Your best bet is to live close to a MARC station. Commute's going to take up a significant amount of time. Depending on where you work in the city, you can count on about 3 hours for the round trip at a minimum.

That said, it's a pleasant commute. You'll have time to work on the train or else just relax!

Additionally, there are a number of very attractive, well-planned communities in HoCo. There are definitely points in favor of relocating.

Anonymous wrote:Another Howard County resident here. I do not understand why anyone would think that our beautiful county is not diverse. Really, the areas where OP is looking claim nearly a majority of minorities. There are lots of immigrants are raising their families here.

To the OP: Maple Lawn is a beautiful area but the houses are crazy expensive, and the yards are really small for the houses. River Hill yields better house prices and bigger yards, but it's Columbia so you'll have to pay the Columbia Association HOA fees which are based on property value (maybe $1500-$2000 per year). Highland and Clarksville are rural areas dotted with pretty developments where the farmers sold out. Watch out, a lot of those houses use well water and septic tanks and that was a deal-breaker for me. Others are more comfortable with that.

bottom line
If you're not handy or willing to "live a bit off the land," well and septic is not for you.


We are in a rural part of Mo Co that borders Ho Co and we have well and septic. Our water is fantastic - fresh! I could never go back to city water. Furthermore, you do have to test your water periodically and have the septic pumped. It is what it is. It's nothing to fear!

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We're new to this area and live in Montgomery County right now. I'd like to move DC into the Howard County school system. One of the prior posters nailed it. I'm doing this for the kid. So given these responses, how bad is the commute from the Laurel/Maple Lawn area in terms of time and traffic? How long would the MARC train take? Also, any thoughts on the schools zoned for this area feeding into Atholton or Reservoir High?

The schools that feed into the Maple Lawn Community are Fulton Elementary, Lime Kiln Middle, and Reservoir High. Here are the community websites about Maple Lawn http://www.maplelawnmd.com and http://www.maplelawncommunity.com Just note that Maple Lawn is a mastered planned community. Some people love it while others do not. Visit the community for yourself to see if you like it or not. Also, another poster mentioned the Riverside community near 29. That and Holiday Hills are older communities with homes on bigger lots compared to Maple Lawn. Those are other communities that you may want to look at in case you don't like Maple Lawn.

To research information like state test scores, demographics, details about PTA, and other school related things go to the Howard County Public School website. http://www.hcpss.org Each school has their own website and profile page. When you go to the main website click on the "Schools" section. Each school is listed under that heading. You will get more accurate information at the county and school's websites than here in DCUM. If you have more specific questions or concerns that you can't find on the schools' website, then contact the school for a tour or to speak to someone who can further assist you.

Atholton and Reservoir are both good schools. The differences are that Reservoir is more economically and racially diverse than Atholton. However, you can't go wrong with either school.

Anonymous wrote:Check out the neighborhood off Rivers Edge Road. It's right off 29 so easy access. A variety of home styles, sizes, prices. Great schools, near Columbia but just south and no CPRA taxes!!

Rivers Edge is a very nice little area. It is a true community with well built homes that have land. Plus, it has easy access to 29 and 32. We looked there but no homes were on the market when we were ready to move.

Atholton HS, I think???

OP here. Not sure how a simple question took such a turn for the worst. I want a divere school because we are a minority so the poster suggesting Glenelg, we know your views but thanks for the breakdown! I'm considering this because of the schools. We moved here too late to apply to a real TAG program. The MoCo schools are good but overcrowded. The HoCo program for gifted students would be better for him. MoCo sticks all the kids in the same class and labels some as being in the advanced class. It's hard for the teachers to do differentiated teaching with so many students so the advanced kids with no behavior issues aren't given much attention. So those who help without being racist I'd welcome your thoughts! Thanks also to those who have alerted me to places and neighborhoods that may not have such a horrible commute.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your commute would ruin your life. Not being mean, just stating a fact. If you're committed though look at Highland or Clarksville.

+1

I'd think really hard about your commute. Not something to be taken lightly, esp if you have kids. It really eats away at your day and your spirit!

Highland or Clarksville ends up a bumper to bumper mess on 32 in the mornings trying to get out to 29 or 95.

And they aren't diverse.

Excuse me? River Hill resident here, and my neighborhood is EXTREMELY diverse. Our neighbors come from all over the world and we get along beautifully. Certainly, if you move to the rural far western county, you are going to come across some good-ole-boy country folk. However, Columbia and Clarksville enjoy a wonderful group of laid-back first and second generation neighbors. The main difference between Howard County and Montgomery County is that people are far less obsessed with wealth and status.

It's one of the whitest high schools in the county and more importantly, one of the least diverse socioeconomicly.

Most River Hill kids go to Atholton.

It depends on what side of the River Hill Community you reside in. The River Hill section south of 32 near Pointer's Run Elementary and Clarksville Middle Schools attend Atholton High School. The section of River Hill that is near Clarksville Elementary and north of 32 attend River Hill High School. The River Hill Community has homes both south and north of 32. It feeds into two high schools.

River Hill is not one of the whitest schools in Howard County. Take a look at the school's profile on the county's website. http://www.hcpss.org For the 2013-2014 school year River Hill was 56.5% White, 24.8% Asian, 8% Hispanic, 6.5% African American/Black, and 3.8% Two or more races (Mixed raced). Also, there are many multicultural, interracial, and international families in Howard County myself included.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another Howard County resident here. I do not understand why anyone would think that our beautiful county is not diverse. Really, the areas where OP is looking claim nearly a majority of minorities. There are lots of immigrants are raising their families here.

To the OP: Maple Lawn is a beautiful area but the houses are crazy expensive, and the yards are really small for the houses. River Hill yields better house prices and bigger yards, but it's Columbia so you'll have to pay the Columbia Association HOA fees which are based on property value (maybe $1500-$2000 per year). Highland and Clarksville are rural areas dotted with pretty developments where the farmers sold out. Watch out, a lot of those houses use well water and septic tanks and that was a deal-breaker for me. Others are more comfortable with that.

Because Howard County is homogeneous compared to its neighbor Montgomery County.

And because people decide to live in Howard County instead of Montgomery County because they don't like Montgomery County's heterogeneity -- or at least that's what posters on DCUM say they do.

I'm sure it has nothing to do with the very highly rated public school system.

"I'm moving to Howard County to live among the WASPs." - said nobody ever

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another Howard County resident here. I do not understand why anyone would think that our beautiful county is not diverse. Really, the areas where OP is looking claim nearly a majority of minorities. There are lots of immigrants are raising their families here.

To the OP: Maple Lawn is a beautiful area but the houses are crazy expensive, and the yards are really small for the houses. River Hill yields better house prices and bigger yards, but it's Columbia so you'll have to pay the Columbia Association HOA fees which are based on property value (maybe $1500-$2000 per year). Highland and Clarksville are rural areas dotted with pretty developments where the farmers sold out. Watch out, a lot of those houses use well water and septic tanks and that was a deal-breaker for me. Others are more comfortable with that.

Because Howard County is homogeneous compared to its neighbor Montgomery County.

And because people decide to live in Howard County instead of Montgomery County because they don't like Montgomery County's heterogeneity -- or at least that's what posters on DCUM say they do.

large swaths of MoCo are homogeneous.

--MoCo resident

Anonymous wrote:Another Howard County resident here. I do not understand why anyone would think that our beautiful county is not diverse. Really, the areas where OP is looking claim nearly a majority of minorities. There are lots of immigrants are raising their families here.

To the OP: Maple Lawn is a beautiful area but the houses are crazy expensive, and the yards are really small for the houses. River Hill yields better house prices and bigger yards, but it's Columbia so you'll have to pay the Columbia Association HOA fees which are based on property value (maybe $1500-$2000 per year). Highland and Clarksville are rural areas dotted with pretty developments where the farmers sold out. Watch out, a lot of those houses use well water and septic tanks and that was a deal-breaker for me. Others are more comfortable with that.

Because Howard County is homogeneous compared to its neighbor Montgomery County.

And because people decide to live in Howard County instead of Montgomery County because they don't like Montgomery County's heterogeneity -- or at least that's what posters on DCUM say they do.

Check out the neighborhood off Rivers Edge Road. It's right off 29 so easy access. A variety of home styles, sizes, prices. Great schools, near Columbia but just south and no CPRA taxes!!

Another Howard County resident here. I do not understand why anyone would think that our beautiful county is not diverse. Really, the areas where OP is looking claim nearly a majority of minorities. There are lots of immigrants are raising their families here.

To the OP: Maple Lawn is a beautiful area but the houses are crazy expensive, and the yards are really small for the houses. River Hill yields better house prices and bigger yards, but it's Columbia so you'll have to pay the Columbia Association HOA fees which are based on property value (maybe $1500-$2000 per year). Highland and Clarksville are rural areas dotted with pretty developments where the farmers sold out. Watch out, a lot of those houses use well water and septic tanks and that was a deal-breaker for me. Others are more comfortable with that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It's one of the whitest high schools in the county and more importantly, one of the least diverse socioeconomicly.

Yeah, Greatschools.com shows that River Hill High is 59% white. How much more diverse does it need to be before it's no longer the "whitest school in the county"?

Atholton HS: 52.5% white, 6.5% FARMS, <10 students limited English proficient (2012-2013 -- Howard County needs to update their data)
Centennial HS: 49.0% white, 7.5% FARMS, <5% limited English proficient
Glenelg HS: 81.2% white, <5% FARMS, <10 students limited English proficient
Hammond HS: 33.3% white, 27.9% FARMS, <5% limited English proficient
Howard HS: 56.2% white, 10.8% FARMS, <5% limited English proficient
Long Reach HS: 33.3% white, 29.0% FARMS, <5% limited English proficient
Marriotts Ridge HS: 62.9% white, <5% FARMS, <10 students limited English proficient
Mt. Hebron HS: 50.2% white, 11.6% FARMS, <5% limited English proficient
Oakland Mills HS: 25.3% white, 38.1% FARMS, <5% limited English proficient
Reservoir HS: 38.4% white, 22.9% FARMS, <5% limited English proficient
River Hill HS: 56.5% white, 6.0% FARMS, <5% limited English proficient
Wilde Lake HS: 30.5% white, 30.3% FARMS, <5% limited English proficient

OP, if you're moving from Montgomery County to Howard County "for the kid", you need to move to Glenelg. The commute will be absolutely awful, but a good parent makes sacrifices, right?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your commute would ruin your life. Not being mean, just stating a fact. If you're committed though look at Highland or Clarksville.

+1

I'd think really hard about your commute. Not something to be taken lightly, esp if you have kids. It really eats away at your day and your spirit!

Highland or Clarksville ends up a bumper to bumper mess on 32 in the mornings trying to get out to 29 or 95.

And they aren't diverse.

Excuse me? River Hill resident here, and my neighborhood is EXTREMELY diverse. Our neighbors come from all over the world and we get along beautifully. Certainly, if you move to the rural far western county, you are going to come across some good-ole-boy country folk. However, Columbia and Clarksville enjoy a wonderful group of laid-back first and second generation neighbors. The main difference between Howard County and Montgomery County is that people are far less obsessed with wealth and status.

It's one of the whitest high schools in the county and more importantly, one of the least diverse socioeconomicly.

Yeah, Greatschools.com shows that River Hill High is 59% white. How much more diverse does it need to be before it's no longer the "whitest school in the county"?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your commute would ruin your life. Not being mean, just stating a fact. If you're committed though look at Highland or Clarksville.

+1

I'd think really hard about your commute. Not something to be taken lightly, esp if you have kids. It really eats away at your day and your spirit!

Highland or Clarksville ends up a bumper to bumper mess on 32 in the mornings trying to get out to 29 or 95.

And they aren't diverse.

Excuse me? River Hill resident here, and my neighborhood is EXTREMELY diverse. Our neighbors come from all over the world and we get along beautifully. Certainly, if you move to the rural far western county, you are going to come across some good-ole-boy country folk. However, Columbia and Clarksville enjoy a wonderful group of laid-back first and second generation neighbors. The main difference between Howard County and Montgomery County is that people are far less obsessed with wealth and status.

It's one of the whitest high schools in the county and more importantly, one of the least diverse socioeconomicly.

Most River Hill kids go to Atholton.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We're new to this area and live in Montgomery County right now. I'd like to move DC into the Howard County school system. One of the prior posters nailed it. I'm doing this for the kid. So given these responses, how bad is the commute from the Laurel/Maple Lawn area in terms of time and traffic? How long would the MARC train take? Also, any thoughts on the schools zoned for this area feeding into Atholton or Reservoir High?

I know a lot of people who live a long commute away from work "for the kid". They spend a lot of time away from home, and they're exhausted and grumpy. It often makes me wonder whether the kid would be better off living closer in, with a parent who is home more often, less tired, more happy.