So, you are thinking about making the move to Harford County! Maybe you are looking for a quieter spot or you have no option because you have to move for work! Work, ugh! On a more positive note than work, Harford County has some great spots to offer in terms of living. Bel Air, Churchville, Aberdeen, Havre de Grace, the list goes on! The county is full of great places to call home. If you’re going to live in Maryland, it mine as well be here!
If you have a family, you will certainly want to consider the school system. Harford County Public schools have great options that are available. There are also private school options if you choose to go that route. I attended John Carroll High School in Bel Air, MD. It is the local private high school with great academics and programs for kids. You can learn more about the Patriots by visiting their website here . Harford Community College is a public community college located in Bel Air, MD. Over the years this campus has really developed and it is a great asset to the community
In terms of cost of living, Harford County can be very affordable compared to other areas in Maryland. In June 2020, the average sale home price for Harford County according to the MLS was roughly $313,000. This is lower compared to other popular areas in Maryland such as Baltimore County which was $340,000. Frederick County, which is a popular spot in Maryland saw its average sale price in June climb to $373,000. In Howard County, the average sale price for June 2020 was roughly $500,000. As you can see, Harco still offers great affordability.
At a lower average sale price, you might be thinking that Harco is lacking in terms of quality of life. But that is not the case at all. The area is close to all major forms of transportation. Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is anywhere form 30-90 minutes away, depending on where you are in the county. If you prefer to travel by train, for work or pleasure, there is an Amtrak station conveniently located in Aberdeen, MD. This train gets you to either New York City or Washington for a day trip. And of course, traveling by car is easy in this area as well. Interstate 95, the main highway on the east coast, runs directly through Harford County. This easily connects us to the major cities all within 90 minutes (with no traffic of course!) – Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, DC.
Living in Harford, you can also get to the beaches fairly quickly! The Delaware beaches – Rehoboth, Dewey Beach, Lewes, and Bethany are anywhere from 2 hours – 2.5 hours away. If you prefer Ocean City, MD, which is a tradition for many families, you can get there in roughly 3 – 3.5 hours. Lastly, if your family travels to the Jersey beaches – Ocean City, Cape May, Wildwood, Avalon, etc. – Harford is close to them as well with travel times by car anywhere from 2.5 – 3 hours, depending on traffic.
When you’re not away traveling to the beaches or major cities, there are plenty of things to do around the area as well. There is no shortage of food and beverage options. Magerks Pub and Grill in Bel Air, MD is a solid choice to grab some food and relax. It is where my fiancé and I frequently visit and enjoy their Chicken Cheesesteaks on Thursday nights! Another spot which just opened is Hopkins Farm Brewery (pictured above). They are located in Havre de Grace, MD conveniently located off of I-95. They are a local family that has a fantastic produce stand in the summer. The brewery is a new venture for them and they have done a great job with it! Aaron, a friend that I have grown up over the years with is their master brewer. He brewed for Independent Brewing Co. in Bel Air (another great local spot) before taking his talents and starting the brewery with his family. Check them out you will not be disappointed!
In terms of sports teams, we are sandwiched between to major cities – Baltimore and Philadelphia. I am a lifelong Baltimore sports team, even though the Orioles have been dismal my entire life. Always next year though! We have been lucky with the Baltimore Ravens though, 2 time Super Bowl Champs and always a strong team. If you’re a Pittsburgh fan, you might want to be careful about wearing Steelers gear in town as you’re sure to be heckled by someone! If you’re an Eagles fan, it’s cool, we don’t mind and there are plenty of Eagles fans around here. You’ll most likely want to head to Magerks on Sundays as that is a Philly based bar and you will find all of the Eagles fans in there catching the game. For Ravens games, head to Looney’s Pub, a walk away from Magerks, you’ll see plenty in purple there cheering on the Birds.
That’s a wrap for today! This is the most that I have written since my college days at UDEL (and it probably shows)! Plenty of more info to come in future posts about Harco. I can’t say it enough, but it is a great spot to live, work, play, and be a part of the community. Any questions or comments, feel free to reach out! Thanks!
