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Living in
Ferndale.
Ferndale is an unincorporated community in Anne Arundel County, MD. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Ferndale
Living in Ferndale means you're in a quiet, densely packed residential pocket of Anne Arundel County that's positioned perfectly if you work anywhere in the Baltimore-Washington corridor—your average commute sits around 26 minutes, and you're just five miles from Baltimore proper with easy highway access via the Beltway. This is solidly middle to upper-middle class territory with a family-oriented feel—about a third of households have kids, the median age is 36, and you'll find a real neighborhood vibe rather than transient sprawl. The weather is typical for the mid-Atlantic: hot and humid summers that can feel oppressive, winters that are mild enough to avoid serious snow but cold enough to matter, so you need to be comfortable with both AC and heating bills.
Ferndale at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.2%
Foreign-Born
12.2%
Broadband Internet
93.0%
of households
Population Growth
-0.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics12.2% foreign-born, most often from El Salvador
Who lives in Ferndale: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Ferndale, the largest foreign-born group is from El Salvador (20.6%), and 10.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.3%
of residents
65 and Older
13.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
25.6%
of households
Married Couples
47.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.64
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 19% above MD average
Rent, home values, and income in Ferndale
In Ferndale, rent runs 19% above the MD average, and home values are 22% below the MD average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
41.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
104.5
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,691
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
67.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1971
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.1%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below MD average
Unemployment in Ferndale
Unemployment in Anne Arundel County, which includes Ferndale, is 0.6 percentage points lower than the MD average.
Unemployment rate
Ferndale: Anne Arundel County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Anne Arundel County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Ferndale is about 3% of Anne Arundel County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Ferndale Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute25.7 min avg
How Ferndale residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Ferndale, most residents drive alone to work (68%), and 67% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 2 mi
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
Major hub12.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 17% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Anne Arundel County Police Department, which covers Ferndale, runs 17% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
273.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,691.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Anne Arundel County Police Department (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 32 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
81.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Anne Arundel County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Anne Arundel County, which includes Ferndale, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 32 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 32 | Thunderstorm Wind | $468,000 |
| 2024 | 26 | Coastal Flood | $514,000 |
| 2023 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.1M |
| 2022 | 26 | Thunderstorm Wind | $549,000 |
| 2021 | 31 | Thunderstorm Wind | $276,000 |
| 2020 | 41 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.5M |
| 2019 | 48 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 56 | Flood | $17,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Anne Arundel County, county-wide
Ferndale is about 3% of Anne Arundel County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality40 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Anne Arundel County, which includes Ferndale, is typically good.
Median AQI
40
Anne Arundel County, county-wide
Ferndale is about 3% of Anne Arundel County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate87°F summers, 27°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Ferndale has warm summers (avg high 87°F) and cold winters (avg low 27°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
66°/44°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
87°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
68°/47°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
46°/27°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
45.0"
Annual Snowfall
19.3"
Hot Days/Year
34
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
93
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
121
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 25°F | 3.08" |
| Feb | 46°F | 27°F | 2.90" |
| Mar | 55°F | 34°F | 4.01" |
| Apr | 67°F | 44°F | 3.39" |
| May | 76°F | 53°F | 3.85" |
| Jun | 84°F | 63°F | 3.98" |
| Jul | 89°F | 68°F | 4.48" |
| Aug | 87°F | 66°F | 4.09" |
| Sep | 80°F | 59°F | 4.44" |
| Oct | 68°F | 47°F | 3.94" |
| Nov | 57°F | 37°F | 3.13" |
| Dec | 48°F | 30°F | 3.71" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Ferndale
Uninsured
7.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Ferndale's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
University of MD Baltimore Washington Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3 mi away · Glen Burnie
Medstar Harbor Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · 5 mi away · Baltimore
Saint Agnes Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.4 mi away · Baltimore
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Ferndale
Ferndale's student/teacher ratio is 14.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 23.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
23.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Ferndale (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 16,136 students · in-state tuition $12,186 · 72% graduate · median earnings $70,158 (10 yrs after entry)
Community College of Baltimore County
14.4 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 13,872 students · in-state tuition $4,536 · 19% graduate · median earnings $46,761 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Maryland-Baltimore County
6.6 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 10,701 students · in-state tuition $13,679 · 71% graduate · median earnings $74,881 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 9,019 students · in-state tuition $8,346 · 53% graduate · median earnings $56,585 (10 yrs after entry)
Anne Arundel Community College
11.3 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 8,997 students · in-state tuition $4,586 · 41% graduate · median earnings $51,114 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 6,649 students · in-state tuition $4,146 · 21% graduate · median earnings $53,227 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, 6 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Ferndale
Ferndale has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine (6 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
National Monument and Historic Shrine
6 mi awayStar-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
7 mi awayBaltimore-Washington Parkway
Parkway
16 mi awayHampton National Historic Site
National Historic Site
16 mi awayCaptain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
17 mi awayChesapeake Bay
National Park Site
17 mi awayGreenbelt Park
Park
20 mi awayKenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens
National Park Site
25 mi awayCities Near Ferndale
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Ferndale?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Ferndale FAQ
Is Ferndale, Maryland affordable?⌄
Ferndale's median rent is $2,022/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $94,948/year. Median home value is $327,600.
Is Ferndale, Maryland safe?⌄
Ferndale is policed by the Anne Arundel County Police Department, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 274 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1691 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Ferndale, Maryland?⌄
Anne Arundel County, which includes Ferndale, has an unemployment rate of 3.4%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Ferndale, Maryland?⌄
The cost of living in Ferndale is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,022/month and median household income is $94,948/year. The median home value is $327,600. About 42% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Ferndale, Maryland?⌄
The average commute in Ferndale is 26 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from