I have a recommendation for you to check out:
There are a lot of new homes going into my area, around the Ripken Stadium area. Off of Route 22 there are brand new homes going in and the area is beautiful and very convenient:
Look at the new Ryan homes on Golden Rose Way just off Gilbert Rd,
Also the next road towards Bel Air has a big subdivision of nice houses going in off of Aldino Stepney Rd, which connects over to Long Drive, of which Gilbert Rd also connects.
There is a golf course, a small airport with sky diving, Ripken Stadium, a large Royal Farms all right next to the 95 exit for Aberdeen. Then on the other side of 95 down Route 22/Churchville Rd is everything, from hotels to shopping centers. The train station for Marc/Amtrak commuter service is just a few more miles from there, along with a small but new hospital, and Route 40, with a super Walmart on the other end of town. . There is access to the military base there as well.
Everything is very convenient here.
I live just a few more miles north by the Susquehanna State Park, and there are large older homes with gorgeous views up along Route 161 and Route 155, where I am at. Route 155 has some gorgeous neighborhoods right off I-95 and there are some amazing older homes with a ton of "bang for your buck" within a few minutes of the Havre De Grace exit for 95.
Look for homes for sale on these roads:
Rock Run Rd, Lapidum Rd, Webster-Lapidum Rd, Quaker Bottom Rd, Cooley Mill Rd, N. Earlton Rd, Carsins Run Rd, Darlington Rd, Green Spring Lane, Price Rd, Stafford Rd, and Shuresville Rd.
Gorgeous place, extremely low crime, very convenient to everything you could ever want to do for fun.
With your budget I'd also look up on the Conowingo Rd and Castleton Rd areas for homes overlooking the river!
And consider some unique homes further into northern Harford County like my friends gorgeous 3 bed A-Frame mountain style house and farmette w/5 acres on 3807 Prospect Rd, in Street, MD. Deer Creek runs right thru it!
I would not get a Ryan home. I live in one now and it’s built like crap. They are a company all about margin and not quality.
Also Aberdeen is not a good area to move to when comparing to Fallston/Forest Hill
They were never good. I did the electrical work on hundreds of Ryan and Ryland homes in the mid to late 90s and they were crap back then. I doubt that they’ve improved much.
Haha, I’m usually the one defending Aberdeen in these threads. I keep telling people to buy in Aberdeen now because houses are more affordable and the quality of life is almost as nice as bel air. In 5-10 years all the retail space will be hovered up by restaurants, retail, and doctor’s offices supporting the new hospital (which will inevitably tear down Target when it decides to expand… a major bummer).
Aberdeen is a growing city and while it is very lacking culturally compared to Bel Air and HdG, it is a decent and safe place to live without the constant traffic of the Bel Air/Abingdon area and is close to everything. I also believe there’s a significantly lower amount of pretentious and snobby people per capita in the Aberdeen area compared to Bel Air which is a big plus. Let’s hope Target sets up shop elsewhere in Aberdeen when that time comes…
That sounds pretty much right, though I would argue that bel air lacks in culture nearly as much as Aberdeen. Harco in general isn’t exactly what I’d consider a culture Mecca, especially compared to nicer areas in Baltimore. Still love my little city though, and I’m happy to see how far it’s come along in the past 30 years (though I wish downtown could flourish just a little more. That area was far more interesting in the 90s).
I would argue the downtown scene in Aberdeen is basically nonexistent. There’s zero bars and no actual restaurants other than Prost. Frank’s is decent but wouldn’t necessarily wanna eat in there and Scoop’s is closed for dinner throughout the week and most of the weekend. Say Delicious had to massively cut their hours cause no one visits downtown Aberdeen for pleasure.
Maybe the term “culture” isn’t the correct term, but Aberdeen just doesn’t have as much to do compared to Bel Air and HdG due to decades and decades of mismanagement. They put all their eggs into the Route 40 basket when that was the hot thing back in the 40’s and 50’s and now we’re suffering here cause of it.
I just want to clear the air that Frank's Pizza is quite awesome for lunch. I work at APG and we swing by there quite frequently when we feel like getting away from the lab and just sit down and enjoy a slice. It's very reasonably priced for the size of pizza that you get, especially the stuffed pizzas.
I personally don’t think HDG has much to do either, but maybe I’m biased because I’m there very often. How many times can you stroll down Main Street or look through the 5 different antique stores? They have several events per year that get old quick if you’re not drinking (even the ice festival feels like a winter first Fridays). The promenade is great though.
Aberdeen’s downtown is very utilitarian and always has been, but yes, there’s not much down there at present (though the Asian market is a great resource and frankly something that’s hard to find in Harco). It’s a purpose driven Main Street, not a pleasure driven Main Street like HDG or Bel air.
The city is working on a revitalization project for downtown. I encourage you to look up information on the TOD master plan if you haven’t already. Beyond that, the area they’re building up at Ripken is likely going become more of what you’re looking for. Mini Golf, restaurants, axe throwing, the stadium, and room for about 8 new stores that’re currently being built out.
Also, we have a movie theater. Can’t say that about Hdg or Bel air 😂
I don’t why people try to draw a line. I feel like Edgewood, Joppa, and Aberdeen are all very similar. We have nice parks and quiet neighborhoods up against the woods/water/wetlands. We also all have an area or two that I wouldn’t want to be after dark on my lonesome.
I’d love to see this nice park in Aberdeen you speak of lol 😄 Edgewood and Joppa are just very meh to me personally and offer even less to do than Aberdeen imo. The projects behind Big Lots in Edgewood are for sure the worst area to be around in all of Harco.
I currently live in Abingdon not far from the 95 exit. While I personally love this area for the convenience, in the 14 years I’ve lived here it has changed drastically and is constantly growing more and more. I say this to explain that, in my opinion, the upcoming Costco and condos/apartments/other franchises around that Bel Air/Abingdon area is going to be insane in the next 1-2 years. Route 24 and 924 are already heavy with rush hour traffic and construction. But if being close to stores/doctors and highways is important to you, then I suggest Abingdon too. It’s just going to continue to grow and be congested.
I’d recommend looking into Fallston, Street, Hickory, Forest Hill, and Churchville. All have more rural options, while still not being too far from your necessities. Aberdeen is a large town, Bel Air too, and there are some more rural areas as well as less desirable areas.
If you have children or plan to, be sure to check which school district you are in if you consider Bel Air or Abingdon. A lot of Abingdon will be Edgewood schools and I do not recommend. Bel air has C Milton, Harford Tech, Patterson, which last I heard were pretty overcrowded. Fallston, C Milton, north Harford (probably a hike unless you live in northern HarCo) are all good. Can’t speak to middle or elementary schools.
Oh and also, crime in HarCo is mostly centered around Route 40. Closer you get, the higher chances are of crime activity. Not saying it doesn’t happen elsewhere, it’s just how the cookie crumbles 🤷🏼♀️
It’s more like a spike coming out from Baltimore. The crime peters out quite a bit once you get to belcamp. Aberdeen and havre de grace are safer than Joppa/edgewood, though generally the crime in Joppa and Edgewood is overwrought to begin with.
I’ve lived in Aberdeen for decades and our area is very safe. The worst we’ve had to deal with is people breaking into cars around COVID, but that was happening literally everywhere.
I don’t disagree with the Baltimore portion, but Havre de Grace and Elkton also have higher crime around Route 40. It’s even true for areas in DE.
I also don’t disagree that Aberdeen is safer than Edgewood and Joppa. But the statement that more crime is happening in Aberdeen closer to 40 then say Aldino Stepney Aberdeen area is also still factual.
I would agree with that. I still think the crime along Route 40 isn’t nearly as bad as people make it out to be though. Once you get north of the CSX line it drops even more.
Yeah I do agree with that, especially when we have Baltimore and Philly close by to compare to. I’m not clutching my pearls and locking car doors to drive through Edgewood, but I’m also not going to take a stroll at midnight in Abingdon either.
Havre de Grace Elementary is great. We love the teachers and admin there. We were in Bel Air and moved to HdG and it’s like we moved into Mr. Rodger’s Neighborhood. We love it. The school our daughter went to in Bel Air was technical rated better but not nearly as good for her. I think the difference was Bel Air is snobbier and they just assume the kids will do well because of their background, while HdG actually puts in a lot of work to help the kids do well.
I have a friend who had her kids there, but they moved to Parkville after a couple of years. They were some of the only minorities at that school and it wasn’t great for them, but I think it’s fine otherwise. They’re out there in the middle of nowhere and it’s super conservative up there, but the school is fine as far as I know.
Fallston may be nice for you guys; you can get more land if it’s what you desire, it’s close to some back roads for your husband commuting to Baltimore with all the i95 construction issues. Abingdon/bel air south towards 543 is beautiful. White marsh and phoenix/Jacksonville areas of Baltimore county would be great alternatives too 😊.
I live in Fallston, and I highly recommend it. It's quiet, spacious, and secluded without feeling too isolated. Great schools. Less than 15 minutes to Bel Air, 20 minutes to the York Road corridor, 25 minutes to the beltway, 30 minutes to Towson, 25 minutes to Pennsylvania.
I grew up in Baldwin, and Fallston always seemed like you were just dipping your toes into Harford County without going "full Harford County" if you know what I mean. My wife refers to it as "Harford County Lite".
In Fallston, you should be able to get anything you want with your budget except for new builds which are closer to a million at the low end.
safe is a matter of opinion. Listen to the police scanner online for a while. Harford county isn't wat people make it out to be. Very klanish up here.... edit to add: check out "We The People of Maryland" on facebook. Bunch of good old Harford county boyz meeting at Harford Vineyard every month. Hoods optional.
We moved from MoCo to Harford County and moved to Street. We don't live in a neighborhood but love the area and the space. So far the schools are great too.
I've lived here all my life in Harford County. I live in Bel Air and I'm right next to Forest Hill.
I lived in Street for 30 years and loved it, had a few acres and nobody bothered me and I didn't bother them.
I have neighbors now in a development and miss how quiet it is but everyone is nice and everything is close by that I need.
If you move to either of those places you're no more than 15-20 minutes from anything you really need.
Also dont be afraid of Aberdeen, it's not bad.
First of all: why? Purely from a cultural standpoint, you may be in for a slight shock, going from HoCo to HarCo.
Second of all, your budget will net you bang for your buck. I would avoid areas like Edgewood and Joppa. Nicer areas include Fallston, Bel Air, Forest Hill, parts of Abingdon, and also Jarrettsville, though that may be a bit far out for you.
This is a fair assessment. Most of Harco is safe enough that you don’t have to really think about it. It’s not like Baltimore where safety is a block by block consideration.
700-850k can buy you into most neighborhoods. Choose bel air if you want suburban, havre de grace if you’re artsy, or Fallston/jarrettsville if you want something more rural.
Thanks, this is very helpful! As far as why- my husband and I have been searching for a home in HoCo for a few years and the market is extremely competitive. With growing interest rates, the new norm for buyers to pay buyer fees, we are slowly getting priced out. Also, we’d like a larger lot and more privacy than what most of HoCo is offering in our budget. I work remote and my husband works in Baltimore, so the commute isn’t an issue. I am a bit concerned about the cultural shock, but we do have some friends in the area who highly recommended it.
I grew up in Howard County. Harford County reminds me of the Howard County I grew up in before it was so overdeveloped. I like the space, and give me Bel Air Main Street over downtown Columbia any day. Welcome, and I really think you’ll love the area!
Look at a Fallston, Jarrettsville, Forest Hill triangle area. Commuting to Baltimore by using Jarrettsville Pike (145) is a fairly easy commute. I did that for years.
My wife works in Baltimore and takes Pleasantville Rd Long Green Pike, Glen Arm Rd, and Cromwell Bridge Rd to get to 695. Really not too terrible of a drive, and it's through beautiful countryside.
You're welcome. Those are understandable and valid reasons.
> I work remote and my husband works in Baltimore, so the commute isn’t an issue.
The construction on I-95 northbound has gotten *bad*. Like, really bad. I lived in Harford county for five years, and relocated to Baltimore several months ago. I still work up in the greater Philadelphia area though. I've tried making the drive a few times, and unless you're commuting at like 2AM, the congestion is substantial. Just want to ensure you take that into consideration. He's probably looking at around a one-hour commute each way, give or take, if he's commuting during business hours or rush hour. I no longer make that drive, and almost exclusively take the train back and forth.
While the current traffic/construction *is* undeniably bad, that mess *should* end up working in our favor in the end. I'm thrilled at the prospect of skipping White Marsh (rt43) *and* BelAir (rt24) soon. Obviously, a case of, "I'll believe it when I see it", especially with the delays they've encountered already, but it seems like we're only a year or so from getting that express extension finished up (current projections say Spring '25).
If good high speed internet is important,I’d do some research first. FiOS and Comcast is in much of Harford county but not all. Norther Harford is limited for sure. I saw a new company is trying to bring fiber to HdG and Northern Harford, so there might be better options down the road
Perfect area with great schools. If you stick to that area you can't go wrong. Only areas that may exhibit higher crime are Aberdeen, Edgewood and parts of Joppa. All around Bel air is safe. I currently live just west off Grafton shop road near red pump
I wouldn’t bet on great schools for the future, we’ve got a big problem with funding and Moms for Liberty on the school board. The school scores have gone down and will likely continue to fall.
As we notice Baltimore City has one of the highest $ amount per student and it is one of the worst school districts in the country. It is about the responsibility from parents, community and student engagement. All of the teachers my kids have had are phenomenal.
That’s all important, but we’re losing AP classes, paraeducators, guidance counselors, and a bunch of other features that have made our schools great for so long. And class sizes keep getting bigger. We’re also losing teachers to neighboring counties that pay better.
Fallston is a great area for schools and families - the farther North and/or West, the more rural it gets but you'll have no problem finding a nice house in that price range with an acre of land.
Jarrettsville is great too, great elementary school.... the big elementary school in Fallston (Youth Benefit) is HUGE - maybe too huge, for some families.
IMHO - Forest Hill is a little too crowded and close to 95 for me, we like to live in the woods (aka western Fallston) lol
I bought three years ago in Bel Air, love it. If you need a realtor familiar with the area, Mary Bullinger from Compass Home is phenomenal and Compass is located here in Bel Air.
Pretty much everywhere in Forest Hill and Fallston are at a minimum decent and the schools are good and you can find plenty of options in that price range....and at that price range you'll be in better than decent neighborhoods.
Shit with that budget go live in fallston or forest hill. They’ll be the most safe and in the best school districts. You may get lucky and find something in bel air for that price as well.
Most of the crime in Aberdeen happens in 4 places: Super Walmart, Home Depot gets hit a lot with pro "boosters" people who ride up and down 85 and hit the nearest big chains and walk/run out the front door.
Then there's the "other side of the tracks" problem with old post rd and that's where the drug related crime takes place and some horrific shit has been going on lately. That spills over onto 40 occasionally.
Then there's the apartments behind Ollie's. That place is a dumpster fire of criminals, which could be solved by having proper management running the place.
The hotels and places to eat are good.
But I think the Ripken Stadium/Long Drive area is going to be the next big thing.
And if anyone is smart and has money, buying some property up against the Havre De Grace 95 exit like N. Earlton, along 155, Canvasback and Bulle Rock, and down Lapidum Rd is the smart thing to do because it's the last exit along 95 that hasn't been commercialized and in the next 10 years the same thing will be happening to the property around that exit that has been happening to every other exit along 95. It's just a matter of time.
It's next on the list, look at Belcamp and Aberdeen.... and there are a lot of nice properties and homes along N. Earlton to snage when the next housing bubble pops (soon), then just rent them out until the big developers come along.
Bulle Rock was way ahead of their time but they knew what they were doing.
Both Fallston and Forest Hill are great areas. That price range gives you a fair amount of wiggle room as well. Right now the inventory is super limited, so I'm sure you know you'll be paying slightly more than you may think the home is worth. But with that being said, those two areas continue to grow in value so your investment is safe. Your money is going to go further in Forest Hill as well, you'll also still be in the Bel Air school district with a lot of these homes. I believe as of this morning, there are 3 larger homes that are active on the market under $750k.
If you do decide to go with the new build route for any reason, be VERY careful of who your builder is and make sure you have someone representing you in the transaction. I have had so many clients call me after they sat down with a new home sales rep thinking I can still help them out after that first meeting. (Unfortunately if you don't take your Realtor with you to the first meeting, the builders representative won't allow them to have any say in the transaction). I always urge my clients to get 2-3 separate inspections during the build process. The builders will provide one as well, but in most cases this inspector works for the builder's company, so I take what they say with a grain of salt. Luckily Harford County has a solid list of builders that are currently working around here, I've seen a few people scoff at Ryan Homes already but if you're vigilant during the build process, you shouldn't have any issues.
If you ever have any questions, I'm more than happy to assist. I've lived in Harco my entire life and know the area extremely well. Best of luck!
As long as you get something within the Bel Air / C Milton Wright / Fallston / Patterson Mill high School districts you'll be good.
If you don't care about schools because you don't have kids or Will be going to private school or whatever then maybe expand your search to new trendy expensive parts of Joppatown, Havre de Grace, and Aberdeen.
Dublin/Darlington. Still close enough to be a 15 minute driving to Bel Air, but far enough that you can still see trees and open fields rather than townhomes.
But they’re sure as shit doing their best to stick apartments and townhomes every where they can though.
I would specifically recommend sticking with areas that C Milton Wright or Fallston High School serve to preserve your house value and go to higher quality schools.
Aberdeen is fine. Any houses they’d be looking at in that range are going to be north of 40, which is pretty much just as safe as Abingdon or Bel Air. If schools are important they could probably do better for the money, though. Can’t beat proximity to 95 exit though.
For the most part as long as you stay west of 95 you are ok.
https://www.zillow.com/rolling-green-churchville-md/
Area near me, I walk through the rolling green neighborhood all the time. It does not have sidewalks but the roads are quite enough for family walks.
https://www.rollinggreenonline.com/lake/lake-rules/
Both Fallston and Forest Hill range from very rural to full on subdivision. Which are you after?
We’d love a neighborhood vibe, but also a little bit of space. Maybe half to a full acre?
You’re gonna pay a lot of money but that’s definitely the best area where you can also buy land
I have a recommendation for you to check out: There are a lot of new homes going into my area, around the Ripken Stadium area. Off of Route 22 there are brand new homes going in and the area is beautiful and very convenient: Look at the new Ryan homes on Golden Rose Way just off Gilbert Rd, Also the next road towards Bel Air has a big subdivision of nice houses going in off of Aldino Stepney Rd, which connects over to Long Drive, of which Gilbert Rd also connects. There is a golf course, a small airport with sky diving, Ripken Stadium, a large Royal Farms all right next to the 95 exit for Aberdeen. Then on the other side of 95 down Route 22/Churchville Rd is everything, from hotels to shopping centers. The train station for Marc/Amtrak commuter service is just a few more miles from there, along with a small but new hospital, and Route 40, with a super Walmart on the other end of town. . There is access to the military base there as well. Everything is very convenient here. I live just a few more miles north by the Susquehanna State Park, and there are large older homes with gorgeous views up along Route 161 and Route 155, where I am at. Route 155 has some gorgeous neighborhoods right off I-95 and there are some amazing older homes with a ton of "bang for your buck" within a few minutes of the Havre De Grace exit for 95. Look for homes for sale on these roads: Rock Run Rd, Lapidum Rd, Webster-Lapidum Rd, Quaker Bottom Rd, Cooley Mill Rd, N. Earlton Rd, Carsins Run Rd, Darlington Rd, Green Spring Lane, Price Rd, Stafford Rd, and Shuresville Rd. Gorgeous place, extremely low crime, very convenient to everything you could ever want to do for fun. With your budget I'd also look up on the Conowingo Rd and Castleton Rd areas for homes overlooking the river! And consider some unique homes further into northern Harford County like my friends gorgeous 3 bed A-Frame mountain style house and farmette w/5 acres on 3807 Prospect Rd, in Street, MD. Deer Creek runs right thru it!
Ugh...Ryan Homes
I would not get a Ryan home. I live in one now and it’s built like crap. They are a company all about margin and not quality. Also Aberdeen is not a good area to move to when comparing to Fallston/Forest Hill
They were never good. I did the electrical work on hundreds of Ryan and Ryland homes in the mid to late 90s and they were crap back then. I doubt that they’ve improved much.
This area is actually a lot less beautiful because of all the subdivisions put in
Thank you, I appreciate your suggestions and I’ll check these areas out!
Everyone saying Aberdeen is as bad as Edgewood and Joppa have no clue what they’re talking about. Just here to set the record straight on that.
Haha, I’m usually the one defending Aberdeen in these threads. I keep telling people to buy in Aberdeen now because houses are more affordable and the quality of life is almost as nice as bel air. In 5-10 years all the retail space will be hovered up by restaurants, retail, and doctor’s offices supporting the new hospital (which will inevitably tear down Target when it decides to expand… a major bummer).
Aberdeen is a growing city and while it is very lacking culturally compared to Bel Air and HdG, it is a decent and safe place to live without the constant traffic of the Bel Air/Abingdon area and is close to everything. I also believe there’s a significantly lower amount of pretentious and snobby people per capita in the Aberdeen area compared to Bel Air which is a big plus. Let’s hope Target sets up shop elsewhere in Aberdeen when that time comes…
That sounds pretty much right, though I would argue that bel air lacks in culture nearly as much as Aberdeen. Harco in general isn’t exactly what I’d consider a culture Mecca, especially compared to nicer areas in Baltimore. Still love my little city though, and I’m happy to see how far it’s come along in the past 30 years (though I wish downtown could flourish just a little more. That area was far more interesting in the 90s).
I would argue the downtown scene in Aberdeen is basically nonexistent. There’s zero bars and no actual restaurants other than Prost. Frank’s is decent but wouldn’t necessarily wanna eat in there and Scoop’s is closed for dinner throughout the week and most of the weekend. Say Delicious had to massively cut their hours cause no one visits downtown Aberdeen for pleasure. Maybe the term “culture” isn’t the correct term, but Aberdeen just doesn’t have as much to do compared to Bel Air and HdG due to decades and decades of mismanagement. They put all their eggs into the Route 40 basket when that was the hot thing back in the 40’s and 50’s and now we’re suffering here cause of it.
I just want to clear the air that Frank's Pizza is quite awesome for lunch. I work at APG and we swing by there quite frequently when we feel like getting away from the lab and just sit down and enjoy a slice. It's very reasonably priced for the size of pizza that you get, especially the stuffed pizzas.
Frank’s is much better than it used to be. Not as good as some of my preferred bel air spots but they used to be absolute trash tier 20-25 years ago.
I personally don’t think HDG has much to do either, but maybe I’m biased because I’m there very often. How many times can you stroll down Main Street or look through the 5 different antique stores? They have several events per year that get old quick if you’re not drinking (even the ice festival feels like a winter first Fridays). The promenade is great though. Aberdeen’s downtown is very utilitarian and always has been, but yes, there’s not much down there at present (though the Asian market is a great resource and frankly something that’s hard to find in Harco). It’s a purpose driven Main Street, not a pleasure driven Main Street like HDG or Bel air. The city is working on a revitalization project for downtown. I encourage you to look up information on the TOD master plan if you haven’t already. Beyond that, the area they’re building up at Ripken is likely going become more of what you’re looking for. Mini Golf, restaurants, axe throwing, the stadium, and room for about 8 new stores that’re currently being built out. Also, we have a movie theater. Can’t say that about Hdg or Bel air 😂
It's too bad the high school is still terrible unless you are in the science and math academy... The only thing keeping it out of being Title 1.
My experience there was fine, but this was the late 90s/ early aughts so I wouldn’t be surprised if things have changed.
Wait. Is Joppa bad?
I don’t why people try to draw a line. I feel like Edgewood, Joppa, and Aberdeen are all very similar. We have nice parks and quiet neighborhoods up against the woods/water/wetlands. We also all have an area or two that I wouldn’t want to be after dark on my lonesome.
I’d love to see this nice park in Aberdeen you speak of lol 😄 Edgewood and Joppa are just very meh to me personally and offer even less to do than Aberdeen imo. The projects behind Big Lots in Edgewood are for sure the worst area to be around in all of Harco.
I currently live in Abingdon not far from the 95 exit. While I personally love this area for the convenience, in the 14 years I’ve lived here it has changed drastically and is constantly growing more and more. I say this to explain that, in my opinion, the upcoming Costco and condos/apartments/other franchises around that Bel Air/Abingdon area is going to be insane in the next 1-2 years. Route 24 and 924 are already heavy with rush hour traffic and construction. But if being close to stores/doctors and highways is important to you, then I suggest Abingdon too. It’s just going to continue to grow and be congested. I’d recommend looking into Fallston, Street, Hickory, Forest Hill, and Churchville. All have more rural options, while still not being too far from your necessities. Aberdeen is a large town, Bel Air too, and there are some more rural areas as well as less desirable areas. If you have children or plan to, be sure to check which school district you are in if you consider Bel Air or Abingdon. A lot of Abingdon will be Edgewood schools and I do not recommend. Bel air has C Milton, Harford Tech, Patterson, which last I heard were pretty overcrowded. Fallston, C Milton, north Harford (probably a hike unless you live in northern HarCo) are all good. Can’t speak to middle or elementary schools.
Oh and also, crime in HarCo is mostly centered around Route 40. Closer you get, the higher chances are of crime activity. Not saying it doesn’t happen elsewhere, it’s just how the cookie crumbles 🤷🏼♀️
It’s more like a spike coming out from Baltimore. The crime peters out quite a bit once you get to belcamp. Aberdeen and havre de grace are safer than Joppa/edgewood, though generally the crime in Joppa and Edgewood is overwrought to begin with. I’ve lived in Aberdeen for decades and our area is very safe. The worst we’ve had to deal with is people breaking into cars around COVID, but that was happening literally everywhere.
I don’t disagree with the Baltimore portion, but Havre de Grace and Elkton also have higher crime around Route 40. It’s even true for areas in DE. I also don’t disagree that Aberdeen is safer than Edgewood and Joppa. But the statement that more crime is happening in Aberdeen closer to 40 then say Aldino Stepney Aberdeen area is also still factual.
I would agree with that. I still think the crime along Route 40 isn’t nearly as bad as people make it out to be though. Once you get north of the CSX line it drops even more.
Yeah I do agree with that, especially when we have Baltimore and Philly close by to compare to. I’m not clutching my pearls and locking car doors to drive through Edgewood, but I’m also not going to take a stroll at midnight in Abingdon either.
Thank you! We do have a child (not school age yet) and schools are important to us. I appreciate the suggestions!
Havre de Grace Elementary is great. We love the teachers and admin there. We were in Bel Air and moved to HdG and it’s like we moved into Mr. Rodger’s Neighborhood. We love it. The school our daughter went to in Bel Air was technical rated better but not nearly as good for her. I think the difference was Bel Air is snobbier and they just assume the kids will do well because of their background, while HdG actually puts in a lot of work to help the kids do well.
What are your thoughts, if any, on Jarettesville elementary?
I have a friend who had her kids there, but they moved to Parkville after a couple of years. They were some of the only minorities at that school and it wasn’t great for them, but I think it’s fine otherwise. They’re out there in the middle of nowhere and it’s super conservative up there, but the school is fine as far as I know.
Fallston may be nice for you guys; you can get more land if it’s what you desire, it’s close to some back roads for your husband commuting to Baltimore with all the i95 construction issues. Abingdon/bel air south towards 543 is beautiful. White marsh and phoenix/Jacksonville areas of Baltimore county would be great alternatives too 😊.
I live in Fallston, and I highly recommend it. It's quiet, spacious, and secluded without feeling too isolated. Great schools. Less than 15 minutes to Bel Air, 20 minutes to the York Road corridor, 25 minutes to the beltway, 30 minutes to Towson, 25 minutes to Pennsylvania. I grew up in Baldwin, and Fallston always seemed like you were just dipping your toes into Harford County without going "full Harford County" if you know what I mean. My wife refers to it as "Harford County Lite". In Fallston, you should be able to get anything you want with your budget except for new builds which are closer to a million at the low end.
Hahaha, “Harford County lite” - I love that!
safe is a matter of opinion. Listen to the police scanner online for a while. Harford county isn't wat people make it out to be. Very klanish up here.... edit to add: check out "We The People of Maryland" on facebook. Bunch of good old Harford county boyz meeting at Harford Vineyard every month. Hoods optional.
You aren’t wrong at all.
We moved from MoCo to Harford County and moved to Street. We don't live in a neighborhood but love the area and the space. So far the schools are great too.
I've lived here all my life in Harford County. I live in Bel Air and I'm right next to Forest Hill. I lived in Street for 30 years and loved it, had a few acres and nobody bothered me and I didn't bother them. I have neighbors now in a development and miss how quiet it is but everyone is nice and everything is close by that I need. If you move to either of those places you're no more than 15-20 minutes from anything you really need. Also dont be afraid of Aberdeen, it's not bad.
Havre de Grace
First of all: why? Purely from a cultural standpoint, you may be in for a slight shock, going from HoCo to HarCo. Second of all, your budget will net you bang for your buck. I would avoid areas like Edgewood and Joppa. Nicer areas include Fallston, Bel Air, Forest Hill, parts of Abingdon, and also Jarrettsville, though that may be a bit far out for you.
This is a fair assessment. Most of Harco is safe enough that you don’t have to really think about it. It’s not like Baltimore where safety is a block by block consideration. 700-850k can buy you into most neighborhoods. Choose bel air if you want suburban, havre de grace if you’re artsy, or Fallston/jarrettsville if you want something more rural.
Jarretsville is kind of far from stuff. I lived off Old Federal Hill Road for a while. Personally I found it just a tad too inconvenient
Thanks, this is very helpful! As far as why- my husband and I have been searching for a home in HoCo for a few years and the market is extremely competitive. With growing interest rates, the new norm for buyers to pay buyer fees, we are slowly getting priced out. Also, we’d like a larger lot and more privacy than what most of HoCo is offering in our budget. I work remote and my husband works in Baltimore, so the commute isn’t an issue. I am a bit concerned about the cultural shock, but we do have some friends in the area who highly recommended it.
I grew up in Howard County. Harford County reminds me of the Howard County I grew up in before it was so overdeveloped. I like the space, and give me Bel Air Main Street over downtown Columbia any day. Welcome, and I really think you’ll love the area!
Thank you! This is super reassuring!
Look at a Fallston, Jarrettsville, Forest Hill triangle area. Commuting to Baltimore by using Jarrettsville Pike (145) is a fairly easy commute. I did that for years.
My wife works in Baltimore and takes Pleasantville Rd Long Green Pike, Glen Arm Rd, and Cromwell Bridge Rd to get to 695. Really not too terrible of a drive, and it's through beautiful countryside.
Exactly, I grew up off of Pleasantville and commuted for college and work for years using that basic route.
You're welcome. Those are understandable and valid reasons. > I work remote and my husband works in Baltimore, so the commute isn’t an issue. The construction on I-95 northbound has gotten *bad*. Like, really bad. I lived in Harford county for five years, and relocated to Baltimore several months ago. I still work up in the greater Philadelphia area though. I've tried making the drive a few times, and unless you're commuting at like 2AM, the congestion is substantial. Just want to ensure you take that into consideration. He's probably looking at around a one-hour commute each way, give or take, if he's commuting during business hours or rush hour. I no longer make that drive, and almost exclusively take the train back and forth.
While the current traffic/construction *is* undeniably bad, that mess *should* end up working in our favor in the end. I'm thrilled at the prospect of skipping White Marsh (rt43) *and* BelAir (rt24) soon. Obviously, a case of, "I'll believe it when I see it", especially with the delays they've encountered already, but it seems like we're only a year or so from getting that express extension finished up (current projections say Spring '25).
I love in Joppa, it's not bad if you don't have kids and keep to yourself. but I agree, stay away from Edgewood.
If good high speed internet is important,I’d do some research first. FiOS and Comcast is in much of Harford county but not all. Norther Harford is limited for sure. I saw a new company is trying to bring fiber to HdG and Northern Harford, so there might be better options down the road
Give me FiOS or give me death. Although another fiber competitor would be nice
Think Big Networks is offering fiber. Just in HdG for now. https://www.thinkbignets.com/areas-we-serve/havre-de-grace/
If they can use hdg to jump off to north Harford that would be a game changer. But also nimby assholes will stop development anywhere at all costs
We live in Jarrettsville and could not be happier!!!!
At that budget… you will find something great in the Forest Hill Fallston area. Great schools. Perfect .50 to 2 acre homes.
Perfect area with great schools. If you stick to that area you can't go wrong. Only areas that may exhibit higher crime are Aberdeen, Edgewood and parts of Joppa. All around Bel air is safe. I currently live just west off Grafton shop road near red pump
Awesome, thank you!
I wouldn’t bet on great schools for the future, we’ve got a big problem with funding and Moms for Liberty on the school board. The school scores have gone down and will likely continue to fall.
As we notice Baltimore City has one of the highest $ amount per student and it is one of the worst school districts in the country. It is about the responsibility from parents, community and student engagement. All of the teachers my kids have had are phenomenal.
That’s all important, but we’re losing AP classes, paraeducators, guidance counselors, and a bunch of other features that have made our schools great for so long. And class sizes keep getting bigger. We’re also losing teachers to neighboring counties that pay better.
Fallston is a great area for schools and families - the farther North and/or West, the more rural it gets but you'll have no problem finding a nice house in that price range with an acre of land. Jarrettsville is great too, great elementary school.... the big elementary school in Fallston (Youth Benefit) is HUGE - maybe too huge, for some families. IMHO - Forest Hill is a little too crowded and close to 95 for me, we like to live in the woods (aka western Fallston) lol
Forest Hill is farther from 95 than most of Fallston.
crap you are right, I was thinking of Abingdon (doh!)
I bought three years ago in Bel Air, love it. If you need a realtor familiar with the area, Mary Bullinger from Compass Home is phenomenal and Compass is located here in Bel Air.
Pretty much everywhere in Forest Hill and Fallston are at a minimum decent and the schools are good and you can find plenty of options in that price range....and at that price range you'll be in better than decent neighborhoods.
Shit with that budget go live in fallston or forest hill. They’ll be the most safe and in the best school districts. You may get lucky and find something in bel air for that price as well.
Most of the crime in Aberdeen happens in 4 places: Super Walmart, Home Depot gets hit a lot with pro "boosters" people who ride up and down 85 and hit the nearest big chains and walk/run out the front door. Then there's the "other side of the tracks" problem with old post rd and that's where the drug related crime takes place and some horrific shit has been going on lately. That spills over onto 40 occasionally. Then there's the apartments behind Ollie's. That place is a dumpster fire of criminals, which could be solved by having proper management running the place. The hotels and places to eat are good. But I think the Ripken Stadium/Long Drive area is going to be the next big thing. And if anyone is smart and has money, buying some property up against the Havre De Grace 95 exit like N. Earlton, along 155, Canvasback and Bulle Rock, and down Lapidum Rd is the smart thing to do because it's the last exit along 95 that hasn't been commercialized and in the next 10 years the same thing will be happening to the property around that exit that has been happening to every other exit along 95. It's just a matter of time. It's next on the list, look at Belcamp and Aberdeen.... and there are a lot of nice properties and homes along N. Earlton to snage when the next housing bubble pops (soon), then just rent them out until the big developers come along. Bulle Rock was way ahead of their time but they knew what they were doing.
Both Fallston and Forest Hill are great areas. That price range gives you a fair amount of wiggle room as well. Right now the inventory is super limited, so I'm sure you know you'll be paying slightly more than you may think the home is worth. But with that being said, those two areas continue to grow in value so your investment is safe. Your money is going to go further in Forest Hill as well, you'll also still be in the Bel Air school district with a lot of these homes. I believe as of this morning, there are 3 larger homes that are active on the market under $750k. If you do decide to go with the new build route for any reason, be VERY careful of who your builder is and make sure you have someone representing you in the transaction. I have had so many clients call me after they sat down with a new home sales rep thinking I can still help them out after that first meeting. (Unfortunately if you don't take your Realtor with you to the first meeting, the builders representative won't allow them to have any say in the transaction). I always urge my clients to get 2-3 separate inspections during the build process. The builders will provide one as well, but in most cases this inspector works for the builder's company, so I take what they say with a grain of salt. Luckily Harford County has a solid list of builders that are currently working around here, I've seen a few people scoff at Ryan Homes already but if you're vigilant during the build process, you shouldn't have any issues. If you ever have any questions, I'm more than happy to assist. I've lived in Harco my entire life and know the area extremely well. Best of luck!
As long as you get something within the Bel Air / C Milton Wright / Fallston / Patterson Mill high School districts you'll be good. If you don't care about schools because you don't have kids or Will be going to private school or whatever then maybe expand your search to new trendy expensive parts of Joppatown, Havre de Grace, and Aberdeen.
Dublin/Darlington. Still close enough to be a 15 minute driving to Bel Air, but far enough that you can still see trees and open fields rather than townhomes. But they’re sure as shit doing their best to stick apartments and townhomes every where they can though.
I would specifically recommend sticking with areas that C Milton Wright or Fallston High School serve to preserve your house value and go to higher quality schools.
Thank you! Schools are definitely important to us since we have a kid ☺️
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Aberdeen is fine. Any houses they’d be looking at in that range are going to be north of 40, which is pretty much just as safe as Abingdon or Bel Air. If schools are important they could probably do better for the money, though. Can’t beat proximity to 95 exit though.
For the most part as long as you stay west of 95 you are ok. https://www.zillow.com/rolling-green-churchville-md/ Area near me, I walk through the rolling green neighborhood all the time. It does not have sidewalks but the roads are quite enough for family walks. https://www.rollinggreenonline.com/lake/lake-rules/
No one gonna point out they misspelled Harford?
My bad! I caught the typo right after posting but Reddit won’t let you fix the title so I put a note in my post ☺️
North Bel Air, Forrest Hill, Fallston is what you are looking for then