Farming and water recreation define life in Stockton
Stockton is a farming community with acres of soybean and corn crops on Chincoteague Bay, and it’s this industry that's kept locals around for generations. “Most people here are born-and-raised farmers who live on land passed down through families,” says Valerie Blevins, who lives on her husband's third-generation family farm in Stockton. Blevins also owns Twin Oak Farms, a farmstand that’s one of the few businesses in town. “Stockton doesn’t have much,” she says. “It’s basically just farmland and water, but I love how simple life is here.” Locals can hunt and fish on the area’s protected marshland, and when they want to go to the beach, popular tourist destinations like Assateague State Park are just a quick boat ride away.
Houses almost never come on the market
Housing includes ranch styles, new traditionals and farmhouses. However, homes rarely hit the market in Stockton. There hasn’t been a single property sold within the last 5 years. According to a Homes.com calculation, which uses a combination of estimated data, the average home value here is around $220,000. Rising sea levels and tropical storms can cause Chincoteague Bay to overflow, and houses near the water may be in FEMA-designated, high-risk flood zones. Homeowners in this area must have flood insurance.
Locals fish, hunt and boat in the E.A. Vaughn Wildlife Management Area
The 2,630-acre E.A. Vaughn Wildlife Management Area is in the eastern part of Stockton. “People here have three hobbies, and those are fishing, hunting and boating,” Blevins says. Anglers can catch flounder and bluefish in the area’s cordgrass-covered marshland, while hunters will find deer, doves and quail in the pine forests. George Island Landing is a public boat launch in the area. The road leading to it regularly floods after heavy rainfall, but locals have learned to adjust. “It can sometimes be underwater for days at a time, so we just have to drive to another launch if that happens,” Blevins says. Taylor Landing, about 5 miles northeast, is another launch. Boaters can head east toward Assateague State Park, where they can dock at the marina and relax on the 37-mile-long beach. Cruising south leads to Chincoteague Island, known for its herd of wild ponies. Pocomoke River State Park, about 10 miles northwest, has hiking trails, campsites and more boat launches.
There’s a boat dealer, a bar and a farmstand in town
Stockton only has three commercial places, including Thornes Marine, a boat dealer and repair shop. Beer signage decorates the wooden walls of Timeless Tavern, which just serves alcohol. Locals can buy meat, seasonal produce and other goods from Twin Oak Farms. “I make my own pickles, jams and pasta sauce,” Blevins says. “That’s what people stop by for most frequently—the [homemade] stuff they can’t get at the grocery store.” The barn-style farmstand is open year-round on Saturday and Sunday. When locals do need a big grocery haul, a Walmart Supercenter is in Pocomoke City, about 9 miles east. A few locally owned diners and fast-food restaurants are also in the city.
Kids go to public schools in Snow Hill
Worcester County Public Schools serve the area. Kids can attend Snow Hill Elementary, which Niche gives an A grade, and Snow Hill Middle, which earns an A-minus. They may continue to B-plus-rated Snow Hill High, where Career and Technology Clusters include agriculture science, construction and engineering. Each school is about 10 miles north, and school buses have routes through the community.
Only one historical church in Stockton still holds services
Several Gothic Revival-style houses of worship dating back to the 1800s sit along Stockton Road. There’s an Episcopal church and a Presbyterian church, but Wesley United Methodist Church is the only one that regularly holds services. “Congregations at the other ones got too small, so they closed,” Blevin says. “But every once in a while, they’ll still host a funeral or a wedding.”
Salisbury, Wallops Flight Facility and Berlin are all within driving distance
Stockton is a car-dependent community with asphalt and gravel roads. A less than 30-mile drive north on state Route 12 leads to Salisbury, home to the Salisbury Regional Airport. NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, one of the Eastern Shore’s largest employers, is about 15 miles south. The Stockton Volunteer Fire Company provides some emergency services, but the Atlantic General Hospital, the closest emergency room, is in Berlin, about 25 miles northeast.
