Riva, Maryland, 2015
Riva’s story
101 years in pictures
Census counts: 3,966 in 2000, 4,257 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2015 and 6 maps from 1892 on.
- 1925Riva is settled
RivaMD
A town of 4,976, settled in 1925.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: formulanone · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
4,976
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$656K
+1% in a year
Household income
$176K
median
Median age
42.7
years
Jobs based here
253
A commuter town
TownGrade
B+
#126 of 259 in MD
Is Riva a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Riva grades B+ overall, ranked 126th of 259 in Maryland. The median household earns $176K. Residents are healthier than 94% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. What holds it back is price: the typical home is worth about $656K, 6.6 years of the Baltimore metro’s $99K median household income. Riva’s typical household income is $176,000, against $113,000 in Maryland’s towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns. On walkability, just 28 of Maryland’s 328 towns do worse. Riva has 8 places on the National Register.
What makes Riva stand out
Where Riva beats most towns.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Riva for work
Where Riva’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
253jobs based in Riva
0%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Riva grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Maryland), ordered by how far Riva is from typical.
Jobs & income253 jobs based hereA+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 4% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA+Open →HealthLuminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center 4.3 miles awayAOpen →Cost of livingC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6 of 20; 0.3% of households have no car; 0.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →SchoolsBehind 52% of Maryland districts on tests and graduationB−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.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 303 attractions →White House and 280 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Riva. Close and well known come first.
Big draw24 mi National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year
Big draw24 mi National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year
Big draw26 mi LandmarkArlington National Cemetery
Big draw24 mi MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a year
Big draw26 mi LandmarkUnited States Triumphal Arch
Big draw15 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 · Smithsonian Institution: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer, Public domain · United States Triumphal Arch: Hstoops, CC0 · Northwest Stadium: Maryland GovPics, CC BY 2.0
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Getting set up
Moving to Riva: who provides what
Riva is unincorporated, so Anne Arundel County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerBaltimore Gas & Electric20.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBroad Creek water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 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 codes21140, 21035, 2103721140 85% · 21035 11% · 21037 4%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 Riva.
Riva has less food insecurity than most of Maryland and sends most of its workers to Parole and beyond, but it has homes that cost more against local pay than most of Maryland.
HealthA
For health, Riva earns an A
Its widest gap with Maryland is food insecurity: 6.7% of its 3,262 adults worry about having enough food, against 15.4% statewide. Against the 1,491 U.S. towns with household incomes like Riva’s, it is less healthy than 51%: its national edge comes with its incomes.
The share of adults in Riva who have been diagnosed with depression: 20%. CDC measures, 32 in all: Riva beats Maryland on 19 and trails on 2. In Riva, 17% of adults get no exercise outside work, and 30% feel lonely.
94%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Riva | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 17% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 23% | 25% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 34% | 33% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 6.7% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Maryland
19 better11 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Riva | MD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 6.7% | 15.4% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6.3% | 13.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.7% | 7.6% |
Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center
4.3 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
HousingCost of living grade C−
Riva stands out in Maryland and nationally: a larger share of its households are owner-occupiers
At 6.6 years of the Baltimore metro’s $99K median household income, the typical home (about $656K) costs more against local pay than in 95% of Maryland towns; that ratio is one input to its C− for cost of living.
The typical Riva home is worth about $656,000, up 1% in a year, 54% above the Maryland typical home.
$656KZillow home value
Typical home value
Riva$656K
Maryland$425K
+1%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
The biggest natural risk in Riva is inland flooding, at a very low overall level
Households in Riva have drawn federal disaster aid once, in 2003. FEMA expects less storm and flood damage in the town than in 96% of U.S. communities. Expected losses in Riva break down as 50% from inland flooding and 10% from hurricanes.
4risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesTornadoes
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
A smaller share of residents live below the poverty line in Riva than in most of Maryland or the rest of the country
Riva has 253 jobs for its 1,633 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out.
The top destinations are Parole (12%), Annapolis (9%) and Washington (7%). The mean commuting time in Riva is 33 minutes. The median commute is under 16 miles. For working residents here, the share who work locally is 0.5%.
0%work in town
| Riva | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 1.1% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 33 minutes | 32 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.5% | 3.2% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Riva0%
Parole12%
Annapolis9%
Washington7%
Baltimore4%
16 mi
median commute distance
253
jobs based in Riva
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 24% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
Young adults are less common in Riva than in Maryland
The median household earns $176,094, against $103,678 across Maryland, one input to its A+ for jobs and income.
In Riva, 26% of residents are under 18. Adults 18 to 34 are 10% of residents (22% statewide); people 65 and older are 22% of residents (17% statewide). College graduates make up just over half of adults 25 and older, against 44% across Maryland. The town’s midpoint age comes in at 42.7 years.
42.7median age · MD 39.4
| Riva | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 51% | 42% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 22% | 16% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 26% | 23% | 22% |
| Median age | 42.7 years | 39.4 years | 40.5 years |
RivaMarylandUnited States
Ages · share of residents
18%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma2%
High school19%
Some college17%
Associate’s11%
Bachelor’s29%
Graduate23%
Women and men · all residents
47% women, 53% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5.1 points. Across Maryland, 51.3% of residents are women. Among residents 45 to 54, 70% are men (MD 49%).
| Riva | MD | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12.6% | 11.9% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 13.5% | 10.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 2.8% | 8.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.1% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 18.2% | 13.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.9% | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.1% | 13.3% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.9% | 9.9% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.1% | 6.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 1.7% | 8.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 18.8% | 23.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 17.2% | 17.4% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.9% | 6.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 28.7% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 22.7% | 20.8% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 5,000, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Riva
A winter brings about 16 inches of snow, with January nights at 28° and July afternoons at 88°.
16″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
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsC+
4% of Riva is conserved land
In Riva, the concentration of trails is 0.1 miles per square mile. Parks and preserves in the town: one, of 3 acres. 0.3 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
4%conserved
| Riva | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.6 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4% | 9.5% | 4.3% |
4%
conserved · 74 of 1,848 acres
0.3 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Kevin Reichardt Park | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Riva
17pages on Riva
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
6 within 15 miles of the center of Riva
St. John's CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Annapolis5.9 mi$40,684 tuitionUnited States Naval AcademyUniversity or college · Public · Annapolis6.3 miAnne Arundel Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Arnold8.3 mi$4,322 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Riva residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Maryland.
About Riva
Census-designated place in Maryland, United States
Riva is a census-designated place (CDP) in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 4,257 at the 2020 census. The area is scenic, especially where the two-lane Riva Road crosses the South River on a bridge. The area is growing with large new homes as the suburbs of Annapolis grow outward. Riva is bordered by Annapolis to the north, Edgewater to the east, and Davidsonville to the west. Currently Riva is served by Central Elementary School, Davidsonville Elementary School, Central Middle School, and South River High School in Edgewater, Maryland. Notable private schools near Riva include Key School, Indian Creek School, Saint Andrew's Day School, and Arnold Christian A…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 43 ft
- ZIP code
- 21140
- Area code
- 410
Riva’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Riva.
EdgewaterParoleRiva
How the neighbors grade
Riva, Edgewater and Parole report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Riva with a neighbor →
Questions about Riva
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Riva, MD a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Riva grades B+ overall, better than 66% of U.S. towns and #126 of 259 in Maryland. It grades A for health and B− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.