Tobacco Barn, 2015
Broomes Island’s story
137 years in pictures
The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2015 and 6 maps from 1892 on.
- 1889Broomes Island is settled
Broomes IslandMD
This town of 460 people was settled in 1889.
Sotterley · Photo: Pubdog at en.wikipedia · Public domain
Population
460
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$487K
+3.9% in a year
Median age
58.6
years
Jobs based here
49
A commuter town
Settled
1889
137 years ago
Is Broomes Island a good place to live?
Broomes Island’s mean commuting time is 56 minutes, where Maryland’s towns sit at 32 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Only one of the 262 Maryland towns we compare has a higher home-ownership rate than Broomes Island. Broomes Island has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
By the sea
Broomes Island lives by the ocean
Coastal flooding makes up 12% of the storm damage FEMA expects here.
12%of expected storm damage is coastal flooding
98thpercentile for coastal flood risk nationally
1storm & flood disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA · OpenStreetMap
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Broomes Island.
Natural hazards
Natural hazards: low risk in Broomes Island, mostly inland flooding
20risk score of 100
FEMA puts 29% of Broomes Island’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 25% to hurricanes. Compared with four fifths of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage here is lower. One declared disaster, in 2003, has brought federal aid to Broomes Island households.
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesCoastal flooding
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Most of Broomes Island’s workers head elsewhere: there are 0.3 jobs for each of them
1%work in town
For most workers, Broomes Island is a place to come home to: only 1% work in town. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs here rose by 38, to 49. Half the trips to work are shorter than 23 miles. The top destinations are Prince Frederick (13%), Washington (4%) and Lake Arbor (3%).
Where working residents work
In Broomes Island1%
Prince Frederick13%
Washington4%
Lake Arbor3%
Waldorf3%
23 mi
median commute distance
49
jobs based in Broomes Island
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers: that is Broomes Island’s year
13″snow a winter
A winter brings about 13 inches of snow, with January nights at 28° and July afternoons at 88°.
Typical low → high °F
Winter29–47°
Spring45–66°
Summer67–85°
Fall50–69°
Nov 26
typical first frost
Mar 22
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Housing
A home in Broomes Island is worth about $487K, on Zillow’s estimate
$487KZillow home value
Values rose 3.9% in the 12 months to September 2026.
Typical home value
Broomes Island$487K
Maryland$425K
+3.9%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in September
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Health
How healthy Broomes Island is
The share of adults in Broomes Island who get no exercise outside work: 21%. Of 32 CDC measures, Broomes Island beats the Maryland average on 10 and trails it on 3. In Broomes Island, nearly one in ten adults worry about having enough food, and 31% feel lonely.
| Broomes Island | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 35% | 35% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 8.7% | 14% | 14% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 34% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 15% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Maryland
10 better19 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Broomes Island | MD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8.7% | 15.4% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.8% | 8.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.8% | 7.6% |
Medstar Saint Mary's Hospital
9.2 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Broomes Island
15pages on Broomes Island
The big questions
Out and about
Nearby attractions
All 261 attractions →Northwest Stadium and 44 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Broomes Island. Close and well known come first.
Big draw38 mi Stadium & arenaNorthwest Stadium
25 mi National MonumentGeorge Washington Birthplace National Monument72K visitors a year
38 mi Stadium & arenaCareFirst Arena
39 mi LandmarkGeorge Washington Masonic National Memorial
40 mi LandmarkCongressional Cemetery
40 mi Stadium & arenaNavy–Marine Corps Memorial StadiumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Northwest Stadium: Maryland GovPics, CC BY 2.0 · George Washington Birthplace National Monument: National Park Service Digital Image Archives, Public domain · CareFirst Arena: Gregory Koch, CC BY-SA 4.0 · George Washington Masonic National Memorial: Joe Ravi (Shutterstock iStock Dreamstime), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Congressional Cemetery: Smallbones, CC0 · Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium: Damon J. Moritz, Public domain
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Getting set up
Moving to Broomes Island: who provides what
Broomes Island is unincorporated, so Calvert County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerSouthern Maryland Elec Coop16.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet2 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesCalvert CountyCalvert 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 hereCalvert County Board of ElectionsCalvert County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2023
ZIP code2061520615 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.
Small town
460 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Broomes Island; the nearest are
St. Mary's College of MarylandUniversity or college · Public · St. Mary's City16.7 mi$15,298 in-state tuitionCollege of Southern MarylandCommunity college · Public · La Plata26.9 mi$4,200 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Broomes Island residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Maryland.
About Broomes Island
Census-designated place in Maryland, United States
Broomes Island is a small waterfront community and census-designated place (CDP) located at the southern terminus of MD 264 in Calvert County, Maryland, United States, on the Patuxent River. It is located approximately 10 miles (16 km) south of Prince Frederick, the county seat. As of 2019 Census estimates, the population of the CDP was 421. Although Broomes Island is a rather small community, it does have its own post office and zip code, 20615. In November 2007, the United States Postal Service considered closing the small post office and re-routing all mail delivery through the larger St. Leonard post office branch. After residents contacted US Senator Barbara Mikulski about the proposed…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 10 ft
- ZIP code
- 20615
Questions about Broomes Island
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Broomes Island, MD a good place to live?
Broomes Island has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Broomes Island is in here
Say something about Broomes Island.
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