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Maryland Water Quality Rankings

107 cities ranked · Data from EPA SDWIS

74.4
State avg score
107
Cities ranked
71%
A or B grade
13%
D or F grade
91
Health violations
36
PFAS detected
Analysis

Maryland water quality overview

Maryland's drinking water quality is fair overall, with a state average score of 74.4 out of 100 — 0.2 points above the national average of 74.2. The median city score is 79.7, reflecting how water quality is distributed across the state's 107 ranked cities. 71% of Maryland cities earned an A or B grade, indicating broadly strong water quality infrastructure. Only 9 cities received a failing grade. PFAS "forever chemicals" were detected in 36 of 107 cities (34%). Of those, 13 cities exceed the 2024 EPA maximum contaminant levels — a health concern requiring action. 91 cities have recorded health-based violations with the EPA — meaning contaminant levels exceeded safe limits or required testing was missed. Use the table below to find your city's specific record.

Grade Distribution

How Maryland cities scored

29%
42%
16%
8%
A
31
29%
Excellent
B
45
42%
Good
C
17
16%
Fair
D
5
5%
Poor
F
9
8%
Failing
Score Distribution

Score distribution by range

41 21 0
7
6
4
14
26
41
9
0–9
10–19
20–29
30–39
40–49
50–59
60–69
70–79
80–89
90–100
Comparison

State vs national average

B-
Maryland
74.4/100
B-
National avg
74.2/100
▲ 0.2 pts above national average
City Map

Water quality across Maryland

Each dot is a city, colored by grade. Size reflects population served. Click any city to view its full report.

Highlights

Top & bottom cities in Maryland

Best 10 cities

  1. 1 A+ Fenwick Island 99.9 2K
  2. 2 A+ Bel Air 96.1 5K
  3. 3 A+ Laurel 95 1.9M
  4. 4 A St. Leonard 93.8 2K
  5. 5 A Fort Meade 91.8 62K
  6. 6 A Sherwood Forest 91.6 1K
  7. 7 A Myersville 91 2K
  8. 8 A Taneytown 90.8 7K
  9. 9 A Abingdon 90 105K
  10. 10 A- Secretary 89.8 535

Worst 10 cities

  1. 98 F Elkton 32.1 18K
  2. 99 F Salisbury 32.2 31K
  3. 100 F Port Deposit 36 1K
  4. 101 F Frederick 37.5 147K
  5. 102 F Westminster 39.5 63K
  6. 103 F La Plata 39.5 107K
  7. 104 F Baltimore 39.8 1.6M
  8. 105 F North East 41 10K
  9. 106 F Millersville 41.6 388K
  10. 107 D Ellicott City 45 939
Full Rankings

All 107 cities in Maryland

# City Grade Score Score Population Violations Issues
1 Fenwick Island
A+
 99.9
2K 2
2 Bel Air
A+
 96.1
5K 5 Unresolved
3 Laurel
A+
 95
1.9M 2
4 St. Leonard
A
 93.8
2K 22 Unresolved
5 Fort Meade
A
 91.8
62K 21 Health Unresolved
6 Sherwood Forest
A
 91.6
1K 3 Unresolved
7 Myersville
A
 91
2K 13 Health Unresolved
8 Taneytown
A
 90.8
7K 26 Health PFAS
9 Abingdon
A
 90
105K 11 Unresolved
10 Secretary
A-
 89.8
535 41 Health Unresolved
11 Millington
A-
 89.4
625 5 Unresolved
12 Chrisfield
A-
 89.3
3K 5 Health Unresolved
13 Chesapeake Beach
A-
 89.2
5K 2 Unresolved
14 Rantoul
A-
 89.1
770 14 Health Unresolved
15 Walkersville
A-
 89
8K 15 Health Unresolved
16 New Windsor
A-
 89
2K 9 Health Unresolved
17 Brandywine
A-
 89
780 11 Unresolved
18 Mountain Lake Park
A-
 88.6
6K 4 Health Unresolved
19 Annapolis
A-
 88
44K 20 Health Unresolved
20 Chesapeake City
A-
 87.8
673 12 Unresolved
21 Easton
A-
 87.5
17K 24 Health Unresolved
22 Port Republic
A-
 87.5
1K 14 Unresolved
23 Patuxent River
A-
 86.7
22K 58 Health Unresolved
24 Brunswick
A-
 86.7
7K 18 Health Unresolved
25 Grantsville
A-
 86.2
885 7 Unresolved
26 Funkstown
A-
 85.8
1K 2 Health Unresolved
27 Union Bridge
A-
 85.7
997 5 Health Unresolved
28 Dunkirk
A-
 85.5
9K 17 Health Unresolved
29 Hebron
A-
 85.5
1K 52 Health Unresolved
30 Rock Hall
A-
 85.1
2K 10 Unresolved
31 Woodsboro
A-
 85.1
846 27 Health Unresolved
32 Snow Hill
B+
 84.7
2K 30 Health Unresolved
33 Delmar
B+
 84.5
5K 48 Health Unresolved
34 Sharptown
B+
 84.4
625 35 Health Unresolved
35 Cumberland
B+
 83.5
39K 23 Health Unresolved
36 Pittsville
B+
 83.5
2K 24 Health Unresolved
37 Timonium
B+
 83.3
1K 14 Health Unresolved
38 St Michaels
B+
 83.2
3K 44 Health Unresolved
39 Willards
B+
 82.9
4K 20 Health Unresolved
40 Urbana
B+
 82.7
2K 10 Unresolved
41 Thurmont
B+
 82.6
6K 50 Health PFAS Unresolved
42 Queenstown
B+
 82.4
705 25 Health Unresolved
43 Hampstead
B+
 81.8
7K 9 Health PFAS Unresolved
44 Preston
B+
 81.8
750 17 Health Unresolved
45 Perry Point
B+
 81.7
2K 126 Health Unresolved
46 Lexington Park
B+
 81.1
892 20 Health Unresolved
47 Manchester
B+
 80.9
5K 57 Health PFAS Unresolved
48 North Beach
B+
 80.9
3K 12 Health Unresolved
49 Bowie
B+
 80.5
25K 3 Health Unresolved
50 Cambridge
B+
 80.2
16K 23 Health Unresolved
51 Aberdeen
B
 79.8
33K 11 PFAS Unresolved
52 Smithsburg
B
 79.8
4K 34 Health Unresolved
53 Hancock
B
 79.8
2K 14 Health Unresolved
54 Lavale
B
 79.7
6K 18 Health Unresolved
55 Hurlock
B
 79.4
2K 11 Health Unresolved
56 Crofton
B
 79.4
830 88 Unresolved
57 Westernport
B
 79.1
2K 18 Health Unresolved
58 Middletown
B
 78.6
4K 31 Health PFAS Unresolved
59 Centreville
B
 78.5
3K 49 Health Unresolved
60 Oxford
B
 78.3
726 21 Health Unresolved
61 Poolesville
B
 76.8
6K 49 Health PFAS Unresolved
62 Emmitsburg
B
 75.9
4K 83 Health Unresolved
63 Lusby
B
 75.7
10K 21 Health Unresolved
64 Jessup
B
 75.4
1K 46 Health Unresolved
65 Prince Frederick
B
 75
14K 78 Health Unresolved
66 Princess Anne
B
 75
4K 94 Health Unresolved
67 Ridgely
B-
 74.2
2K 37 Health Unresolved
68 Street
B-
 73.3
643 144 Health Unresolved
69 Grasonville
B-
 73.3
556 24 Health Unresolved
70 Severn
B-
 73.2
2K 17 Health Unresolved
71 Pocomoke City
B-
 72
4K 19 Health Unresolved
72 Denton
B-
 71.5
5K 134 Health Unresolved
73 Huntingtown
B-
 70.6
526 52 Health Unresolved
74 Leonardtown
B-
 70.5
5K 66 Health Unresolved
75 Lothian
B-
 70.5
3K 50 Health Unresolved
76 Indian Head
B-
 70.3
9K 100 Health Unresolved
77 Boonsboro
C+
 69.6
5K 98 Health PFAS Unresolved
78 Williamsport
C+
 69
4K 51 Health Unresolved
79 Lonaconing
C+
 67.9
5K 39 Health Unresolved
80 Mount Airy
C+
 66.6
10K 120 Health PFAS Unresolved
81 Oakland
C+
 66.6
6K 114 Health Unresolved
82 Glen Arm
C+
 66.3
818 92 Health Unresolved
83 Columbia
C+
 66
287K 140 Health Unresolved
84 Fruitland
C+
 65.2
7K 144 Health PFAS Unresolved
85 Chestertown
C
 64.8
8K 174 Health Unresolved
86 Stevensville
C
 64.5
13K 57 Health Unresolved
87 Federalsburg
C
 63.4
3K 89 Health Unresolved
88 Havre De Grace
C
 62.2
15K 98 Health Unresolved
89 Gaithersburg
C
 60.8
805 66 Health Unresolved
90 Hagerstown
C
 60.5
95K 116 Health Unresolved
91 California
C-
 59.6
60K 77 Health Unresolved
92 Ocean City
C-
 57.9
30K 134 Health Unresolved
93 Sykesville
C-
 57.8
2K 53 Health Unresolved
94 Greensboro
D+
 52.3
2K 69 Health Unresolved
95 Berlin
D
 47.9
24K 252 Health Unresolved
96 Perryville
D
 45
5K 281 Health Unresolved
97 Waldorf
D
 45
3K 282 Health Unresolved
98 Ellicott City
D
 45
939 453 Health Unresolved
99 Millersville
F
 41.6
388K 99 Health Unresolved
100 North East
F
 41
10K 504 Health Unresolved
101 Baltimore
F
 39.8
1.6M 84 Health Unresolved
102 La Plata
F
 39.5
107K 183 Health Unresolved
103 Westminster
F
 39.5
63K 128 Health PFAS Unresolved
104 Frederick
F
 37.5
147K 205 Health Unresolved
105 Port Deposit
F
 36
1K 372 Health Unresolved
106 Salisbury
F
 32.2
31K 82 Health PFAS Unresolved
107 Elkton
F
 32.1
18K 182 Health PFAS Unresolved
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