Is crime really that bad in Maryland? (Baltimore, Bowie: homes, living in)

[carebear1970]

Ok here is the truth..Garrett county is not full of hillbillies and racists..its the way Maryland was 20 years ago..they live their own lives not in cabins like that one person suggested..the only people living in the cabins are the "vacation" home people other wise known to the locals up there as tourons...hahahahaha...thats the only place I would like to live in Maryland. I'm in Frederick and it's awful..monkey county implanted themselves up here and raised our prices and now the locals here have to move away because they can't afford things. I mean we are talking about people that complain because the Keys stadium put off fireworks when the Keys have a home game..oh dred if they can't get to sleep to wake up for their golf tournament..and yes I have lived in Maryland my whole 36 yrs of life!!!!!!!! Don't move here..it is overpriced for what it is and what it has to offer..you can only visit the ocean so much before you get bored..and Baltimore City isn't safe..We are heading out west...can't wait!!!!!!

[sista soulja]

As with all cities and even the suburbs, it's not the area it's the people that occupy the area. Instead of looking at crime concentrate on the socio-economic condition of the area that you're looking to move to. Check out the unemployment rate, median cost of property, average income, population size, average age of residents (such as 25 and over or under), average level of education and other demographics...then decide where you want to live. Crime is not the problem ignorance is; ignorance breeds crime.

[dcPress]

Hmm,

I grew up in western maryland, near Harpers Ferry,WV. And, racism was alive and well during the time I lived there. Yes, I'm talking about burning a cross in a black families' yard type of racism (this was in the 80's). Sorry, but my experience is that many of these 'quaint' little country towns really are for white people only. And the bulk of the activist types in these towns would like to keep it this way. Sounds like W->B racism to me.

Of course, as a previous poster so eloquently expressed, PG county is supposed to be a place where professional AA can thrive in an AA-centric environment (gee, why aren't the county execs doing more to strengthen the AA's hold on this county?). Sounds like B->W racism to me.

Anyway, back on topic:

The last time I checked the stats ( a few years back), crime along the 95 and rt. 1 corridor is markedly higher than in the rest of the state. And I would imagine that burglaries and such will be higher in areas with higher rates of poverty. Which is again, the 95/1 corridor, and large chunks of Baltimore, inside the 495 beltway, parts of Frederick, parts of Hagerstown, parts of Rockville, Wheaton,...

FWIW, I've lived in or near: Harpers Ferry, Frederick, Hagerstown, Catonsville, Ellicott City, Silver Spring, College Park, and Laurel.

[cutgarden]

Things have changed a lot in MD, even since the 90's. There's no cross burnings anymore, leaflets being handed out, or anything else like that. At least, not that gets reported, and you know the papers love jumping on that stuff. Even in Taneytown there's plenty of blacks and mixed race couples, and nobody's starting riots over it.

[jessiica]

Baltimore, yes crime has went up but its just like most other cities where there is more crime post then in the suburbs ive lived in maryland my whole life and since ive grown up i do believe crime has gotten alot worse here but i cant say its any worse then any other major city such as new york or anywhere else.

[fishfister]

Roadtripgurl,
Are you living in the same MD as I do? Your wild and exaggerated tales are that of 19th century Appalachia.

I am white and in PG county. The places you mention are not welcome to the thugs that roll around here and Baltimore - gee, is it hard to figure out why?
Being black is not the crime. Blacks blaring out rap with their subwoofers pounding and behaving as "gangstas" they saw on last night's news works against you until you get out and prove otherwise. Those little towns are basically sheltered from what we know of this part of MD.
To draw an analogy; I love the BBQ wagons that are on the sides of the roads in MD on weekends. The owner/operators are predominantly black. I don't care who owns them. I have been stared down and told "NO" at times and I have no reasons why.

It's MD...that's all I can offer. I don't like the over the top redneck whites and I don't like the "go away white boy" attitudes of some blacks.
Proximity to the nation's capitol plays a heavy hand in it all and this is one of the only states that is goaded on by such because the black vs white media reporting puts most on edge.

[bboone]

Hi. I am thinking of moving to the DC-MD area. So, you consider Anne Arundel County to be safe, say around Linthicum?

[Hawa]

The crime is in PG and Baltimore county. Perryville is not hickville it's very close to Delaware and the Bay. You got 95 which is about a 2-3 hour drive to NYC.

[TuborgP]

This will help everyone to evaluate safety where they are or want to go within the area. Was posted earlier by someone else but now might be a good time to see it again. You can scroll wherever in the state/area you want. You may want to click in the upper left to Balt/DC

Murders in Maryland and D.C., 2007

[The Dissenter]

If you are even thinking about moving to any area in MD, i'd would look at prospective locations at day and night. just driving by may tell you a lot about that area espically if you do it at night.

just today i drove from alexandria to the north 210 area in forest heights (b4 2day i'd never been to MD). took a right on livingston rd to a garden apt complex (these complexes have a reputation inside the beltway in MD). it kinda looked the same as something i would see in farifax co's rt 1 area even the houses looked like something i'd see in huntington. didnt really look shady. of course, i'd look at it at night if i was really trying to move. if an area looks shady during the day, it'll only get worse as night comes.

as long as you do your research you can avoid the "hell on earth" areas of MD.