Ocean Pines, Maryland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ocean Pines, Maryland
CDP
Location in Worcester County and the state of Maryland
Ocean Pines, Maryland Location in Maryland Show map of Maryland Ocean Pines, Maryland Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Maryland
County	Worcester
Government
• Type	Homeowners' association
Area
• Total	9.06 sq mi (23.47 km2)
• Land	6.47 sq mi (16.77 km2)
• Water	2.59 sq mi (6.70 km2)
Elevation	10 ft (3 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	12,145
• Density	1,875.68/sq mi (724.26/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP code	21811
Area code(s)	410, 443
FIPS code	24-58275
GNIS feature ID	0590933
Website	http://www.oceanpines.org

Ocean Pines is a special kind of community in Worcester County, Maryland, United States. It's called a "census-designated place" (CDP), which means it's a place with a name and borders, but it's not officially a city or town. In 2020, about 12,145 people lived here.

Ocean Pines is part of the larger Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. It also shares the same ZIP code as the nearby town of Berlin. This community started as a small vacation spot in 1968. Today, it is the biggest neighborhood in Worcester County. Many retired people choose to live here. During the summer, the number of people in Ocean Pines grows by more than half!

History of Ocean Pines

Before the late 1960s, Ocean Pines was a very small community. Most of the people living there were retired. On May 16, 1968, a local newspaper called the Eastern Shore Times reported exciting news. It said that a big company, Boise Cascade Corporation, was thinking about a huge land development project. This project would be in an area just north of Berlin.

Developing the Community

Boise Cascade Corporation started building the first part of Ocean Pines on July 12, 1968. They built homes very quickly throughout the 1970s. To sell land in what was then a quiet area, Boise Cascade used fun and unique ways to attract buyers. They held Hawaiian luaus, which are big parties with food and entertainment. They also built a private clubhouse and pool right on the beach in Ocean City.

To get people to Ocean Pines, they offered special transportation. Visitors could ride a double-decker bus or a paddlewheel boat named the "Amy Ross." These creative ideas helped sell many lots. From the 1980s to the 1990s, it was common for 400 new homes to be built in Ocean Pines every year. By the end of 1996, there were 7,381 planned lots and 5,269 homes in the area.

Growth and Services

In 1969, the Maryland State Highway Administration finished building Maryland Route 90. This new road went right through Ocean Pines. It made it much easier for people to travel to Ocean City.

Cable television first came to Ocean Pines in 1979. A company called Triad CATV provided the service. Later, other companies took over, including Simmons Cable TV and American Cable TV Investors. In 1997, Mediacom became the main cable and internet provider. This continued until 2019, when the Ocean Pines Association made a new agreement with Comcast.

In 1994, a company called Balfour Holdings bought a lot of property in Ocean Pines. In 1995, Balfour shared a big plan with the Ocean Pines Association. Their plan included building a library, a post office, a church, a recreation center, a school, and new shopping areas. In October of that year, Balfour and the Ocean Pines Association agreed on how the land would be used. In 2018, Ocean Pines celebrated its 50th birthday!

Geography

Ocean Pines is located at 38°23′1″N 75°9′10″W / 38.38361°N 75.15278°W / 38.38361; -75.15278. This means it's in the eastern part of Maryland, close to the Atlantic Ocean.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Ocean Pines covers a total area of about 9.4 square miles (24.3 square kilometers). Out of this, about 6.7 square miles (17.4 square kilometers) is land. The remaining 2.7 square miles (7.0 square kilometers) is water, which makes up about 29% of the total area.

Demographics

In 2010, there were 11,710 people living in Ocean Pines. There were 5,471 households, which are groups of people living together in one home. About 3,457 of these were families. The population density was about 1,758.5 people per square mile.

The community has a mix of different age groups. About 16.8% of the people were under 18 years old. About 34.5% of the population was 65 years old or older. The average age in Ocean Pines was 57.6 years. For every 100 females, there were about 92.7 males.

Parks and Recreation

Ocean Pines is a great place for outdoor activities and sports. It has its own golf course, the Ocean Pines Golf Club. This course was designed by a famous golf course architect named Robert Trent Jones in 1970 and opened in 1972.

The community also has 13 different parks for everyone to enjoy. The biggest park is called White Horse Park.

Community Parks

• Bainbridge Park
• Bridgewater Park
• Dog Park
• Huntington Park
• Manklin Meadows Park
• Pintail Park
• Robin Hood Park
• Skate Park
• Somerset Park
• Swim and Racquet Club Park
• Terns Landing Park
• White Horse Park
• Veterans Memorial Park

Education

Students in Ocean Pines are served by the Worcester County Public Schools system. This means that the public schools in the area are managed by Worcester County.

Public Schools

Here are the public schools that serve students living in Ocean Pines:

• Berlin Intermediate School
• Showell Elementary School
• Stephen Decatur Middle School
• Stephen Decatur High School
• Ocean City Elementary School

Private Schools

There are also private schools in the Ocean Pines area. These include:

• Worcester Preparatory School
• Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic School

See also

In Spanish: Ocean Pines (Maryland) para niños