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The road between our nation’s
capital and Baltimore runs
directly through Howard
County, Maryland. Designated
as an “
All-America County
”
by the National Civic League,
Howard County is one of the
most outstanding places to live,
work, and play in the U.S. of A.
Howard County has a balanced
blend of pastoral farms, historic
towns, suburban communities
and urban living. Diversity is all
around, from Columbia’s world-
class shopping to Old Ellicott
City’s Main Street lined with
antiques shops, boutiques and
cozy restaurants.With all of this
and so much more, it’s no wonder
that Howard County’s Columbia/
Ellicott City area has been named
among
“America’s Best Places
to Live”
by
Money
magazine.
Howard County has also been
recognized as the “
Best Educated
”
county (adults over 25) by the U.S.
Census Bureau as well as having
the “
Seventh Best School System
”
according to
Forbes
.
Gale/Library
Journal
named the Howard County
Library System “
Library of the
Year
,”
USA Today
called the county
the “
Second Most Technologically
Advanced Community in the US
,”
and
American City Business Journals
claims the county has the “
Ninth
Best Quality of Life
” in the U.S.
When it comes to leisure time
activities, there are six regional
and 24 community parks, six golf
courses, four lakes, and more than
200 miles of walking, hiking, and
biking trails.
Sports Illustrated
chose Howard County as one of
only eight communities nationwide
to receive the
“Good Sports
Communities of the Year”
award.
Howard County has been
collecting kudos for many years;
the region was chosen the ideal
location for the first railroad
terminus in the nation, and the
Historic National Road, the
nation’s first federally funded
interstate highway. Columbia is one
of the largest planned communities
in the country. More
recently, Merriweather
Post Pavilion was
named
“Fourth Best
Amphitheatre in America”
by
Rolling Stone
, and just
for fun, Old Ellicott City
was named amongTrip
Advisor’s “
Top 10 Spooky
American Getaways
.”
Centrally located in the
Baltimore-Washington
Corridor, Howard
County is a strategic
location for a diverse
and thriving business
base. Several large
business contractors
call Howard County
home, as do corporate
and regional headquarters, a
wide variety of technology-
driven firms, and wholesale
distributors and manufacturers.
The county’s citizens
are among the wealthiest in
the nation, with a median
household income of $107K.
As one of approximately 30
counties in the nation to have a
triple-A bond rating from all three
rating agencies, Howard County
has one of the strongest economies
in Maryland. The county leads
the state in the creation of new
jobs, with more than 35,000 new
jobs added over the last decade.
It has the highest concentration
of professional, scientific, and
technical workers in the state.
You’ll want to call Howard
County your strategic location
of choice, too, once you
discover it’s truly “Where
Maryland Comes Together!”
VISIT...
living it!
KENNETH LOSURDO, JR.
FREE (OR ALMOST FREE) WAYS TO
HAVE SOME FAMILY FUN
While Howard
County offers more
than its share of
upscale amenities
and experiences,
countless activities,
events, attractions and amenities
are absolutely free. Even those not
trying to pinch a penny will want to
take part in these sure-to-please
free or almost-free ways to explore
the wonders of Howard County. See
our picks throughout the issue.
FREE
OR ALMOST FREE
8
HOWARD COUNTY OFFICIAL VISITORS + RESIDENTS GUIDE | 2016