Urbana

Urbana offers a mix of suburban and rural living in southeastern Frederick County, Maryland. The relatively small town is about an hour’s drive north of Washington D.C., 35 miles south of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and 7 miles south of historic Frederick, Maryland. The southern half of the 7-square-mile community is made up of Sugarloaf Mountain, which is a scenic park and a notable Civil War site. The rest of Urbana was mostly rural farmland from the mid-1700s until 1999 when The Villages of Urbana, a mixed-use community, began development. Today, The Villages has more than 4,000 homes and abundant retail, dining, and commercial properties. Its popularity brings homebuyers from the Washington D.C. metro area. According to Michelle Graziani, Realtor with Century 21 Redwood Realty, and a real estate agent for more than 20 years, “Urbana offers plenty of attractions, but the two most notable benefits for folks moving north from Montgomery County are the more affordable home prices and being close to rural surroundings.” Residents can have a reasonable commute to DC, or they can drive to the Shady Grove Metro in Gaithersburg, and take the Metrorail into D.C.

The Villages of Urbana is made up of distinct subdivisions or “villages”, surrounding a vibrant commercial center. Each village has a focal point, such as schools, libraries, community centers or parks. Streets have sidewalks and the community is noted for its mountain views, landscaped yards and abundant amenities. You’ll see residents walking, running, biking, waiting for school buses, playing tennis or gardening in the community gardens. Home styles include brick townhouses, one-story villas, and Colonial Revival, New Traditional and cottage-style homes with wraparound porches. Homes are priced from about $850,000 to over $1,000,000 depending on size and location. Townhouses can be found from $350,000 to $550,000. As of 2023, Niche ranks Urbana No. 7 out of 471 best places to raise a family in Maryland.

Kids can attend Frederick County Public Schools, which has an overall rating of A-minus from Niche. There are 68 schools in the Frederick district. Sugarloaf Elementary offers pre-kindergarten through fifth grade and is ranked the No. 1 best public elementary school in the county. Niche gives it an overall grade of A. Urbana Middle offers sixth through eighth grades and has an A-minus grade from Niche. Urbana High offers dual enrollment classes with local colleges and universities and features the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. It has an overall Niche grade of A-plus. Urbana Regional Library is a popular spot after school for kids doing homework.

Kids can practice their moves on the halfpipe at Urbana Community Park which also offers sports fields, pickleball and tennis courts, horseshoe pits and a hiking trail. Urbana District Park has a newly updated playground which is a great place to bring the little ones after school. The Villages offers a community center, swimming pools and tennis courts, all with views of surrounding mountains. Weekends are a great time to visit Sugarloaf Mountain, known for its Civil War history and hiking trails. Locals boast that on a clear day, you can see The Washington Monument from Sugarloaf’s popular overlook. The Monocacy River borders the west edge of Urbana and several golf courses are available in and around the community.

The Market District of Urbana includes retailers, restaurants, grocery stores and professional businesses. Cinco De Mayo is open for lunch and dinner, offers authentic Mexican food and Margarita Mondays. Black Hog BBQ, a Maryland chain, boasts the renowned flavor of Black Hog meat. Giant grocery store has everything you could need to stock your kitchen. Downtown Frederick is 10 miles north on I-270 and offers dozens of specialty clothing stores, art galleries and antique stores. While this is a highly walkable community, residents will drive to work or points outside The Villages. I-270 connects drivers from Urbana to The Capital Beltway (1-495), about 45 miles south, which leads to I-95 and two international airports serving the D.C. area.

Urbana offers the endless amenities of a modern master-planned community, a quiet mountain view location and an address that puts commuters within reach of Washington DC and the I-270 Technology Corridor.

Written By

Tina Davis

Photography Contributed By

Tyler Priola

Video By

TJ Wengert