Maryland is home to major population centers ranging from Baltimore on the Chesapeake Bay to fast-growing cities in the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan corridor. But which are the largest cities in Maryland by population?

Using the 2020 U.S. Census population of incorporated places as the primary ranking, this guide presents the top 10 largest Maryland cities and examines how their populations have changed over time.

We also compare the 2020 Census with Maryland’s latest July 1, 2025 population estimates to see which cities are growing and which are losing population.

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Top 10 Cities in Maryland

The table below ranks Maryland’s largest incorporated municipalities by their 2020 Census population.

Maryland’s official population table confirms these 2020 Census figures and provides historical population data for incorporated cities and towns.

1. Top 10 Cities in Maryland-Baltimore

2020 population: 585,708

Baltimore is Maryland’s largest city and is considerably larger than every other incorporated municipality in the state.

The city had a population of 620,961 in 2010, declining to 585,708 by the 2020 Census. That represents a decrease of about 5.7% during the decade.

Baltimore’s population scale makes it an obvious focal point when visualizing Maryland’s urban geography. It is also an independent city, meaning it is not part of a Maryland county.

The latest Maryland estimates put Baltimore’s population at approximately 569,997 in 2025, continuing the long-term population decline.

2010–2020 trend: Declining
2025 estimate: 569,997

2. largest cities in Maryland-Frederick

2020 population: 78,171

Frederick is Maryland’s second-largest incorporated municipality and one of the state’s most notable growth stories.

Its population increased from 65,239 in 2010 to 78,171 in 2020, an increase of nearly 20%.

The growth has continued after the 2020 Census. Maryland’s July 1, 2025 estimate places Frederick’s population at 92,059, approximately 17.8% above its 2020 estimates-base population.

This makes Frederick particularly interesting for a comparison of Maryland’s largest cities: while Baltimore has been losing population, Frederick has experienced substantial growth.

2010–2020 trend: Strong growth
2025 estimate: 92,059

3. Top 10 Cities in Maryland-Gaithersburg

2020 population: 69,657

Gaithersburg is the third-largest incorporated city in Maryland and one of the major population centers of Montgomery County.

The city grew from 59,933 residents in 2010 to 69,657 in 2020, an increase of approximately 16%.

Since 2020, population growth has been much slower. Maryland’s latest estimate puts Gaithersburg at 71,113 residents in 2025.

Gaithersburg’s location within the Washington metropolitan area makes it an important part of Maryland’s population concentration in the state’s central region.

2010–2020 trend: Strong growth
2025 estimate: 71,113

4. largest cities in Maryland-Rockville

2020 population: 67,117

Rockville ranks fourth among Maryland’s incorporated municipalities by population.

Its population increased from 61,209 in 2010 to 67,117 in 2020, representing growth of almost 10%.

Unlike Frederick, Rockville’s population has been relatively stable since 2020. The July 1, 2025 estimate is 67,563.

Rockville and Gaithersburg are both located in Montgomery County, making the county one of the most important concentrations of large incorporated cities in Maryland.

2010–2020 trend: Moderate growth
2025 estimate: 67,563

5. largest cities in Maryland-Bowie

2020 population: 58,329

Bowie is Maryland’s fifth-largest incorporated city.

Its population increased from 54,727 in 2010 to 58,329 in 2020, a gain of about 6.6%.

The latest estimate is 58,383 in 2025, meaning its population has remained remarkably stable since the 2020 Census.

Bowie is located in Prince George’s County and forms part of the large suburban population belt between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore.

2010–2020 trend: Moderate growth
2025 estimate: 58,383

6. Hagerstown

2020 population: 43,527

Hagerstown is the largest city in western Maryland and ranks sixth statewide.

The city grew from 39,662 residents in 2010 to 43,527 in 2020, an increase of approximately 9.7%.

Maryland estimates place Hagerstown’s population at 44,228 in 2025, showing modest continued growth.

Its position in Washington County also makes Hagerstown an important population center outside the heavily populated Baltimore–Washington corridor.

2010–2020 trend: Growth
2025 estimate: 44,228

7. Annapolis

2020 population: 40,812

Annapolis ranks seventh by population but has an importance that goes far beyond its population size: it is the capital of Maryland.

The city had 38,394 residents in 2010 and 40,812 in 2020.

Unlike several of the other cities in the top 10, Annapolis has experienced little population growth since 2020. Its July 1, 2025 estimate is 40,634.

This illustrates an important point about city rankings: population size does not necessarily reflect political or economic importance.

2010–2020 trend: Moderate growth
2025 estimate: 40,634

8. College Park

2020 population: 34,740

College Park is Maryland’s eighth-largest incorporated city.

Its population grew from 30,413 in 2010 to 34,740 in 2020, an increase of more than 14%.

The city’s 2025 population estimate is 35,418.

College Park is particularly notable because it is home to the University of Maryland’s flagship campus. Its population and geographic importance are therefore closely connected with the Washington metropolitan area and the university community.

2010–2020 trend: Strong growth
2025 estimate: 35,418

9. Salisbury

2020 population: 33,050

Salisbury ranks ninth among Maryland’s largest incorporated municipalities.

Located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Salisbury is geographically different from most of the other cities on this list. It is the largest incorporated population center in the region.

The city increased from 30,343 residents in 2010 to 33,050 in 2020.

Maryland’s 2025 estimate puts Salisbury at 33,845 residents, representing continued but relatively modest growth since 2020.

2010–2020 trend: Growth
2025 estimate: 33,845

10. Laurel

2020 population: 30,060

Laurel is the tenth-largest incorporated municipality in Maryland.

Its population increased from 25,115 in 2010 to 30,060 in 2020, representing almost 20% growth.

The latest estimate is 30,254 residents in 2025.

Laurel is geographically interesting because the city extends across Prince George’s, Howard and Anne Arundel counties, making it an unusual example of an incorporated municipality crossing county boundaries.

2010–2020 trend: Strong growth
2025 estimate: 30,254

Maryland’s Largest Cities: 2020 vs. 2025

The 2020 Census provides the most important benchmark for comparing cities, but newer population estimates reveal what has happened since the Census.

Maryland’s State Data Center provides annual population estimates for incorporated municipalities through July 1, 2025.

The biggest population story: Frederick

Among Maryland’s 10 largest cities, Frederick stands out clearly.

Its population increased from 78,171 in the 2020 Census to an estimated 92,059 in 2025. At the same time, Baltimore declined from 585,708 to an estimated 569,997.

This creates an interesting contrast between Maryland’s largest established urban center and one of its fastest-growing cities.

Where Are the Top 10 Cities in Maryland?

The geographic distribution of Maryland’s largest cities is not uniform.

Most of the top 10 are concentrated in central Maryland and the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan corridor.

Central Maryland

• Baltimore
• Annapolis
• Bowie
• Laurel
• College Park
• Gaithersburg
• Rockville

Western Maryland

• Frederick
• Hagerstown

Eastern Shore

• Salisbury

This geographic pattern becomes much easier to understand when the cities are plotted on a Maryland map.

[Insert: Maryland Top 10 Cities Map]

A numbered map showing the locations of all 10 cities is especially useful for presentations, geography projects, business reports and demographic analysis.

Maryland’s Largest Cities by County

Another way to understand the ranking is to look at the counties where these cities are located.

Montgomery County is particularly notable because it contains two cities in Maryland’s top five: Gaithersburg and Rockville.

Prince George’s County also contains two cities in the top 10: Bowie and College Park.

Laurel is the unusual case because its municipal boundaries extend across three counties.

Why Isn’t Columbia on the List?

If you search for the largest population centers in Maryland, you may notice that Columbia is missing from this ranking.

That’s because this article ranks incorporated municipalities, rather than every Census-designated place or population center.

Columbia is an important Maryland community, but it is classified as a census-designated place (CDP) rather than an incorporated city.

The same issue applies to other major Maryland population centers such as Silver Spring, Germantown and Waldorf.

Therefore, mixing cities, towns and CDPs in a single ranking can produce misleading results.

For consistency, this article uses incorporated places only.

The U.S. Census Bureau’s incorporated-place data identifies Maryland municipalities separately and provides the 2020 Census population for each place.

What Do the Population Trends Tell Us?

Several patterns stand out from the data.

1. Baltimore remains overwhelmingly the largest

With 585,708 residents in 2020, Baltimore had more than seven times the population of Frederick, the state’s second-largest incorporated city.

2. Frederick has been the strongest growth story

Frederick grew substantially between 2010 and 2020 and continued to grow after the Census, reaching an estimated 92,059 residents in 2025.

3. Montgomery County has two cities in the top five

Gaithersburg and Rockville together represent a major concentration of incorporated population in the Washington metropolitan area.

4. Not every large city is growing

Baltimore’s population has continued to decline, while Annapolis has remained relatively stable.

5. Maryland’s population is geographically concentrated

The majority of the state’s largest incorporated cities are located in or around the Baltimore–Washington corridor, while Hagerstown and Salisbury provide major population centers in western Maryland and on the Eastern Shore.

Maryland Cities Map for PowerPoint

A population ranking becomes much more useful when combined with a geographic map.

For presentations, you may want to show:

• Maryland state outline
• County boundaries
• Locations of the 10 largest cities
• City names
• Population rankings
• Population size using proportional symbols

An editable Maryland map for PowerPoint allows the map to be customized for presentations, reports, education, business analysis and demographic visualization.

[Insert link to your Maryland editable map / free Maryland map template here]

Key Takeaways

The top 10 largest incorporated cities in Maryland by the 2020 Census are:

1. Baltimore
2. Frederick
3. Gaithersburg
4. Rockville
5. Bowie
6. Hagerstown
7. Annapolis
8. College Park
9. Salisbury
10. Laurel

Baltimore remains Maryland’s largest city by a substantial margin. However, Frederick is the standout growth story, with its population increasing considerably since 2020.

The ranking also demonstrates why it is important to distinguish between incorporated cities and Census-designated places when comparing Maryland’s population centers.

For anyone studying Maryland’s population geography, the combination of a ranking table, historical population data, recent estimates and a location map provides a much clearer picture than a simple list of city names.

Data Sources and Methodology

The primary ranking in this article uses 2020 U.S. Census population data for incorporated places in Maryland.

Historical 2010 and 2020 figures are provided by the Maryland State Archives’ Maryland Manual. Maryland’s State Data Center provides population estimates for incorporated municipalities through July 1, 2025.

The 2025 figures are estimates rather than Census counts and should therefore be interpreted as a more recent population indicator, not as a replacement for the official decennial Census.

Primary sources:

• U.S. Census Bureau — 2020 Census incorporated places
• Maryland State Archives — Maryland population tables
• Maryland Department of Planning, Maryland State Data Center — municipal population estimates through July 1, 2025

Download the PowerPoint Slides

This blog post is accompanied by an 11-slide PowerPoint deck:

• Slide 1: US Maryland State map with city-level boundaries for all ten cities highlighted

• Slides 2–11: Enlarged city limit maps for Baltimore, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Rockville, Bowie, Hagerstown, Annapolis, College Park, Salisbury, and Laurel

These slides are fully editable, allowing you to add your own population data, economic notes, or color coding. Visit yourfreetemplates.com to download the complete deck.

Looking for Premium maps, please visit our affiliate site: https://editablemaps.com/ or https://ofomaps.com/

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