Hello, we are going to move to Maryland from California. My husband is relocated to Baltimore. We are looking for safe place to live and raise our family nearby Baltimore. My husband could drive to work to Baltimore, so we are looking for suburb city with a good school (middle public school).
In my research Harford county sounds good. But I would like to ask you MD friends, what place, school would you recommend? We are looking about less then 1 hour drive to Baltimore?
I would really appreciated your input.

I use to live in Maryland, check out howard county.

Montgomery County would be my top suggestion, but that's about an hour from Baltimore. Howard County is closer, and that would likely be my #2 recommendation.

Thank you both for your reply. MD looks like nice place to live. Montgomery county looks a little far. Howard county seams a bit expensive (??). I was checking also Harford near Joppa or Bel Air. If my info from Internet is correct, schools should be good there; houses affordable....... I will re-check the Howard county again, but it looks like the more North, the cheaper houses and living, and it looks more less crowded?? Do you know about this are, any other cities I should check around Baltimore????

Anne Arundel county has some great areas. Severna Park, Magothy River and Severn River are all great middle schools that feed into great high schools. Both of the high schools offer lots of AP classes, have great athletic programs and good music programs. If you have any questions about them just let me know. Good luck!

I believe Columbia schools are in Howard and it may be a little less expensive, or if you go to the northern part of Howard County. Believe it or not, I do not recommend Montgomery County. Just came out of there a few years ago and they were implementing the SOLS which you really want to stay away from. We came to VA and they had SOLS, better implemented, but any system with SOLS leaves no room for imaginative learning or children who think outside the box. We are now in private school and love it.

I used to live in Eldersburg in Carroll County. It was actually one of Money Magazines top 100 cities to live last year! I worked in Pikesville (Baltimore) and it was about a 20 minute drive. And it's less expensive than Howard or Montgomery counties...