Is Cumberland, MD any good? Its so affordable for Maryland! (Frostburg: apartment, crime)

[pangere15]

cumberland has one big problem, hrdc,we call it (-hores reproducing deliquient criminals) they are public housing projects that are importing baltimore ner do wells whose boyfriends are in the max lock-up prison, they spawn consistently with whoever walks by for the check it provides, and sell drugs (also from baltimore) to suppliment income,these projects are in a sense, legal brothels with drug issues. the fed. gov't does not drug test these people who are recieving our tax dollars allowing this problem to grow outside of a small towns ability to cope. everything else about cumberland is stunning and beautiful,potential is very high here. ignorance is rampant also, but there are allot of smart nice people as well.

[donie1]

Originally Posted by Need_affordable_home

It figures the nice cheap house in Cumberland, MD is in the highest crime part! I guess ill pass, crime scares me too much! Im looking at towns and cities in WV and many have crime index of between 0 and 150 vs. the 440 in Cumberland, MD. Thanks for your help. Positive reputation for you.

I live in Cambridge, MD. It is very low in crime and housing expense. I just brought a house here 6 months ago in the historical district, close to the water, 2500 sq foot house for under $120,000 BUT there is no jobs in this area. You are close to Annapolis but even Annapolis does not pay well. If you see cheap housing in MD, it is because it is either a high crime area or no job opportunities. DC is 2 hours away and I might have to do that again and get a job there.

[denisearr39]

I want to relocate to cumberland MD in the next year. I just want peace and quiet and not a high crime area. My son will be grown and on his on so it's time for me to
Get a new start. I visited cumberland twice and no one knows me so even better. Just want to get old in peace me and my dog.

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by denisearr39

I want to relocate to cumberland MD in the next year. I just want peace and quiet and not a high crime area. My son will be grown and on his on so it's time for me to
Get a new start. I visited cumberland twice and no one knows me so even better. Just want to get old in peace me and my dog.

If you have an income number, I can give you recommendations. The biggest pro of Cumberland is that you can live very well on a modest housing budget. I will say that Cumberland, as a whole, is not a low crime city anymore, sadly. That being said, like nearly every city, the crime varies from neighborhood to neighborhood, so you can probably find what you are looking for.

[denisearr39]

Originally Posted by Georgia

Would not worry about the 440.
About the only crime you have in Cumberland is a bar fight, wife hitting husband with frying pan, or Otis stumbling into jail.

Now, since I-68 is finished you could have some on and off issues coming from the highway and not from the natives.

Cumberland only has 21,000 folks est 2005 down from over 30+k 20 years ago.

Just make sure the house is not sitting on the hill right on top of I-68 going though the town. Basically, you would be right on top of the exhaust pipes of the big rigs climbing eastbound. Tie that in with the occasional SW winds from Luke and you will suffer nausea

I really like Cumberland and do expect a future growth to be coming. When all the elites from DC realize the number of "old" homes in the area they will be heading that way to Shepherdstown, WV the Cumberland area.

The others are right, there is not much opportunity there unless you are retired, a truck driver, or a worker at the Luke plant. It is a very pretty area though if you want a Saturday Evening Post type of life.

Would I live there? Yes. for retirement.

Thank you you were a big help. Yes I'm retired and just want to live out my days quiet pretty senery and nice.

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by denisearr39

Thank you you were a big help. Yes I'm retired and just want to live out my days quiet pretty senery and nice.

That post is literally 7 years old. The information is outdated.

Cumberland can be a very nice place to live, but you have to do your homework, we have crime, and new residents should make sure they don't end up settling down in high crime, not so quiet, neighborhood by assuming the beautiful scenery = Mayberry.

[gypsyartist]

denisearr39,
I'm moving to Cumberland next week so I'll let you know how it goes!

westsideboy,
Thanks for your assistance and for sharing your knowledge. Alas, I didn't find a place on the west side. My new home seems like a good place with great neighbors, and it's within walking distance of downtown. I'm looking forward to settling in!

[DubyaM]

Originally Posted by caracara

is there a bus from cumberland to lavale?
is there any bus to the once-a-day train station?

(how would a retired person live in cumberland w/o a car? )

I think there is a bus system but I don't know anything about routes and frequencies. I seem to recall seeing a system map posted on the pedestrian mall downtown once.

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by gypsyartist

denisearr39,
I'm moving to Cumberland next week so I'll let you know how it goes!

westsideboy,
Thanks for your assistance and for sharing your knowledge. Alas, I didn't find a place on the west side. My new home seems like a good place with great neighbors, and it's within walking distance of downtown. I'm looking forward to settling in!

Your welcome, it is really my pleasure. There are good neighborhoods outside of West Side too. Heck, I live in one. Don't tell anyone, but "Westside" boy has become "SouthEnd"man!

[upland]

I started a profile on this so that I could reply. First time visiting the page and first post.

I grew up in Cumberland, have hated it and have loved it both. I recently (with in the month) have moved back from a large city and am loving it. If crime is the main concern for someone moving here, I would say not to worry about it at all. After seeing the amount of drug use and blatant crime happening in most cities I've visited and after living in large cities, Cumberland is down right clean. I would however agree to research which neighborhood you would want to live in because like all cities, there is some.

There is a negative vibe about Cumberland... and it is about 6 years out of date. We do have shops and jobs and a really great line up of entertainment for the summer. We have schools and parks just like every other city, and the people here are great. I do think that the local government must have been playing SimCity or something in the past, but they have recently been working very hard to promote the city for new business and small industry. We have thousands of visitors every year from our medium sized Amtrak stop, the interstate, and what Bicycling magazine just touted as a world renowned bike path (A proud moment when I read that)

Housing ranges every where from luxury apartments, Victorian homes, nice neighborhood homes to "fixer uppers" and down to "should be torn down-ers".. and the price is low for all of them . The city will never be a DC, Atlanta, or Seattle. Cumberland is on the Upswing with new commercial and small industry and has finally stopped talking badly about themselves!