Willards is a small town halfway between Salisbury and Ocean City
Along Route 50, about halfway between Salisbury and Ocean City, sits the small town of Willards, which has a small Main Street area and surrounding houses. “The big draw for most people would just be more affordable real estate that’s very close to Salisbury and Ocean City,” says Realtor Rachel Parker with The Parker Group. “It has a rural feel and is very quiet, but it’s close to both the beach and Salisbury, and there are bigger lot sizes because you’re out in the country.”
Single-family homes in town or out in the country
“Willards has mostly single-family homes that are either located in town or out in the country on larger lots,” Parker says. “There’s not a ton of big neighborhoods there.” Ranch-style, Cape Cod and new traditional homes can be found here, and most recent sales prices range from around $200,000 to $400,000. Buyers looking to build can typically find land for sale, and those prices range from around $150,000 to $550,000, depending on acreage.
Wicomico County Public Schools prepare students for Maryland jobs
Students in Willards can attend Wicomico County Public Schools, which has a B rating on Niche and ranks on the site as Maryland’s fourteenth best school district. They start at the B-minus-rated Willards Elementary School for preschool through third grade before continuing to the B-rated Pittsville Elementary & Middle School, which ranks on Niche as the best public middle school in Wicomico County. Parkside High School is Niche’s top public high school in Wicomico County, and it also gets a B rating. Wicomico County Public Schools offers career and technical education programs designed to meet the labor needs of Maryland’s economy, which relies heavily on agriculture, healthcare and manufacturing. Specialized programs such as high-performance manufacturing, culinary arts and nursing help students prepare for the Maryland workforce.
The Eastside Sports Complex and the Willards Park and Recreation Area
Willards has two parks that are next to each other, totaling 20 acres. Home to the Willards Little League, the Eastside Sports Complex hosts baseball and softball games for children and has a playground for their siblings. The Willards Park and Recreation Area is an adjacent outdoor space with a basketball court, field, tennis courts and a playground.
Main Street dining and a nearby brewery
“Willards has a small Main Street, a volunteer fire department and a nice little coffee shop called Redeye Coffee House,” Parker says. “It has some of those cute little small-town perks.” Additional small businesses include the Modern Graze, which makes custom charcuterie boxes and boards and has a kitchen and café that serves lunch, coffee and pastries, and Four Seasons Pizza, a small shop serving fresh pizza in its cozy dining room. Some groceries are available in town at Dollar General, but the nearest supermarket is Food Lion, 9 miles east in Berlin. “It’s not technically in Willards, but the most well-known attraction is Tall Tales Taphouse, which is a local brewpub that’s in Parsonsburg,” Parker says. Seven miles west, the 22-acre Tall Tales Taphouse lets patrons enjoy brews, food and live music on its lush outdoor landscape.
Fifteen miles east of Salisbury
Willards is a small town 15 miles east of Salisbury and 16 miles west of Ocean City. “It’s located right along Route 50, which connects Salisbury to Ocean City, and it’s right in between those two,” Parker says. Twelve miles west of Willards, Salisbury Regional Airport offers six daily flights through American Airlines. The town’s nearest medical center is TidalHealth Peninsula Regional, 14 miles west in Salisbury.
