Where to live

Where to live near Fort Meade

10 towns within about an hour of the main post area: drive time, rent, home values and the school district for each.

Town centers and the main post area. Dot size is population.

Quick answers

ClosestSevern11 min drive
Biggest nearbyColumbia104,338 people
Lowest median rentBaltimore$1,331 a month
Most E-5 BAH left overBaltimore$1,495 over a 2-bedroom
10 towns, closest first

Towns around Fort Meade

The green or red number is an E-5 with dependents' 2026 BAH ($2,901) minus that town's median 2-bedroom rent. Check your own pay grade.

Severn, MD

11 min drive · 4.3 road mi
Median rent
$2,175
2 bedrooms
$2,239
3 bedrooms
$2,058
Home value
$479,200
People
58,402
Homes rented
29%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$662 a month

Anne Arundel County Public Schools: 126 schools, 84,346 students, 13.9 students per teacher. District facts

Maryland City, MD

13 min drive · 5.7 road mi
Median rent
$2,421
2 bedrooms
$2,310
3 bedrooms
$2,651
Home value
$424,900
People
19,186
Homes rented
39%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$591 a month

Anne Arundel County Public Schools: 126 schools, 84,346 students, 13.9 students per teacher. District facts

Jessup, MD

14 min drive · 6.2 road mi
Median rent
$2,187
2 bedrooms
$2,326
3 bedrooms
$2,862
Home value
$462,000
People
9,931
Homes rented
44%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$575 a month

Anne Arundel County Public Schools: 126 schools, 84,346 students, 13.9 students per teacher. District facts

Odenton, MD

16 min drive · 6.5 road mi
Median rent
$2,257
2 bedrooms
$2,293
3 bedrooms
$2,462
Home value
$435,300
People
45,002
Homes rented
37%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$608 a month

Anne Arundel County Public Schools: 126 schools, 84,346 students, 13.9 students per teacher. District facts

Gambrills, MD

18 min drive · 7.3 road mi
Median rent
$2,076
2 bedrooms
-
3 bedrooms
$2,215
Home value
$584,800
People
2,830
Homes rented
8%

E-5 BAH left over after the median rent: +$825 a month

Anne Arundel County Public Schools: 126 schools, 84,346 students, 13.9 students per teacher. District facts

North Laurel, MD

19 min drive · 8.5 road mi
Median rent
$2,031
2 bedrooms
$2,099
3 bedrooms
$2,337
Home value
$450,100
People
25,563
Homes rented
38%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$802 a month

Howard County Public Schools: 78 schools, 57,633 students, 13.3 students per teacher. District facts

South Laurel, MD

20 min drive · 10.2 road mi
Median rent
$1,830
2 bedrooms
$1,842
3 bedrooms
$2,264
Home value
$458,100
People
29,272
Homes rented
59%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,059 a month

Prince George's County Public Schools: 199 schools, 131,310 students, 14.7 students per teacher. District facts

Savage, MD

22 min drive · 13.2 road mi
Median rent
$2,053
2 bedrooms
$2,128
3 bedrooms
$2,370
Home value
$424,300
People
8,239
Homes rented
41%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$773 a month

Howard County Public Schools: 78 schools, 57,633 students, 13.3 students per teacher. District facts

Columbia, MD

28 min drive · 14.6 road mi
Median rent
$2,042
2 bedrooms
$2,129
3 bedrooms
$2,473
Home value
$497,400
People
104,338
Homes rented
35%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$772 a month

Howard County Public Schools: 78 schools, 57,633 students, 13.3 students per teacher. District facts

Baltimore, MD

36 min drive · 19.9 road mi
Median rent
$1,331
2 bedrooms
$1,406
3 bedrooms
$1,577
Home value
$229,600
People
573,243
Homes rented
52%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,495 a month

Baltimore City Public Schools: 151 schools, 75,811 students, 14.7 students per teacher. District facts

Where these numbers come from

  • Towns: every town, city and census place of 1,000 or more people within about an hour's drive, from the U.S. Census Bureau.
  • Drive time: from each town's center to the main post area on OpenStreetMap roads, without traffic, so rush hour runs longer.
  • Rent, home value, renters: Census American Community Survey 2020-2024 medians. They include long-time renters and utilities, so new leases usually cost more. Use them to compare towns, and the HUD rent on the BAH page for today's level.
  • Schools: the public district that covers each town's center, with size from the NCES Common Core of Data (2023-24). Confirm the school for a specific address with the district.

Updated October 12, 2026. How we get our numbers.

Fort Meade base guide   Fort Meade BAH   Other bases

FAQ

Living near Fort Meade

What is the closest town to Fort Meade?

Severn, MD is about 11 minutes from the main post area (4.3 road miles) without traffic.

What is the biggest town near Fort Meade?

Columbia, MD, with about 104,338 people, 28 minutes from the main post area. Bigger towns usually mean more rentals, schools and jobs to choose from.

Which town near Fort Meade has the lowest rent?

Baltimore, MD, where the Census median rent is $1,331 a month (rent plus utilities, 2020-2024 average). New leases usually cost more than the median, so check current listings too.

Does BAH cover rent near Fort Meade?

For an E-5 with dependents the 2026 DoD BAH is $2,901 a month. That is at or above the Census median 2-bedroom rent in 9 of the 9 towns here with a Census figure for that size, with the most left over in Baltimore, MD.

What school district serves Severn?

Anne Arundel County Public Schools, with 126 schools and 84,346 students (13.9 students per teacher), from the NCES Common Core of Data. Always confirm the school for a specific address with the district.