Urbana, Maryland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Urbana
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Rowhouses along Worthington Boulevard
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 Urbana
Location in Maryland
Urbana
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Maryland |
| County | Frederick |
| Area | |
| • Total | 7.79 sq mi (20.17 km2) |
| • Land | 7.77 sq mi (20.13 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.04 km2) |
| Elevation | 443 ft (135 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 13,304 |
| • Density | 1,711.57/sq mi (660.81/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
21704
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| Area code(s) | 301, 240 |
| FIPS code | 24-79900 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2583698 |
Urbana (pronounced ur-BAN-uh) is a community in Frederick County, Maryland, United States. It's a special kind of place called a census-designated place, which means it's a community that the government counts as a separate area for population studies.
Urbana is located near the I-270 and MD 80 roads. It's about 7.5 miles southeast of Frederick and 37 miles northwest of Washington, D.C.. Urbana started growing a lot around 1999. By the year 2010, about 9,175 people lived there. It is now part of the larger Washington metropolitan area, which is a big group of cities and towns around Washington, D.C.
In 2015, Urbana was named one of the "Best Places to Live" in the country by Money.com. In 2018, it was ranked #9 in Maryland by Niche for best places to live.
Contents
History of Urbana
Early Days: 1700s to 1900s
People first started settling in the Urbana area way back in 1730.
One important historical building is Landon House, which was built in 1754. It was first located near the Rappahannock River in Virginia. It was used as a school for girls. In 1840, Landon House was moved by boat to Washington, D.C., and then by oxcarts to where it stands today in Urbana. During the American Civil War, Landon House was used as a military school and a hospital. In 1862, Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart's officers had a dance there. Even when Union soldiers came close, the Confederates pushed them back, and the dance continued!
Zion Episcopal Church was built in 1802. It was a church until a fire badly damaged it in 1961. Since 2005, it has been fixed up and is now a museum. Other old buildings like Amelung House and Glassworks, Stancioff House, and Fat Oxen are also important historical sites.
Urbana's Growth: 2000 to 2010
The original Urbana community has grown a lot with new neighborhoods like the Villages of Urbana and the Urbana Highlands. These new areas started in 1999. They caused Urbana's population to grow quickly. This put some pressure on the local schools, police, and other services.
In 2006, the Urbana Regional Library and Senior Center opened. This building has three floors and is very large, covering over 25,000 square feet.
Urbana's schools are known for being very good. The community was even called "The 2009 Best Selling Community in Maryland." Urbana has two swimming pools, a new park, and many tennis and basketball courts. It's also close to the I-270 "technology corridor," which is an area with many tech companies.
Recent Times: 2010 to Today
In 2010, Urbana had 9,175 people. By 2020, the population grew to about 11,800. Urbana has also gained more shops and restaurants over the years. A new elementary school, Sugarloaf Elementary School, was built. New homes like townhouses and apartments have also been built near Urbana High School.
Geography and Climate
Urbana is located in the southeastern part of Frederick County. It's centered around the crossing of Maryland Routes 80 and 355. Interstate 270 runs along the southwest side of Urbana. You can get to Urbana from Exit 26 on I-270.
The Urbana area covers about 7.79 square miles. Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.
Urbana's Weather
Urbana has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and cool winters. It gets a good amount of rain all year. Urbana is located above the Fall Line, which means its temperatures are a bit cooler than cities further south, like Washington, D.C.
On average, Urbana gets about 40 inches of rain and 25 inches of snow each year. July is the hottest month, with temperatures often around 86°F. January is the coldest month, with average low temperatures around 23°F. Urbana gets rain on about 112 days each year.
Fun Things to Do in Urbana
Urbana has many walking trails and small parks. You can walk almost anywhere in town! There are also basketball courts, tennis courts, and small bench areas in nearly every neighborhood. Here are the main places for fun in Urbana:
Urbana District Park
Opened in 2012, Urbana District Park is a large 95-acre park. It's located near Md. Route 355 and Lew Wallace Street. The land for the park was given by the Villages of Urbana developer, Tom Natelli, in 2004. The park was built to offer sports fields and places to relax for people in southern Frederick County.
The park has fields for many sports, including football, lacrosse, baseball, and softball. It also has walking and biking trails, restrooms, picnic areas, and a playground. The walking trails in the park connect directly to the main walking trails of the Villages of Urbana. Today, the park has five baseball fields and a soccer field.
Shafer's Mill Recreation Center
Shafer's Mill is one of two places in the Villages of Urbana with a pool and fitness center for residents. This pool is located at 9228 Shafer's Mill Drive. The Shafer's Mill Recreation Center also has a fitness center for members and a community room. This room can be used for community groups, events, and classes.
Anthony Natelli Community Center
The Anthony Natelli Community Center is on Harris Street in the Villages of Urbana. It has a big swimming pool area, meeting rooms, and spaces for community events. There are also four tennis courts and a basketball court. The pool area includes both a fun pool and a lap pool, both outdoors. This center hosts many fun and fitness programs. It's also a place where community meetings happen, and you can rent it for your own events.
Urbana Community Park
This is the oldest park in the original Urbana community. While newer parks have opened, this park still offers two playgrounds, tennis courts, a skate park, and several baseball fields.
Natelli Family YMCA
A large YMCA building was finished in 2021. It's 62,000 square feet and has an Olympic-sized swimming pool. This pool is also used by Frederick County Public Schools (Maryland) for competitive sports.
Urbana's Economy
Because Urbana is close to I-270 and has grown with areas like the Villages of Urbana and the Urbana Corporate Center, it has become a good place for both homes and businesses. As of 2016, Urbana is home to the Fannie Mae Data Center. It is also the main office for Legal & General America. There is also a market on Sugarloaf Parkway.
The American part of Legal & General has its main office in Urbana. The US Social Security Administration and the Fannie Mae data centers are located in the Urbana Corporate Center.
The Fannie Mae Regional Data Center was the first building built in the Urbana Corporate Center. It was built in 2004. This building is a modern office and data center. It was one of the first data centers in the country to get a special "LEED certification" for being environmentally friendly.
People of Urbana (Demographics)
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 13,304 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 9,175 people living in Urbana. The population has grown quite a bit! People from many different backgrounds live in Urbana. About 66.7% of the people are White, 9.0% are African-American, 17.5% are Asian, and 10.1% are Hispanic or Latino.
Schools in Urbana
The public schools in Urbana are part of the Frederick County Public Schools (Maryland) system.
- Urbana High School is known as one of Maryland's top engineering schools. It has also been named one of America's Top High Schools by Newsweek. Many students at Urbana High take advanced placement (AP) exams, and a high percentage score well on them. In 2011, Michelle Shearer, an AP Chemistry Teacher at the High School, was named the National Teacher of the Year by President Barack Obama.
- Urbana Middle School
- Urbana Elementary School
- Centerville Elementary School
- Sugarloaf Elementary School
Main Roads in Urbana
Maryland Route 355
Maryland Route 80
Interstate 270
Culture and Events
Local Events
- Centerville Elementary School holds a special star-spangled celebration.
- The Urbana Volunteer Fire Department has a fun carnival in mid-July.
- Many smaller celebrations also happen at the local pools and community centers throughout the year.
See also
In Spanish: Urbana (Maryland) para niños
