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MD 56 wb in Big Spring, Aug. 2024
Maryland›Washington County
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Big SpringMD

A town of 21, settled in 1892.

Photo: Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page, my Commons user talk page, or my English Wikipedia user talk page; I'll know about it a lot faster) · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo of Big Spring

Big Spring, MD · Photo: Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page, my Commons user talk page, or my English Wikipedia user talk page; I'll know about it a lot faster) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source ↗

Population
21
Census survey, 2020–24
Land area
0 sq mi

Is Big Spring a good place to live?

Big Spring has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

21 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Clear Spring · 2 miHedgesville · 6 miWilliamsport · 7 miMontgomery Township · 10 miWarren Township · 11 miHagerstown · 12 mi
Nearby attractions

Raven Rock Mountain Complex and 26 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Big Spring. Close and well known come first.

All 62 attractions →
Big draw29 mi LandmarkRaven Rock Mountain ComplexBig draw39 mi LandmarkMount Weather Emergency Operations Center13 mi National BattlefieldAntietam National Battlefield161K visitors a yearin town National Historical ParkChesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park4.6M visitors a year40 mi Ancient siteGettysburg Battlefield22 mi National Historical ParkHarpers Ferry National Historical Park538K visitors a year
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

Raven Rock Mountain Complex: US Government, Public domain · Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center: Unknown, Public domain · Antietam National Battlefield: Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park: Bonnachoven, CC0 · Gettysburg Battlefield: Veggies, Public domain · Harpers Ferry National Historical Park: Mark Fickett, CC BY 3.0

Getting set up

Moving to Big Spring: who provides what

Big Spring is unincorporated, so Washington County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerPotomac Edison15.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet3 providers68% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesWashington CountyWashington County provides services here
SchoolsWashington County Public SchoolsWhich school depends on your addressNCES
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.gov
Who runs elections hereWashington County Board of ElectionsWashington County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2025
ZIP code2172221722 100%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 Big Spring.

Natural hazards

Big Spring has a very low natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding

The natural-hazard score from FEMA for Big Spring comes to 10 of 100, against 6 of 100 in Maryland’s towns and 44 of 100 across U.S. towns. 51% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by hurricanes at 17%. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 90% of U.S. communities.

10risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
10Very low riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingHurricanesDrought
Full pageBig Spring’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesVery low riskFlood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on recordPast disasters14 disaster declarations · Declared for the countyGet ready2.1 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

In Big Spring, expect four seasons and pleasant summers

July afternoons reach 87° and January nights drop to 23°.

87°summer high

Typical low → high °F

Winter25–43°
Spring40–65°
Summer61–85°
Fall43–67°
Oct 23
typical first frost
Apr 17
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
87°
typical summer high
Full pageBig Spring’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 87°, January lows 23°Rain & snow39″ of rain a year · Rain a yearHeating & coolingMostly a heating billThen and now+1.6° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

Big Spring stands out in Maryland and nationally: a smaller share of its adults binge drink

Big Spring does better than the Maryland average on 12 of 32 CDC measures and worse on 9. Among adults in the town, 28% get no exercise outside work.

Big SpringMaryland townsU.S. towns
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)48%35%35%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)11%14%16%
Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES)85%79%79%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)16%12%12%
32 measures vs. Maryland
12 better11 too close to call9 worse
What stands outBig SpringMD
Fewer adults facing housing insecurity6.9%13.5%
Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off4.4%8.4%
More adults who have had cancer14.9%7.6%
Berkeley Medical Center
10.5 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
Full pageBig Spring’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsFewer binge drinkersHospitals & doctors nearby10.5 miles to an ER · Berkeley Medical CenterHow adults are doingMore adults in frequent physical distressEvery CDC estimateBetter than MD on 12 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Outdoors

In Big Spring, 4.1% of the land is conserved

Trails total 0.1 miles in 1 park or preserve. Big Spring has one park or preserve, 2 acres in all.

4.1%conserved
Big SpringMaryland townsU.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile1.0 miles per square mile0.60.4
Conserved land4.1%9.5%4.3%
4.1%
conserved · 4 of 89 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 1 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park0.1 mi2
Full pageBig Spring’s outdoors pageOpen the page
Trail map0.1 miles of trail, mappedPick a walk0.1 miles of trail · Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical ParkConserved land4.1% conserved · 4 acres protectedQuestions“Where can I hike in Big Spring?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Big Spring

14pages on Big Spring
The big questions
HealthBetter than MD on 12 of 32 CDC measuresNatural hazardsFEMA risk higher than 10% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
Outdoors0 mi of trails · 4% conserved landPlacesAttractions62 nearby · Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park under 1 miLibraryLeonard P. Snyder Memorial Branch LibraryCollegesValley College-Martinsburg is 9.7 mi away
The story
HistorySettled 1892Climate87° summer highs
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookTown SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

3 within 15 miles of the center of Big Spring

Valley College-MartinsburgUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Martinsburg, WV9.7 miBlue Ridge Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Martinsburg, WV13.6 mi$4,752 in-state tuitionHagerstown Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Hagerstown14.5 mi$4,320 in-state tuition

About 0 of every 100 Big Spring residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Maryland.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

About Big Spring

Unincorporated community in Maryland, United States

Big Spring is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Washington County, Maryland, United States. Its population was 84 as of the 2010 census. Maryland Route 56 passes through the community.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
0.1 sq mi
Elevation
433 ft

Questions about Big Spring

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Big Spring, MD a good place to live?

Big Spring has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.