Aberdeen is a city in Harford County, Maryland, United States, northeast of Baltimore. The population was 16,254 at the 2020 United States census. Aberdeen is the largest municipality in Harford County.
Aberdeen is part of the Baltimore-Towson Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which is the 20th-largest United States metropolitan area. The nearest city to Aberdeen is Havre de Grace, to the northeast.
History Aberdeen was named after Aberdeen, Scotland, by immigrating Scots.
The James B. Baker House, Chestnut Ridge, Griffith House, Poplar Hill, Sophia's Dairy, and Swansbury are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Early settlements Aberdeen began as a farming community in 1720, when Charles Calvert, the fifth Lord Baltimore, granted 1,140 acres of fertile land to Edward Hall. Located on the western edge of the Chesapeake on the main road between Alexandria and Philadelphia called the Old Post Road, the village at Halls Cross Road remained small until the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad scouted the area for a watering station in 1835. One of the railroad companies engineers was Edmund Law Rogers who saw the great potential in the place for development.
Village of Aberdeen The Village of Aberdeen was a development by Edmund Law Rogers around 1800. The name originated from its mother city, Aberdeen, Scotland, as a result of the close relationship the Rogers family of Baltimore had with their cousin, the Earl of Aberdeen, who became Prime Minister of Great Britain in 1852.[Plat of Aberdeen, Edmund Law Rogers. 1852] The area now known as Aberdeen is a cluster of three communitiesThe Aberdeen Room – Exhibits – Aberdeen: Its Three Components Hall's Cross Roads, located at the intersection of Old Philadelphia Road (MD-7, in some places known as Old Post Road, then known as Philadelphia Post Road) and Bush River Neck RoadHistoric Tour of Hall's Cross Roads (then the main road from Swan Creek ) Mechanicsville, locatedMechanicsville (historical) in Harford County, MD at The Village of Aberdeen
As a town In 1892, Aberdeen was incorporated as a town, under Chapter 136 of the Acts of 1892.Aberdeen Municipality, Harford County, Maryland
Board of commissioners Upon incorporation as a town, the Aberdeen government was led by a board of commissioners.Aberdeen Board Presidents and Mayors
From 1892 to 1905, a board president was elected annually by the commissioners. From 1906 to 1954, this election was changed to be biennial. From 1955 to 1992, the election of a board president was changed back to be annual.
In 1992, the Town of Aberdeen revised its charter and became the City of Aberdeen with an elected mayor. The first mayor of the City of Aberdeen was Ruth Elliot. The second mayor was Doug Wilson, and Fred Simmons was elected mayor in 2005. Michael Bennett served as mayor from 2007 to 2015. In 2015, Patrick McGrady was elected mayor of Aberdeen and is currently serving a four-year term.
As a city In 1992, Aberdeen was incorporated as a city.
2018 shooting
On September 20, 2018, 26-year-old Snochia Moseley opened fire at a Rite Aid warehouse where he temporarily worked. He killed three people and injured three others before turning the gun on himself.
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water.
The city of Aberdeen is located at the north end of Upper Chesapeake Bay.
Climate The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Aberdeen has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.Climate Summary for Aberdeen, Maryland
Attractions B.&.O. Railroad Station The B.&.O. Aberdeen Station is a historic train station in downtown Aberdeen. Designed by Frank Furness and built in 1885 by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the station was saved from planned demolition in 2003 and relocated about from its original site in 2015. A $1.1 million restoration project began in 2021, and restoration of the exterior was completed in July 2024.
Ripken Stadium Ripken Stadium is the home of the Aberdeen IronBirds, located on Maryland Route 22, and named after former Baltimore Orioles star player Cal Ripken. Across the street is the Ripken Experience, a baseball complex with ten youth fields for tournaments, camps and clinics. The fields are scaled replicas of current and former MLB stadiums.
Aberdeen Festival Park
Aberdeen Festival Park is located in the heart of downtown on North Parke Street in Aberdeen. It is home to many city events such as the Aberdeen Farmers Market. It includes an outside field, a playground, and the APG Memorial.
Victory Street Park Victory Street Park on Victory St. features a playground, basketball court, disc-golf, and a dog park.
Demographics
2020 census As of the 2020 census, Aberdeen had a population of 16,254. The median age was 37.8 years. 22.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.1 males age 18 and over.
99.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.5% lived in rural areas.
There were 6,473 households in Aberdeen, of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 38.4% were married-couple households, 19.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 33.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 6,936 housing units, of which 6.7% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.8%.
+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 8,342 51.3% Black or African American 5,013 30.8% American Indian and Alaska Native 75 0.5% Asian 493 3.0% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 37 0.2% Some other race 672 4.1% Two or more races 1,622 10.0% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 1,540 9.5% 2010 census As of the census of 2010, there were 14,959 people, 5,801 households, and 3,897 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 6,191 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 58.9% White, 30.5% African American, 0.4% Native American, 2.9% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 1.6% from other races, and 5.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 5.4% of the population.
There were 5,801 households, of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.5% were married couples living together, 18.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.8% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.09.
The median age in the city was 38 years. 24.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.9% were from 25 to 44; 28.6% were from 45 to 64; and 12.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.8% male and 52.2% female.
2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 13,842 people, 5,475 households, and 3,712 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,894 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 64.90% White, 27.38% African American, 0.25% Native American, 2.48% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 1.42% from other races, and 3.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 3.45% of the population.
There were 5,475 households, out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.8% were married couples living together, 17.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.4% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,190, and the median income for a family was $48,357. Males had a median income of $32,783 versus $26,025 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,940. About 9.0% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.9% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
Roads and highways Several major highways serve Aberdeen, with the most prominent of these being Interstate 95. I-95 briefly crosses the northwestern corner of Aberdeen and provides access to many major cities, including Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and New York City. Access to Aberdeen is provided via an interchange with Maryland Route 22, which also connects directly to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds as well as to Bel Air, the county seat. U.S. Route 40 also serves the city, running parallel to I-95 from Baltimore to Wilmington and serving as an alternate route. Other state highways serving Aberdeen include Maryland Route 7, Maryland Route 132, Maryland Route 159, Maryland Route 462 and Maryland Route 715.
Rail transport The city of Aberdeen is located on the old Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad which is now operated by CSX. The new Aberdeen station is located on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor main line is served by Amtrak Northeast Regional, Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) Penn Line trains and local buses. Located just south of the East Coast Greenway, the city has access to a walking and biking trail network linking the major cities along the U.S. east coast.
Local transportation The city of Aberdeen is part of the Harford Transit LINK public bus system. Routes 1 (Green Line), 2 (Blue Line), 3 (Silver Line) and 5 (Teal Line) connect Aberdeen with Havre de Grace, Bel Air, Edgewood, Joppatowne and Perryville. Route 4 (Yellow Line) is the Aberdeen Circulator which services the different neighborhoods within the city of Aberdeen.
Government Since its incorporation as a city, Aberdeen has had a council-manager form of government.Aberdeen City Government The mayor and council are elected to four-year terms in November, with terms beginning in November. The mayor and council define policy and appoint the city manager, who may be dismissed at any time, by vote of the council. The city manager, with the approval of the council, appoints all officers and department heads, who may be dismissed for cause by action of the city manager.
+ Presidential election results in Aberdeen Year Democratic Republican Others202058.9% 4,33738.2% 2,8122.9% 213201657.0% 4,08037.5% 2,6835.5% 392
Mayors of Aberdeen Ruth Elliott, 1992–1994 Charles R. Boutin, 1994–1998 Douglas S. Wilson, 1998–2005 S. Fred Simmons, 2005–2007 Michael E. Bennett, 2007–2015 Patrick McGrady, 2015–present
Aberdeen City Council The city councilAberdeen City Council and mayor are elected by voters to four-year terms beginning in November 2011. Councilmember terms are staggered, with current terms ending in 2027 and 2029.
Patrick McGrady, Mayor (2027) Adam Hiob, Council President (2027) Bill Montgomery, Councilman (2029) Tandra Ridgley, Councilwoman (2027) Darin Wassum, Councilman (2029)
Harford County Council Council District E Jessica Boyle-TsottlesHarford County Council District E (Republican)
Maryland General Assembly