Herald tour, 1920
Gapland’s story
136 years in pictures
The archive holds 9 old photos and papers going back to 1920 and 4 maps from 1944 on.
- 1890Gapland is settled
GaplandMD
A town of 26, settled in 1890.
Is Gapland a good place to live?
100% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Gapland, where Maryland’s towns sit at 42% and U.S. towns at 29%. No town among the 262 in Maryland we compare has a higher midpoint age than Gapland. Gapland has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
26 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Gapland.
Natural hazards
Gapland has a very low natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
15risk score of 100
On expected storm and flood damage, Gapland sits below 85% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects locally, 55% come from inland flooding and 16% from hurricanes.
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers: that is Gapland’s year
31″snow a winter
The seasons in Gapland: chilly, snowy winters, warm summers. Summer afternoons peak near 86° in July, and January nights bottom out around 24°; snowfall runs to about 31 inches a winter.
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–43°
Spring42–64°
Summer62–84°
Fall45–66°
Oct 18
typical first frost
Apr 26
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Outdoors
In Gapland, 9.9% of the land is conserved
9.9%conserved
Trails run 0.1 miles in 1 park or preserve. Parks and preserves in Gapland: one, of 6 acres.
| Gapland | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 9.9% | 9.5% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 0.6 | 0.4 |
9.9%
conserved · 14 of 143 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Civil War Rail Trail | — | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Health
How healthy Gapland is
For adults in Gapland, the share who binge drink is 16%. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Gapland is ahead of Maryland on 4 and behind on 2. Among adults here, 10% worry about having enough food and 15% report frequent mental distress.
| Gapland | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 11% | 14% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 14% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 15% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Maryland
4 better26 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Gapland | MD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.2% | 15.4% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.1% | 13.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.5% | 7.6% |
Jefferson Medical Center
13 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
1
homes sold in September
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Gapland
15pages on Gapland
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
Nearby attractions
All 303 attractions →Raven Rock Mountain Complex and 44 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Gapland. Close and well known come first.
Big draw26 mi LandmarkRaven Rock Mountain Complex
Big draw27 mi LandmarkMount Weather Emergency Operations Center
36 mi MuseumSteven F. Udvar-Hazy Center1.6M visitors a year
5 mi National BattlefieldAntietam National Battlefield161K visitors a year
5 mi National Historical ParkHarpers Ferry National Historical Park538K visitors a year
4 mi National Historical ParkChesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park4.6M visitors a yearSources: 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 · Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Antietam National Battlefield: Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Harpers Ferry National Historical Park: Mark Fickett, CC BY 3.0 · Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park: Bonnachoven, CC0
Getting set up
Moving to Gapland: who provides what
Gapland is unincorporated, so Washington County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPotomac Edison15.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet4 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesWashington CountyWashington 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 hereWashington County Board of ElectionsWashington County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2025
ZIP code2177921779 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.
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Gapland
Shepherd UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Shepherdstown, WV8.1 mi$9,056 in-state tuitionHood CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Frederick12.8 mi$47,700 tuitionFrederick Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Frederick13.3 mi$3,849 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Gapland residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Maryland.
About Gapland
Unincorporated community in Maryland, United States
Gapland is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Washington County, Maryland, United States. Its population was 109 as of the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 617 ft
Questions about Gapland
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Gapland, MD a good place to live?
Gapland has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Gapland is in here
Say something about Gapland.
Ask a question, answer one, post a photo or an event. Free, and the parts only a neighbor would know are the parts worth reading.