Towson is a city located right on the edge of Baltimore that can best be described as a city center, college town and residential suburb all rolled into one. With its inventory of established neighborhoods, new construction condos and cost-effective townhomes, this area attracts students, professionals, families and retirees. Residents spend their weekends downtown at one of the local York Street haunts, shopping at the state’s third-largest mall or getting outdoors at one of the city’s 27 parks. Niche gives Towson the No. 2 spot in its Best Places to Live in Baltimore County list.
Many newcomers choose Towson for its two vibrant universities or to find work in the city. “Since Towson is the county seat of Baltimore County, there are a lot of young professionals who come here to work for the local government,” says Realtor Dara Lewis with Pinnacle Real Estate Company, who has lived in the area for 10 years. “And doctors who work at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore or at Greater Baltimore Medical Center and St. Joseph’s Hospital in Towson will often choose it because they don’t want to pay the extra property taxes in the city.”
Towson is a great neighborhood on the outskirts of Baltimore.
The mall in Towson is a great place to do your shopping.
Towson University brings many college students to the Towson area.
Towson is a beautiful city day and night.
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Varied home styles across a hot housing market
The housing market in Towson is competitive, and home styles vary greatly across the city’s neighborhoods. Some are more competitive than others. “In West Towson, you’ll see homes sell between $500,000 and $800,000 for the most part,” says Lewis. “Whereas Stoneleigh to the south would be at a higher price point than that. It’s very European, with a lot of older homes built in the 1930s, and homes there sell quickly.” Midcentury Colonial Revivals and split-level houses here start around $500,000 and reach prices of up to $1 million.
Downtown offers a walkable, urban experience, with smaller city lots and multi-unit housing. It is no doubt more attractive to college students and young professionals, with condos pricing between $230,000 and $300,000. Townhouses along the west side of York Road can cost anywhere from $290,000 to $500,000 depending on the number of bedrooms. Ruxton, the city’s westernmost community, has a distinctly more established, suburban feel, though it comes at a cost, as the large Colonial Revival homes can run anywhere from $925,000 to upwards of $2 million.
The city is currently expanding its student housing options. “The apartments over the Whole Foods aren’t necessarily student housing,” Lewis says. “It’s more like apartments geared towards students, with street-level retail on the ground floor. It’s been great to see, and it’s brought a lot of extra life to Towson.”
Live in a nice condo in Towson.
Enjoy a nice front yard when you live in Towson.
Live in a beautiful Colonial home in Towson.
Townhomes are common in Towson.
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Concerts at The Recher and Tigers football
For arts, culture, shopping and entertainment, most people head downtown. Towson Town Center, an expansive shopping mall with more than 180 stores, anchors the commercial district. Nearby York Road is a hub of restaurants and nightlife, thanks in part to the college and university within walking distance. Swallow at the Hollow is among the most popular, having been featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. The Recher is the city’s live music venue. It has hosted a diverse roster of acts, from Cheap Trick and Ziggy Marley to All Time Low. “The Recher was the only concert venue in the area for years,” says Jordan Sarnovsky, a lifetime area resident. “At one point, they tried to turn it into a nightclub, but there was a huge push to make it a live music venue again, and it reopened in 2021.”
Residents can access a handful of small art galleries downtown. This district is also the location of annual events like the Towsontown Spring Festival, which includes live music and hundreds of vendors selling food, art, crafts and more.
During football season, Towson shows its colors as a rowdy college town. “I lived in a corner dorm on York Road. Whenever the Tigers were playing, people got so loud my walls would shake,” Sarnovsky says. “And it only got crazier when they won.”
Residents are also close to Baltimore Ravens football games, Baltimore Orioles MLB games and Baltimore Blast indoor soccer games.
Towson Town Center in Towson has all the shopping and dining you need.
There are great art galleries around Towson.
The Recher in Towson has great live music.
Grab a bite to eat off of York Rd in Towson at Nacho Mama's.
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Blue Ribbon schools and top-rated universities
Overall, the Baltimore County Public Schools system earns a district-wide rating of B from Niche. It is the third largest school district in Maryland, with more than 110,000 students, over 20,000 employees and 26 Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools. Standouts include the George W. Carver Center for Arts and Technology, a public magnet school that is ranked as the No. 2 Best High School for the Arts in Maryland. Towson is also home to some of the top private schools in the area, including Loyola Blakefield and Calvert Hall College High School, both of which are rated A or higher.
Towson University, which serves almost 20,000 students on its 329-acre campus, was named one of the Top 100 Public Institutions in the U.S. by Forbes in 2022. Goucher College is a smaller private university with approximately 2,000 students. Goucher was named among the most innovative schools in U.S. News & World Report's 2023 rankings.
George W. Carver Center for Arts & Technology in Towson has 997 students in Towson.
Loyola Blakefield in Towson is a prestigious all-boys school known for academic excellence.
Students of Townson have the opportunity to attend Calvert Hall College High School.
Want to earn a degree in Towson? Goucher College has great courses.
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Ongoing efforts towards equity by the parks and rec department
There are 27 public parks in Towson, ranging from small tot lots to dozen-acre green spaces. One big feature in the area is Loch Raven Reservoir, just north of Towson. Residents come here for hiking, boating, bird watching and horseback riding opportunities. The Towson Recreation Council operates youth and adult leagues in sports like baseball, soccer and basketball. The Orokawa Y, located on West Chesapeake Avenue, provides indoor recreation throughout the year and features a pool, rock climbing wall and fitness center.
The Department of Recreation and Parks announced a "Reimagine Recreation and Parks" initiative in December 2023. CivicRec, an online registration platform that serves as a one-stop destination for recreation facilities, programs and park reservations, was launched as part of an effort to be more efficient, transparent and equitable.
Take your dog for a walk at one of the many parks in Towson.
Loch Raven Reservoir is not a far drive from Towson and is a great spot to hike.
The Y in Towson is a great spot to get a workout in.
There are many parks and tot lots around Towson.
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The multi-modal transit options of the Maryland Transit Administration
Both Interstates 83 and 695 border the community, so driving around the region is convenient if not quick. The nearest Amtrak stop is at Baltimore’s Penn Station, about 7 miles away on surface streets. This trip can be made in 13 miles via the highway, which is often faster. Commuters can also catch the Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) train to Washington, D.C., at Penn Station. In addition to the MARC train, the Maryland Transit Administration also operates a Light Rail that makes one stop in town at Towson’s Falls Road station. This line makes more frequent stops than the MARC and runs from Hunt Valley, Maryland, to the north and the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport 30 miles to the south.
The MTA also offers a variety of bus lines that service Towson, including the CityLink Red and CityLink Green. The county operates the Baltimore County Circulator, or “The Loop,” which is a free service that makes stops throughout Towson’s central business district.
Even with all the commuter options, the MTA has its eye on the future. The organization recently completed a feasibility study for a new transit line between Towson and downtown Baltimore, one of the busiest travel corridors in the area. The report, released in December 2023, laid out several proposed options, including light rail, heavy rail and bus rapid transit, which have been advanced for public comment.
Crime concentrated around shopping centers
The Baltimore County Police Department reports that 69 percent of all crimes in Towson between January 2023 and August 2024 were crimes against property, likely driven by shoplifting charges at the area's major shopping centers. Crimes against persons made up 20 percent of the total, with assault offenses forming the bulk of charges. Only one homicide was reported in the city during that time.
According to an article in The Baltimore Sun, a string of violent crimes in early 2023 caused concern that big-city crime was taking over downtown Towson. However, an analysis of crime data isolated to central Towson provided by the county police showed that overall crime in 2022 had risen to levels just above what they were in 2019, prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
I am a dedicated Real Estate professional with over 15 years of experience in the Baltimore and surrounding areas, especially in the Reisterstown area where I have been residing for the past 34 years with my wife and four daughters. I am a Certified Residential Specialist who is dedicated to do the best possible job for all of my clients, especially those who speak Spanish. I will treat everyone the same way I would like to be treated, offering expertise in helping all home buyers, especially first time buyers, and experienced buyers including investors. I take pride in being able to find the perfect homes for my clients and walk them through the entire process. I will personally make sure that you are satisfied with your new home by listening to what you are looking for and finding it with my knowledge and experience in the field. My job is not done until we have found your home and you are happy. Please feel free to ask me if there is anything else you would like to know about myself or home buying in general. I look forward to partnering with you and tackling your next real estate endeavor. I am only a phone call away.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
