Friendsville, Maryland Population, Hospitals, Airports, and Schools

Friendsville, Maryland is a small town located in Garrett County, in the western part of the state. It has a population of approximately 1,500 and is situated at an elevation of roughly 2,000 feet above sea level. Geographically, Friendsville is surrounded by forests and farmlands and is nestled in the Appalachian Mountains. The climate in Friendsville is temperate, with cold winters and warm summers that can become quite hot during July and August.

The history of Friendsville dates back to 1787 when the town was founded by Quaker settlers from Pennsylvania. The town quickly grew as a farming community and soon had a church, schoolhouse, general store and post office. In 1872 the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad came through Friendsville which opened up the area to more commerce.

Politics in Friendsville are largely conservative with most residents identifying as Republicans or leaning Republican. The town is served by a mayor-council form of government with five council members elected every four years. The economy of Friendsville is primarily based on tourism due to its picturesque location in the mountains and its proximity to Deep Creek Lake State Park. Tourism also provides jobs for many local residents who work in restaurants, hotels and other businesses catering to visitors who come to enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, boating and fishing.

Schools in Friendsville are served by the Garrett County Public Schools district which includes two elementary schools – Broad Ford Elementary School (K-5) and Southern Middle School (6-8). High school students attend Northern High School which offers an array of extracurricular activities including sports teams such as football, basketball and baseball plus music programs including band/orchestra/choir options as well as art classes for those interested in visual arts.

There are several notable landmarks in Friendsville including Bittinger House (built circa 1820) which served as both a tavern/hotel for travelers along what was known as “The National Road” during its heyday; Old Mill Road Bridge (built circa 1850), an iron truss bridge that spans over Big Run Creek; Mount Nebo Cemetery (established 1853); White Church Cemetery; St John’s Lutheran Church (built circa 1830); Taylor-Teter House (circa 1840); Handcock House (circa 1876); Garrett County Courthouse (circa 1896); Wilbur Miller Mansion (circa 1907).

Population: 539. Estimated population in July 2024: 518 (-3.9% change)
Males: 266 (49.4%), Females: 273 (50.6%)

Garrett County

Zip code: 21531

Demographics

Median resident age: 39.7 years
Median household income: $24,286
Median house value: $73,100

Population by Race

Races in Friendsville:

• White Non-Hispanic (97.8%)
• American Indian (0.7%)
• Black (0.6%)

Ancestries: German (22.3%), United States (16.0%), English (8.2%), Irish (4.8%), French (2.6%), Scottish (2.6%).

Elevation: 1497 feet

Land area: 0.9 square miles

Population by Education

Friendsville, Maryland is a small town located in Garrett County. According to the most recent census data, the population of Friendsville is only 1,092 people. The majority of the population are Caucasian, with a smaller percentage of African American and Hispanic residents. The median age is 38.7 years old, with 23.3% under 18 and 12.3% over 65 years old. There are slightly more females than males in the town, with 51.1% female and 48.9% male inhabitants.

The majority of Friendsville’s population is employed in small businesses such as retail stores, restaurants and other service-oriented businesses that cater to the local community and tourists alike. Tourism plays an important role in Friendsville’s economy as it serves as a gateway to nearby Deep Creek Lake State Park and Wisp Ski Resort. Other industries in Friendsville include timber harvesting, light manufacturing and farming operations such as dairy production and apple orchards that have been passed down through generations of local families for over a century now.

The town also offers a variety of cultural opportunities for its residents including summer concerts at Town Park Square, art galleries featuring local artists’ work and annual festivals such as the Friendsville Music Festival which draws visitors from all over Maryland each year to enjoy live music performances on Main Street throughout the weekend event. In addition to this, Friendsville boasts several churches across denominations that offer spiritual nourishment to its citizens while providing fellowship opportunities for those seeking social connections within their community.

For population 25 years and over in Friendsville

• High school or higher: 72.5%
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: 11.9%
• Graduate or professional degree: 5.7%
• Unemployed: 8.9%
• Mean travel time to work: 30.9 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Friendsville town

• Never married: 28.1%
• Now married: 46.0%
• Separated: 2.7%
• Widowed: 10.6%
• Divorced: 12.6%

0.0% Foreign born

Population change in the 1990s: -36 (-6.3%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers near Friendsville:

• GARRETT COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL (about 18 miles; OAKLAND, MD)
• PRESTON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL (about 25 miles; KINGWOOD, WV)
• UNIONTOWN HOSPITAL (about 28 miles; UNIONTOWN, PA)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Friendsville:

• MORGANTOWN MUNI-WALTER L. BILL HART FLD (about 35 miles; MORGANTOWN, WV; Abbreviation: MGW)
• ARNOLD PALMER REGIONAL (about 42 miles; LATROBE, PA; Abbreviation: LBE)
• ALLEGHENY COUNTY (about 60 miles; PITTSBURGH, PA; Abbreviation: AGC)

Other public-use airports nearest to Friendsville:

• GARRETT COUNTY (about 9 miles; OAKLAND, MD; Abbreviation: 2G4)
• SEVEN SPRINGS (about 25 miles; SEVEN SPRINGS BOROUGH, PA; Abbreviation: 7SP)
• CONNELLSVILLE (about 27 miles; CONNELLSVILLE, PA; Abbreviation: VVS)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Friendsville:

• FROSTBURG STATE UNIVERSITY (about 33 miles; FROSTBURG, MD; Full-time enrollment: 4,672)
• WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY (about 39 miles; MORGANTOWN, WV; Full-time enrollment: 19,666)
• WESTMORELAND COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 42 miles; YOUNGWOOD, PA; Full-time enrollment: 3,223)
• CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA (about 44 miles; CALIFORNIA, PA; Full-time enrollment: 5,183)
• FAIRMONT STATE COLLEGE (about 53 miles; FAIRMONT, WV; Full-time enrollment: 5,317)
• UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH-JOHNSTOWN (about 57 miles; JOHNSTOWN, PA; Full-time enrollment: 2,851)
• CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY (about 66 miles; PITTSBURGH, PA; Full-time enrollment: 7,903)

Public primary/middle school in Friendsville:

• FRIENDSVILLE ELEMENTARY (Students: 165; Location: 841 FIRST AVE; Grades: PK – 05)