US Route 301 - Maryland, 2012
Arnold’s story
146 years in pictures
The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 5 maps from 1894 on.
- 1880Arnold is settled
ArnoldMD
A town of 24,303, settled in 1880.
4 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Famartin · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
24,303
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$594K
+2.1% in a year
Household income
$142K
median
Median age
37.9
years
Jobs based here
4,262
A commuter town
TownGrade
A−
#100 of 259 in MD
Is Arnold a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Arnold grades A− overall, 100th among Maryland's 259 graded towns. Natural-hazard risk is low. The median household earns $142K and CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 94% of the country. What holds it back is price: the typical home is worth about $594K, 6 years of the Baltimore metro’s $99K median household income. Arnold’s trail density is 1.5 miles per square mile, above both Maryland’s towns (0.6) and U.S. towns (0.4). Arnold is home to Anne Arundel Community College.
What makes Arnold stand out
Where Arnold beats most towns.
College town
Anne Arundel Community College calls Arnold home
College Scorecard · IPEDS
How Arnold grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Maryland), ordered by how far Arnold is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 2% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA+Open →Jobs & incomeA+Open →HealthLuminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center 4 miles awayAOpen →Cost of livingC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.8 of 20; 1.6% of households have no car; 1.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market21 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 37.9; 58% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 304 attractions →White House and 268 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Arnold. Close and well known come first.
Big draw30 mi National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year
Big draw30 mi National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year
Big draw32 mi LandmarkArlington National Cemetery
Big draw32 mi LandmarkUnited States Triumphal Arch
Big draw30 mi MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a year
Big draw21 mi Stadium & arenaNorthwest StadiumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
White House: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Washington Monument: Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Arlington National Cemetery: Protoant, Public domain · United States Triumphal Arch: Hstoops, CC0 · Smithsonian Institution: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer, Public domain · Northwest Stadium: Maryland GovPics, CC BY 2.0
Getting set up
Moving to Arnold: who provides what
Arnold is unincorporated, so Anne Arundel County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerBaltimore Gas & Electric20.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterGlen Burnie-Broadneck water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesAnne Arundel CountyAnne Arundel County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Maryland you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereAnne Arundel County Board of ElectionsAnne Arundel County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2023
ZIP codes21012, 21409, 2114621012 90% · 21409 8% · 21146 2%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Mar 11, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Arnold.
Arnold has less food insecurity than most of Maryland and has added a third more jobs in ten years, but it has homes that cost more against local pay than most of Maryland.
OutdoorsB
Arnold has set aside 2.3% of its land for conservation
Arnold sits below the Maryland town median (9.5%) and near the median of U.S. towns (4.3%) on this measure. 21 miles of trail in 7 parks and preserves. Spriggs Farm Park, at 44 acres with 1.7 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
#39for trails in MD
2.3%
conserved · 203 of 8,628 acres
21 mi
of trails · 1.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Spriggs Farm Park | 1.7 mi | 44 |
| 2. Mago Vista Park | 0.5 mi | 8 |
| 3. Baltimore & Annapolis Trail | — | 28 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsB−
Public schools in Arnold fall behind 52% of Maryland districts
Its public schools are run by the Anne Arundel County Public Schools. Two of its 8 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
48%of MD districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Severn River MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 675 | A− |
| Magothy River MiddleTop results in townGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 655 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MD on state tests and graduation
HealthA
Arnold earns an A for health
Its widest gap with Maryland is food insecurity: 7.4% of its 18,060 adults worry about having enough food, against 15.4% statewide. Against the 3,432 U.S. towns with household incomes like Arnold’s, it is healthier than 76%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
17% of Arnold adults get no exercise outside work. Arnold beats the Maryland average on 19 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 14% of Arnold adults report frequent mental distress.
94%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Arnold | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 23% | 25% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 15% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 16% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 34% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Maryland
19 better11 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Arnold | MD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.4% | 15.4% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.1% | 13.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.6% | 7.6% |
Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center
4 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
86th
percentile among MD towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
Inland flooding leads a very low hazard risk in Arnold
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 98% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 29 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Arnold.
2risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesHeat waves
29
paid flood claims since 1979
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade C−
Arnold earns a C− for cost of living
At 6 years of the Baltimore metro’s $99K median household income, the typical home (about $594K) costs more against local pay than in 91% of Maryland towns; that ratio is one input to its C− for cost of living.
The median rent in Arnold is $2,158 a month. The typical Arnold home is worth about $594,000, up 2.1% in a year, 40% above the Maryland typical home. 87% of households own their home in Arnold.
$594KZillow home value
| Arnold | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,158 a month | $1,809 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 87% | 74% | 73% |
Typical home value
Arnold$594K
Maryland$425K
Market temperature
21
days on market
101.1%
sale-to-list price
+2.1%
value change, 1 year
38
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
Arnold has 0.4 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Jobs based here grew from 3,114 in 2013 to 4,262.
Most working residents leave Arnold for work: only 6% work in town. Since 2013, Arnold has added 1,148 jobs, to 4,262 in 2023. Arnold’s average trip to work is 28 minutes.
6%work in town
| Arnold | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $142,000 | $113,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 23% | 18% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.1% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 32 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Arnold6%
Baltimore10%
Annapolis9%
Parole9%
Severna Park4%
16 mi
median commute distance
4,262
jobs based in Arnold
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 56% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and hot summers in Arnold
Arnold has mild winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 89°, January nights drop to 28° and about 19 inches of snow falls in a winter.
19″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter30–46°
Spring46–65°
Summer68–86°
Fall51–68°
Nov 13
typical first frost
Mar 27
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Arnold
18pages on Arnold
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
4 within 15 miles of the center of Arnold
Anne Arundel Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · ArnoldIn town$4,322 in-state tuitionSt. John's CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Annapolis4.3 mi$40,684 tuitionUnited States Naval AcademyUniversity or college · Public · Annapolis4.5 mi
About 7 of every 100 Arnold residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Maryland.
A commuter town
94% of working residents leave Arnold for work
Where Arnold’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
4,262jobs based in Arnold
6%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Arnold
3 notable people were born in Arnold.
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About Arnold
Census-designated place in Maryland, United States
Arnold, a census-designated place (CDP) in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States, located just outside of the state's capital, Annapolis. It is located 18.78 miles south of Baltimore, and 29.97 miles east of Washington, D.C. The population was 24,064 as of the 2020 census. Neighborhoods straddle College Parkway and Maryland Route 2 (Ritchie Highway). Arnold is located on the scenic Broadneck Peninsula. The ZIP code is 21012. It is bordered by Severna Park to the northwest, Cape Saint Claire to the southeast, Annapolis to the southwest, and Lake Shore (a CDP within Pasadena) to the northeast.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 14 sq mi
- Elevation
- 128 ft
- ZIP code
- 21012
Arnold’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Arnold.
Severna ParkCape St. ClaireParoleLake ShoreArnold
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MD rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arnold | #100 | A− | C− | — | B− | A |
| Severna Park | #79 | A− | C− | — | B− | A |
| Cape St. Claire | #113 | B+ | C− | — | B− | A |
| Parole | #99 | A− | D | — | B− | A |
| Lake Shore | #129 | B | C | — | B− | A− |
Arnold, Severna Park, Cape St. Claire, Parole and Lake Shore report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Arnold with a neighbor →
Questions about Arnold
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Arnold, MD a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Arnold grades A− overall, better than 75% of U.S. towns and #100 of 259 in Maryland. It grades A for health and B− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Arnold, MD expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
What is Arnold, MD known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Carolyn Colvin and Brooks Barnard.