Maryland: The Best And Worst Cities for Crime

The beach town of Ocean City had higher rates of violent crime and property offenses than the city of Baltimore.
Maryland header map
Derek Prall
July 24, 2024 Derek Prall Derek Prall , Home Security Expert | July 24, 2024
Property Crime in Maryland  Violent Crime in Maryland

Though Maryland is a small state, it has a bit of everything: beaches, mountains, lakes, rural farm towns, and major cities. Like its natural resources, crime rates in Maryland’s communities range widely.

Baltimore is probably the most well-known of Maryland’s cities, and unfortunately, it’s become notorious for its high rates of violent crime, particularly homicide. Fictional TV shows like “The Wire” have increased the city’s notoriety regarding crime, but data shows it actually doesn’t have the state’s highest crime rate.

Maryland city map

Ocean City, Maryland, has the highest rates of property and violent crime. It is a summertime beach destination for people from all over the surrounding states, and millions visit its shores each year for fun in the sun. However, the summer fun here often includes alcohol and underage drinking, which can contribute to petty crimes and driving under the influence.

Crime rates in Ocean City also surged during and after the pandemic, as many people flocked to the beaches after being isolated indoors for several months. In the summer of 2020, nearly 130 people were arrested in the Atlantic Ocean resort town in just four days, overwhelming law enforcement.

Crime rates are significantly lower in some cities across the state, near its border with West Virginia. Oakland had the state’s lowest violent crime rate, and Frostburg had the second-lowest property crime rate. The western area of the state is far less densely populated than other parts, contributing to lower crime rates.

Property Crime in Maryland

According to the latest FBI figures, Maryland’s property crime rate is about 16 percent lower than the national average. In fact, the state ranked 35th out of 50 for its property crime rate, indicating a commendable level of public safety regarding property offenses.

Maryland property crime rates

Overall, Maryland's lower property crime rate is a positive indicator of the state's commitment to public safety and the effectiveness of its community-based efforts to lower crime. By continuing to invest in these efforts, Maryland can strive to further reduce property crime and provide a safer and more secure environment for its residents.

Violent Crime in Maryland

Unfortunately, violent crime rates in the state are higher than its property crime rates. Maryland’s  violent crime rate is 399, which is 5 percent higher than the national average, and the state ranked 20th out of 50 for violent crime.

Aggravated assault is the most prevalent, accounting for over half of all violent crimes in Maryland. Murder rates in the state have remained relatively stable in recent years, but Maryland’s robbery rate was the second-highest of all states, just behind California and ahead of New York.

Maryland violent crime rates

Our Data

Our data comes from comprehensive reporting compiled by the FBI and accessed via the Crime Data Explorer website. Property and violent crime state figures were drawn from Table 5 of the 2022 Crime in the U.S. Report. Metropolitan figures were found in Table 6, Crime in the U.S. by Metropolitan Statistical Area. City-level figures were drawn from Table 8, Offenses Known to Law Enforcement by State by City. The population figures in that table are U.S. Census Bureau provisional estimates as of July 1, 2020.

Limitations: According to the FBI, the data in the publication tables may differ from those released on the Explorer Pages of the CDE. These variations are due to the differences in methodologies between the publication tables and data displayed on the CDE. Please note that crime statistics are not the sole measure of a city’s safety. Limited data for 2022 were available for Florida, Illinois, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.

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