Community Overview

Prior to our visit to St. Mary’s County and Leonardtown, we had the impression that it was going to be a rural location. We could not have been more wrong! The area is anything but rural. Yes, you will have the option of being in a rural setting with those advantages, but it will be like no rural setting you have seen before. St. Mary’s County is a very suburban area with all its advantages and none of the disadvantages you have in suburbs of large metropolitan areas.

Leonardtown, MD

Prior to our visit to St. Mary’s County and Leonardtown, we had the impression that it was going to be a rural location. We could not have been more wrong! The area is anything but rural. Yes, you will have the option of being in a rural setting with those advantages, but it will be like no rural setting you have seen before. St. Mary’s County is a very suburban area with all its advantages and none of the disadvantages you have in suburbs of large metropolitan areas. There is no pollution, traffic, crowds, and limited crime. All the amenities you can think of are here: exceptional schools, fine dining, major restaurant and retail chains, wineries, breweries, recreation, proximity to professional sports and a vibrant job market.

The region is full of history and charm. It is surrounded by water; the Patuxent and Potomac Rivers and Chesapeake Bay, and offers every water activity you would want., Because of the surrounding water, the region is insulated from the harsher weather just a few miles north. They do get some snow during the winter months, but it rarely lasts more than a day or two.

Your choices of housing are varied and numerous. There are beautiful waterfront properties, ranch or farmland, an abundance of new construction homes and developments in both suburban and rural settings. Please read on for a more detailed description of what we found to be one of the best kept secrets on the East coast.

There are over 400-miles of shoreline and beachfront living. It is only 55 Miles to Washington DC, but the cost-of-living is 36% less expensive. They offer a diverse lifestyle: both suburban and rural living options. You can find homes on coastal inlets with a dock for $795K, 5-bedroom / 4- bathroom / 4680 sf on .37 acres, or a 2-bedroom / 2-bathroom condo on-the-water with a dock for $ 375K.

Visitor’s Guide

Leonardtown is an exciting place to visit! Are you seeking adventure? There's plenty here from water sports, seaplane rides and jeep off-roading. Are you looking to explore your creative side? As an Arts & Entertainment District (the only one in Southern Maryland), there are art galleries, workshops and galleries to explore. There's fine-dining, specialty shops exciting events and so much more to discover!

With it's beautiful parks and breathtaking water water views, it's no wonder that Leonardtown has become a popular destination for weddings and events. Whether you're looking to plan a visit or a special event, begin your plans here. You'll find resources, tips and more to help you plan your visit and stay here in Leonardtown. You can even take a virtual tour courtesy of Panoplanning!

View Guide

St. Mary’s County is a world-class center for research, development, testing and evaluation of aviation and unmanned/autonomous systems (UAS), and the advanced manufacturing and aircraft industries. The Patuxent River Naval Air Station ,  (Pax River NAS)  is a military Naval Base.  Pax River NAS is the largest employer in the county as well as the region’s biggest economic driver and  the Navy’s #1  installation for Naval flight operations and it’s Test Pilot Program . Because of the presence of PAX River NAS, the county has over 200 high-tech aerospace and defense companies (Boeing, Lockheed-Martin, Northrup Grumman, Raytheon, BAE Systems , etc.), and they have the highest concentration of PhD’s/Aerospace Engineers per-capita in the country. St. Mary’s County’s private sector industries generate $3.6B in economic output.

You can enjoy numerous fine dining options and organic farmers markets are abundant. There is an extensive wine trail – consisting of breweries, wineries, and distilleries. They have many retail options including BJ’s Warehouse, Super Walmart, Best Buy, Lowe’s, Home Depot and restaurants like Outback, Texas Roadhouse, Panera Bread, Olive Garden, Cracker Barrel, Red Robin and many more. There are art galleries, museums, and historical sites and the must see/stay Solomons Island.

St. Mary’s County was recently ranked one of the state’s fastest growing counties with a population of over 120,000 residents. You will have easy access to Washington DC, Annapolis, Baltimore and Richmond, VA. Professional sports are close by in DC and Baltimore and you have 3 international airports within 90 minutes.