Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,089.
The best of Highfield-Cascade’s subject grades are an A+ for history and an A− for the outdoors; the weakest is a D for walkability. Highfield-Cascade’s trail network density is 2.1 miles per square mile, above both Maryland’s towns (0.6) and U.S. towns (0.4). Only 14 of Maryland’s 329 towns score higher on history. The biggest place to walk is South Mountain State Park, 103 acres with 1.8 miles of trail. Highfield-Cascade has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Highfield-Cascade beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Maryland), ordered by how far Highfield-Cascade is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1911 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Highfield-Cascade. Close and well known come first.
Big draw4 mi LandmarkRaven Rock Mountain Complex
38 mi National MonumentCarlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument
2 mi National park siteCatoctin Mountain Park461K visitors a year
16 mi Ancient siteGettysburg Battlefield
20 mi National BattlefieldAntietam National Battlefield161K visitors a year
16 mi LandmarkGettysburg National CemeteryRaven Rock Mountain Complex: US Government, Public domain · Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain · Catoctin Mountain Park: Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gettysburg Battlefield: Veggies, Public domain · Antietam National Battlefield: Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gettysburg National Cemetery: Photo: Henryhartley at en.wikipedia Statue: Randolph Rogers (1825-1892), Public domain
Highfield-Cascade is unincorporated, so Washington County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Mar 11, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Highfield-Cascade.
Expected losses in Highfield-Cascade break down as 47% from inland flooding and 22% from hurricanes. Highfield-Cascade’s natural-hazard score from FEMA stands at 1 of 100, below both the Maryland town median (6 of 100) and the median of U.S. towns (44 of 100).
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The Washington County Public Schools runs its public schools. Its one school is below. Highfield-Cascade’s only public school teaches 137 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cascade ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 137 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MD on state tests and graduation
Jobs in Highfield-Cascade grew by 29 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 133. For most workers, Highfield-Cascade is a place to come home to: only 4% work in town. The town’s mean commuting time stands at 36 minutes. The top destinations are Hagerstown (11%), Frederick (10%) and Washington Township (4%).
| Highfield-Cascade | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 36 minutes | 32 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $62,000 | $113,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 4.7% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.2% | 3.1% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Highfield-Cascade brings chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 21° and about 33 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Trails run 3.6 miles in 3 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. South Mountain State Park | 1.8 mi | 103 |
| 2. Pen Mar Park | 0.9 mi | 42 |
| 3. Appalachian National Scenic Trail | 0.1 mi | 13 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Highfield-Cascade: 17% of adults report frequent mental distress. In Highfield-Cascade, nearly a quarter of adults have been diagnosed with depression, and 27% get no exercise outside work.
| Highfield-Cascade | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 11% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 20% | 23% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 23% | 25% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 12% | 14% |
| What stands out | Highfield-Cascade | MD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.4% | 13.5% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 11.9% | 15.4% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 14.1% | 9.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The share of households in Highfield-Cascade who are owner-occupiers: 88%. In Highfield-Cascade, the rent at the middle of the market is $1,460 a month.
| Highfield-Cascade | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 88% | 74% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,460 a month | $1,809 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
3 within 15 miles of the center of Highfield-Cascade
About 1 of every 100 Highfield-Cascade residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Maryland.
Where Highfield-Cascade’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
CDP in Maryland, United States
Highfield-Cascade is a census-designated place (CDP) in Washington County, Maryland, United States. The CDP is, however, more commonly referred to as just Cascade, MD. The official CDP name encompasses two closely-spaced unincorporated communities, Highfield and Cascade. The population of the CDP was 1,082 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
The typical home is worth about $209,000, 51% below the Maryland typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
