Great Cities for Raising Families

Ellicott City, Md.

City population: 56,397
Metro population: 2,690,886 (includes Baltimore and Towson)
Mean family income: $138,793 (nat. avg. = $82,719)
Median home value: $548,400 (nat. avg. = $192,400)
Employment growth: -0.1% (2005-2007, Baltimore Metro)
City school rating: 9 (on a scale of 1 to 10)
Violent crimes per 100,000 residents: NA

Ellicott City is exemplary of a ring of great communities surrounding Baltimore that combine family-friendly living with proximity to big-name employers and attractions for kids (like the popular Bubbleman kids' night). It's just 20 minutes from downtown Baltimore (with its Inner Harbor/
Aquarium complex) and 50 minutes from the nation's capital.
Yet the schools are better, the neighborhoods safer, and the
cost of living slightly lower than many suburbs in this
region. Howard County boasts one of Maryland's top school districts.

PROS: Great public schools geared toward college prep, high average family income, solid wage growth, 67 nearby parks.

CONS: Housing costs are relatively high, rush-hour traffic for Baltimore and D.C. workers a way of life.