Residents > General Demographic Information

Founded in 1649, Annapolis became the capital city of Maryland in 1694 and a principal colonial port. Today, Annapolis is a center for business and government, a popular visitor destination and a recreation boating Mecca. As the home of the United States Naval Academy and St. John’s College (the third oldest institution of higher learning in the U.S.), Annapolis is the site of a wide variety of special events and cultural activities.

Annapolis has been designated a “Central City” by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. The major components of the local economy are government (State Capital and County Seat), tourism and maritime industries. With an estimated two million visitors annually, Annapolis represents an excellent marketplace for goods and services of all descriptions.

Annapolis is governed by a City Council composed of a Mayor and eight Aldermen. The Mayor is elected at large for a four-year term and serves full time as the chief executive officer of the City. The eight Aldermen are elected for four-year terms to represent eight different geographic areas of the City known as Wards; Aldermen are not restricted as to the number of terms they may serve.

Annapolis is a relatively compact city with 7.2 square miles of land area along with 17 miles of waterfront on the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Known for its highly desirable quality of life, Annapolis is conveniently located approximately 35 miles from both Washington, D.C. and Baltimore with excellent highway systems connecting Annapolis to both cities.

Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) is approximately 23 miles from Annapolis. It is one of Maryland’s most important economic engines serving 19.7 million passengers in 2003. BWI produced $5.6 billion in total economic activity for the region and supports 104,758 jobs region wide. BWI’s activities produced $781 million in state and local taxes. (This information is from the 2003 Regional and Local Economic Impact Report for BWI.)

The Annapolis Department of Public Transportation provides local bus service and shuttle (trolley) service between downtown Annapolis and the “park and ride” at the Navy-Marine Corps Stadium. The Mass Transit Administration provides daily service from Annapolis to Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and other employment centers.

Water taxis are available every 20-30 minutes seasonally from May to mid-October, seven days a week. Water taxis run from City Dock and private marinas to navigable destinations in the harbor.

DEMOGRAPHIC DATA

Unless otherwise noted, data was obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau, City of Annapolis Department of Planning and Zoning, Anne Arundel County Department of Planning and Code Enforcement, and Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation.