · 262 towns #240#106 Most conserved landOutdoors · 260 towns #238#123 Fewest smokersHealth · 262 towns #235#127 Lowest property taxCost of living · 259 towns #46#124 Highest graduation rateSchools · 258 towns #76#1 Most remote workersWork · 256 towns #231#158 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 262 towns #172#112 Most activeHealth · 262 towns #200#141

Left end = #1 in Maryland. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Aberdeen’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $760 more a month in Westminster

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Aberdeen$2,140/mo

Typical home $345K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.14% · or rent about $1,363/mo · Housing →

Westminster$2,900/mo

Typical home $463K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.21% · or rent about $1,476/mo · Housing →

The difference: $760 a month, about $9,100 a year, between Westminster and Aberdeen.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

AberdeenWestminster

Snow a year17″28″

January low27°F 21°F

July high87°F 85°F

Growing season (days)217d 177d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)6th 17th

Outdoors & history

AberdeenWestminster

Trails1 mi 5 mi

Conserved land2.1%9.5%

Settled1892 1764

National Register places5 13

Archive photos—6

Famous people born here—23

Community

AberdeenWestminster

Library hours a week51 hrs 57 hrs

Colleges in town—1

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

45 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

AberdeenMD WestminsterMD

Aberdeen ↔ Westminster45 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Maryland average

AberdeenWestminster

People

Population 17,298Lowest 20,445Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +8.7%Highest MD: +7% +8.3%Lowest MD: +7%

Median age 38.8±2.3Highest about the MD average 38.5±3.1Lowest about the MD average

Aberdeen and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 21.6%±2.7Highest MD: 22.2% 17.2%±2.2Lowest MD: 22.2%

Aberdeen and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 16.9%±2.3Lowest MD: 16.7% 17.5%±2.2Highest MD: 16.7%

Westminster and Aberdeen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 25.6%Lowest MD: 43.4% 36.3%Highest MD: 43.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.1%±1.8Lowest MD: 6.9% 13.6%±1.7Highest MD: 6.9%

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $74,826±$9kLowest 28% below MD $86,219±$13kHighest 17% below MD

Westminster and Aberdeen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $261,400±$22kLowest 38% below MD $337,600±$23kHighest 20% below MD

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,363±$78Lowest 20% below MD $1,476±$67Highest 13% below MD

Westminster and Aberdeen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,978Lowest 27% below MD $4,079Highest about the MD average

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 55.1%±10.8Lowest MD: 51.5% 56.7%±9.8Highest MD: 51.5%

Westminster and Aberdeen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 14.3%Highest MD: 9.4% 10%Lowest MD: 9.4%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 62.1%Highest MD: 67.6% 56.5%Lowest MD: 67.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than MD 1982Highest 3 yrs newer than MD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 28 minLowest 12% below MD 29 minHighest 8% below MD

Work from home 8.4%±2.3Lowest MD: 19.3% 15.4%±2.9Highest MD: 19.3%

Work in townworking residents 8.8%Lowest 13.2%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 20.3 miLowest 22.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.02Lowest 1.32Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Baltimore (13%)Baltimore (8%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in WestminsterFew work in Aberdeen

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 2.1%Lowest 9.5%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.9 miLowest 4.7 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.7 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 8Lowest 10Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 79.1Highest 71.1Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #113 of 235 in MD #99 of 235 in MD

School district Harford County Public SchoolsCarroll County Public Schools

High school in town Aberdeen HighNone in town

Students per teacherat that high school 14.2 —

Maryland average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Aberdeen neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Aberdeen’s Town Square.

Westminster neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Westminster’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Aberdeen and Westminster

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Aberdeen

+ Compare

Perryman2,174 people · $245K homes

+ Compare

Havre de Grace14,994 people · $393K homes

+ Compare

Aberdeen Proving Ground2,193 people

Towns like Aberdeen

+ Compare

New Carrollton13,564 people · $395K homes

+ Compare

Elkton15,910 people · $293K homes

+ Compare

Cumberland18,804 people · $123K homes

+ Compare

Easton17,308 people · $359K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Maryland towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Aberdeen vs Westminster

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Westminster places higher on 13 of 21 MD lists

A typical home costs $760 more a month in Westminster

What daily life feels like in each

45 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Aberdeen and Westminster

Bordering Aberdeen

Towns like Aberdeen

Post to Aberdeen

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