Yes, Catonsville is an excellent place to live, but it largely depends on your preferences. In this article, I’ll give details of the pros and cons of living in Catonsville.
You will have a clearer picture of life in Catonsville at the end of this article.
Let’s get started!
Life in Catonsville, Maryland’s Music City
Do you love the suburban feeling? That’s primarily what you get in Catonsville. Catonsville is a suburb in Baltimore County. Many residents tag in the best place to live in Maryland.
If you’re a young professional, you’ll find it pleasing to live in Catonsville, especially since many other young professionals live there. Another thing you’ll notice is that most residents are owners of homes.
If you have kids, Catonsville has public schools that are above average. According to the World Population Review, Catonsville has a diverse population of 45,327. From the racial breakdown, you can tell that Catonsville is a predominantly white city.
Summary of Pros and Cons of Living in Catonsville, Maryland
| Pros of Living in Catonsville, MD | Cons of Living in Catonsville, MD |
| Diverse City | Property Tax is High |
| Affordable Education | Population Growth is Waning |
| Low Risk of Natural Disasters | Cost of Living is High |
| High Economic Development | Catonsville has bad drivers |
| Low Rate of Poverty | Growing Rate of Crime |
Pros of Living in Catonsville
1. Diverse City
World Population Review has a detailed 2020 breakdown of the Catonsville population. Here’s what it looks like:
- White: 70.73%
- Black or African American: 16.52%
- Asian: 7.09%
- Two or more races: 3.50%
2. Music Fans Love it Here
If you love music, then Catonsville will sweep you off your feet. Catonsville has a track record of restocking old tapes and records that are hard to find. Do you know the Brickfoot and Pete Townshend CDs? They’re abundant there! In fact, the Record and Tape Traders on Frederick Road will inspire you with the real thing.
3. Catonsville is Great for Sports Lovers
Soccer, swimming, and volleyball are just a drop in the ocean of the sports available in Catonsville. To this effect, you’ll find many sports clubs that Catonsville residents can join. Some of them include
- Linthicum Ferndale Youth Athletic Association (LFYAA)
- Howard Huskies
- Soccer Association of Columbia
- Eden Baltimore
- Maryland Athletic Club
- STX Women’s Lacrosse
- Baltimore Orioles
- Maryland Juniors Volleyball Club
- Meadowbrook Swim Club
4. Best Place to Live if you Love Seafood
You’ll love it here! Catonsville residents are hopeless seafood lovers. Because of this, you’ll find restaurants that specialize in seafood preparation. When in Catonsville, check out these restaurants:
- Catonsville Gourmet
- Sea Hut Inn
- The Crab Crib
- Ships Cafe & Pub Incorporated
- Faidley Seafood
Tell us what you think after you’ve tried these meals, would ya?
5. Low Risk of Natural Disasters
The category of natural disasters here includes earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, and volcanoes. The probability of having these kinds of natural disasters is very unlikely. However, Catonsville has a very high risk of having severe storms.
6. High Economic Development
Over the years, Catonsville has advanced, especially in transportation. This advancement has made Baltimore City more accessible and Catonsville a more desirable place to live. You’ll also find advancement in real estate as single homes are constantly being built for residents.
7. Low Rate of Poverty
According to the World Population Review, Catonsville’s poverty rate is only 7.71%. The household average income is $109,661 in Catonsville. The monthly rental cost is about $1,425, depending on where you live.
8. Dynamic Working Environment
Employees dropped their reviews based on their experiences working in Catonsville so far on Indeed. I’ll just drop a few reviews for you to make a judgment.
A licensed practicing nurse says that the environment she worked in was patient-focused. As long as you’re giving attention to your tasks and caring for clients, you’ll enjoy it.
Another employee at TEKsystems in Catonsville says that the working environment is fast-paced. You may not have the time to chit-chat. If you’re work-focused, you’ll love it.
There are also recommended companies to work with. They include
- Erickson Senior Living
- First Team Staffing
- Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration
- Eagles Trace Inc
- Rolling Road Golf Club
- The Children’s Home
- INFORMS
- Bill’s Carpet Fair
9. Tons of Fun Activities
Catonsville brims with nature and perfect scenery, so it’s difficult to run out of things to do in this Baltimore Suburb. On a good day, residents explore a couple of these activities:
- Exploring Benjamin Banneker Historical Park
- Admiring art pieces at Spring Grove Alumni Museum
- Enjoying concerts in Lurman Woodland Theater
- Enjoying the night scene at Morsbergers Tavern LLC
- Exploring your creativity at Pottery Cove
10. Celebrity Heritage
It’ll interest you that most famous people trace their lineages to Catonsville. Edward Norton, William Macy, Montel Williams, Mike Rowe, and Jada Pinkett are just a few of them!
Cons of Living in Catonsville
1. Property Tax is High
Maryland is known for its high property rates. This seems to affect other cities surrounding the state. Property tax is a major source of revenue in Catonsville; the average tax rate is $1.07%. The abundance of public services in Catonsville, like good hospitals, schools, recreation, transportation, sewage treatment, and security, can be traced to property tax.
2. Cost of Living is High
The cost of living in Catonsville, Maryland, is higher than the national average by 25%. Various yardsticks, including your career, can determine your cost of living, the value of the real estate in that area, and your average salary.
3. Catonsville has Bad Drivers
This is a general Baltimore problem. For what it’s worth, you’ll have to deal with terrible drivers on the streets of Catonsville. However, this should not deter you, especially when other advantages are in your favor.
4. Growing Rate of Crime
According to Neighborhood Scout, Catonsville has a Crime Index of 26. 100 is the safest index. The chances of being a victim of violent crime are 1 in 379 in Catonsville and 1 in 255 in Maryland. For property crime, your chance of being a victim is 1 in 54 in Catonsville and 1 in 63 in Maryland.
5. Increasing Homeless Population
A count in 2020 showed that 2,193 people in Catonsville were homeless each night. This could be traced to the high value of housing and property.
The report also showed that homelessness is primarily caused by federal and state disinvestment, chronic poverty, and systemic racism. Baltimore has a larger homelessness rate than other parts of Maryland.
6. Substance Abuse is High
Substance abuse is generally a Baltimore thing. In 2017, 88% of fatal overdoses were traced to the abuse of opioids.
The rate increased even more in recent times. In the same 2017, 1,594 deaths were also traced to fentanyl usage. Most of the deaths happened in Baltimore County.
This leaves much to be desired, especially if you have young children.
Conclusion
As I said at this article’s beginning, Catonsville is an excellent place to live. However, it’s left for you to decide based on the pros and cons of living in Catonsville. I hope this helped. Happy deciding!
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the safest neighborhoods to live in Catonsville?
According to Neighborhood Scout, these are the safest neighborhoods to live in
- University of Maryland Baltimore County
- Westchester
- Oak Forest
- Windwood
- Ilchester
- Westowne
- Shady Nook
- Dunmore
- Woodbridge Valley
- Downtown Catonsville
What is Catonsville known for?
Catonsville is known for its rich history, good transportation, music, safe neighborhoods, commendable education, and many sports teams, to mention a few.
Recommended Article- Is Boca Raton a Good Place to Live?
How did Catonsville get its name?
It has not always been called Catonsville. It was formerly called Johnnycake. There’s a famous story that the name was derived from a popular cornbread that was baked for travelers in the Caron local inn.
However, sometime in the 1780s, one Richard Caton was set to develop a road connecting Baltimore to a flour mill on the River of Patapsco. The surrounding area was called “Catonville” which was finally changed to “Catonsville.”
What County is Columbia, Maryland?
Columbia Maryland is in Howard County.
What is the racial makeup of Columbia, Maryland?
According to census.gov, the racial makeup in Columbia, Maryland is as follows
- White population – 50.4%
- Black or African American – 27.5%
- American Indian and Native Alaska – 0.5%
- Asian population – 13.3%
- Hispanic or Latino – 9.4%
