Calvert County Government announces the results of the latest community survey, reflecting the opinions and insights of 861 residents. The results provide residents’ perspectives and opinions, which will assist Calvert County leaders make decisions and provide services that align with community needs.
The survey, conducted from July through September, showed 71% of respondents said Calvert County has a good overall quality of life, and many (61%) said they would recommend the county as a place to live. Another 63% said they would likely be living in Calvert five years from now.
The survey also highlighted key areas respondents felt were strengths in Calvert County:
Library System: The quality of Calvert County’s library system continues to excel, according to respondents with an 83% satisfaction score. That was an increase of 4% since the last community survey. Calvert County has four public libraries – the main branch in Prince Frederick; the Fairview Branch in Owings; the Twin Beaches Branch in North Beach and the Southern Branch in Solomons. The Twin Beaches Library was recently adorned with a new mural celebrating the Chesapeake Bay.
Public Safety: The sense of overall safety in Calvert County had a satisfaction score of 75%, an increase of 2% since the last survey. Calvert County State’s Attorney Robert Harvey announced that Calvert County experienced the lowest crime rate of any Maryland county in 2024.
In that year, Calvert County recorded 1,634 incidents per 100,000 population, while the state average was 3,771 incidents per 100,000 people.
Parks and Recreation: The quality of parks and recreational amenities in Calvert County had a satisfaction score of 74%, an increase of 7% since the last survey. The Calvert County Department of Parks & Recreation recently brought new tennis and pickleball courts to Dunkirk District Park, field upgrades at Hallowing Point Park and court replacements at Cove Point Park. Visitation to recreation facilities and programs exceeded 230,000 people across 2,400 programs in Fiscal Year 2025.
Arts: The availability of arts and cultural events in Calvert County had a satisfaction score of 45% in this survey, an increase of 6%. Calvert County is home to several murals, which can be viewed at www.VisitCalvert.com/Murals.
Public Transportation: The survey determined that 25% of respondents agreed on the ease of using public transportation in Calvert County, an increase of 9% since the last survey. Calvert County, through the Public Transportation Division of the Department of Community Resources has eight fixed routes and four demand-response/paratransit routes to link residents to shopping, medical and employment services. In January 2024, the Calvert County Commissioners implemented free fare for riders.
Permits and Zoning: Of respondents, 31% agreed that the permit and zoning process is easy, an increase of 7%. In FY25, a new Calvert County approved an updated zoning ordinance after public input, and the comprehensive flood mitigation plan was updated.
Public Input: The ease of sharing input with Calvert County Government saw an increase of 5% since the previous survey. In 2025, Calvert County Government held a series of informational and input sessions regarding data centers and the master plan of town centers for Owings, Huntingtown and St. Leonard. Calvert County Government also ran dozens of surveys seeking resident input on parks, town centers, data centers, digital user experiences, customer service, farmers market preferences, public art input, accessibility, grant funding, school safety and more. When respondents were asked to identify one thing that Calvert County Government does well, community engagement ranked second, following public safety.
Overall, 55% of respondents were satisfied with and highly value the overall quality of services provided by Calvert County Government, an increase of 9%.
This survey also included a section on traffic safety, conducted in collaboration with the newly formed Calvert County Traffic Safety Council. According to the results, 51% of respondents identified traffic congestion as the top issue needing improvement on Calvert County roadways. When asked which roadway safety issues were of concern, the top three issues identified were aggressive driving, distracted driving and speeding. Survey results will help guide the council as it updates its strategic plan beginning in 2026 and coordinates future initiatives.
The survey also asked respondents what comes to mind when they think of the Department of Public Safety. Many respondents (74%) said law enforcement and traffic enforcement. Others named fire and medical emergency services and emergency management in planning and recovery following natural disasters.
The Calvert County Department of Public Safety serves as the county’s central resource for emergency guidance, resources and assistance, overseeing the Animal Control Division, the Linda L. Kelley Animal Shelter, Emergency Communications, Career EMS, Hazardous Materials Response Team, Division of Emergency Management, False Alarm Reduction Unit and the Fire, Rescue and EMS Division. Learn more at about the department at www.CalvertCountyMd.gov/PublicSafety.
Full survey results are available at www.CalvertCountyMd.gov/SurveyResults.
The survey is conducted by a third-party and uses a representative sample by matching respondent data to the U.S. Census Bureau’s race, ethnicity, age and gender distributions in Calvert County. Rake weighting was applied as a statistical safeguard to balance out any remaining discrepancies in distribution, ensuring no demographic group is overrepresented or underrepresented in the final score.
Find information on Calvert County Government services online at www.CalvertCountyMd.gov. Stay connected with Calvert County Government through the mobile app, newsletters, social media and more at www.CalvertCountyMd.gov/StayInformed.
