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Hampstead vs Friendly

59 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (6.6× in Hampstead) and rent (+76% in Friendly).

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Hampstead, MDKnown for its schoolsMaryland · 6,251 people

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Friendly, MDOne of the healthiest townsMaryland · 11,119 people

Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

HampsteadKnown for its schools

Schools#67 for schools in MDof 235 towns Housing$440K typical home3% above the MD typical home HealthHealthier than 83%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Hampstead →

FriendlyOne of the healthiest towns

HealthHealthier than 53%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates

Outdoors#80 most conserved land in MD0.4 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves SchoolsBetter than 8%of MD districts All about Friendly →

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Jobs per worker6.6×

Hampstead is more of a job hub

Hampstead 0.73Friendly 0.11

Rent runs higher in Friendly

Friendly $2,306Hampstead $1,309

Work from home+14.1 pts

More people work from home in Friendly

Friendly 28.9%Hampstead 14.8%

Hampstead has more miles of trail

Hampstead 1.1 miFriendly 0.4 mi

Home values+31%

Homes cost more in Friendly

Friendly $437,800Hampstead $333,000

Property tax bill+33%

Tax bills are bigger in Friendly

Friendly $4,634Hampstead $3,480

★ What stands out · Report cards

Hampstead places higher on 11 of 19 MD lists

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

BHampsteadSafer than 59% of U.S. towns –FriendlyNot graded

Schools

A+HampsteadBetter than 96% of districts in the state DFriendlyBetter than 8% of districts in the state

Health

A−HampsteadHealthier than 83% of U.S. towns B−FriendlyHealthier than 53% of U.S. towns

11Hampstead

8Friendly

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Lowest depressionHealth · 262 towns #241#9 Highest graduation rateSchools · 258 towns #1#192 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 262 towns #207#16 Cheapest rentCost of living · 252 towns #35#210 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 262 towns #35#194 Most remote workersWork · 256 towns #168#30 Most activeHealth · 262 towns #77#193 Fastest growingGrowth · 250 towns #228#123

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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%

Hampstead$2,690/mo

Typical home $440K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.05% · or rent about $1,309/mo · Housing →

Friendly$2,680/mo

Typical home $438K (Census) · tax rate 1.06% · or rent about $2,306/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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

HampsteadFriendly

Snow a year34″13″

January low24°F —

July high85°F —

Growing season (days)188d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)10th 8th

Outdoors & history

HampsteadFriendly

Trails1 mi 0 mi

Conserved land10.1%12.4%

Settled1888 —

National Register places1 —

Archive photos11 —

Famous people born here2 —

Community

HampsteadFriendly

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

59 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

HampsteadMD FriendlyMD

Hampstead ↔ Friendly59 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

HampsteadFriendly

People

Population 6,251Lowest 11,119Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -1.3%Lowest MD: +7% +7.4%Highest MD: +7%

Median age 47±7Lowest 19% above MD 47.5±4.4Highest 21% above MD

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

Kids under 18 19.4%±4.2Lowest MD: 22.2% 20.4%±2.5Highest MD: 22.2%

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

Age 65+ 15.8%±5Lowest MD: 16.7% 20.7%±2.7Highest MD: 16.7%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 40.4%Highest MD: 43.4% 29.7%Lowest MD: 43.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.4%±2.4Lowest MD: 6.9% 5.7%±1.6Highest MD: 6.9%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $97,871±$15kLowest 6% below MD $127,670±$30kHighest 23% above MD

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $333,000±$20kLowest 21% below MD $437,800±$23kHighest 4% above MD

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,309±$158Lowest 23% below MD $2,306±$216Highest 35% above MD

Property taxmedian, yearly $3,480Lowest 15% below MD $4,634Highest 13% above MD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 51.6%±22.8Highest MD: 51.5% 47.7%±12.7Lowest MD: 51.5%

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

Below poverty line 6.9%Highest MD: 9.4% 3%Lowest MD: 9.4%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 80.3%Lowest MD: 67.6% 89.2%Highest MD: 67.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1993Highest 14 yrs newer than MD 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than MD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 30 minLowest about the MD average 37 minHighest 19% above MD

Work from home 14.8%±4.5Lowest MD: 19.3% 28.9%±6.5Highest MD: 19.3%

Work in townworking residents 4.9%Highest 1%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.8 miHighest 11.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.73Highest 0.11Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Baltimore (7%)Washington (25%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in FriendlyFew work in Hampstead

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 10.1%Lowest 12.4%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 1.1 miHighest 0.4 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 2Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 43.7Lowest 45.9Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #67 of 235 in MD #141 of 235 in MD

School district Carroll County Public SchoolsPrince George's County Public Schools

High school in town None in townFriendly High

Students per teacherat that high school — 14.7

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.

Hampstead neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hampstead’s Town Square.

Friendly neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Friendly’s Town Square.

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Towns like Hampstead

Walkersville6,414 people · $488K homes

La Plata10,683 people · $428K homes

Manchester5,439 people · $376K homes

Chesapeake Beach6,456 people · $445K homes

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.