Overview
Located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Salisbury is a vibrant city popular for its antique shopping and cultural events. Residents also enjoy nearby parks and rivers as well as easy access to the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. With affordable housing and pleasant temperatures, Salisbury is a popular retirement destination for active adults.
Climate & Geography
Salisbury has a humid subtropical climate characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters. There is more than average rainfall, less than average snow, and about 207 days of sun each year. Atlantic nor’easters, a type of ocean storm, can bring heavier precipitation in the winter.
Salisbury is part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, which is mainly flat. The city is located just south of the Delaware border between the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, and these two bodies of water help regulate extreme temperatures. The Wicomico River bisects the town.
Recreation, Culture, & Entertainment
Residents seeking outdoor recreation can head to Pemberton Historical Park on the southwest border of the city. This expansive greenspace features nature trails as well as a historic house. Leonards Mill Park on the northeast side has bridges ideal for fishing, walking trails, and boat launches as well as a softball field and a family park. For more outdoor sports, retirees can enjoy the two golf clubs located in Salisbury.
Downtown Salisbury is the main shopping district and is especially noted for its antique shops. This area also hosts the National Folk Festival, an annual music festival with an artisan marketplace, and the weekly Park and Flea market, a year-round market with produce, antiques, and plants. In addition, residents enjoy the Riverwalk along the Wicomico River that runs through the heart of downtown.
Salisbury is a half-hour from the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and under an hour to the beaches on the Atlantic Coast. For more cultural events and entertainment, Dover is just over an hour away, and Wilmington and Washington, D.C. are two hours away.
Cost of Living & Taxes
The cost of living in Salisbury is lower than the national average because of very low housing and transportation costs. Other factors like utilities, health care, and groceries are above average.
Maryland does not tax Social Security, and while other forms of retirement income are taxed, there are deductions available. Property taxes are average, and there is a Homestead Tax Credit to limit the assessed property value. In addition, sales taxes are lower than average at 6 percent statewide.
Health Care
The Salisbury metro area scores well on Gallup’s Well-Being Index, ranking in the top 17 communities across the country.
The only hospital in Salisbury, Peninsula Regional Medical Center, is rated high performing by U.S. News. Other high performing hospitals include Beebe Healthcare-Lewes in Lewes, Delaware, and University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton in Easton.