Cecil County, Maryland

Discover what leading companies already know.

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There are a multitude of reasons to consider Cecil County for your business.

Cecil County is fast becoming the place to be.

As more and more leading companies are recognizing the unique advantages of operating from the heart of the I-95 corridor, growth is accelerating in Cecil County, Maryland.

A few recent examples:

Great Wolf Lodge will begin breaking ground on a new $200 million resort. A study estimated that the new Great Wolf Lodge will bring an annual economic impact of $86 million along with more than 500,000 visitors annually. Construction is expected to be completed in early 2023.

Northrop Grumman broke ground on a new 60,000-square-foot manufacturing center in Elkton, Maryland. Dubbed the "Hypersonics Center of Excellence," the new 60,000-square foot facility will enable Northrop Grumman to produce high-speed missiles more quickly and at a lower cost.

Clene and its subsidiary Clene Nanomedicine are negotiating to increase their manufacturing capacity as they prepare to release findings from a pivotal and enrolling Phase 3 trial of CNM-Au8 as an oral therapy aiming to slow ALS progression. Negotiations include the leasing of a 75,000 square foot facility in Elkton, Maryland, close to Clene’s current manufacturing site.

These are just a few recent examples of the leading companies who have already discovered what Cecil County, Maryland has to offer.

Cecil County, Maryland is located in the heart of the Mid-Atlantic United States.

The County offers a premier location at the nexus of major east coast transportation corridors.

Our diverse workforce powers businesses across a wide range of industries.

Our residents enjoy an amazing quality of life.

OUR LOCATION

Businesses benefit from Cecil County's strategic location in the Mid-Atlantic United States. At the heart of ongoing expansion on the East Coast, regional road, rail and infrastructure investments have added value to Cecil's location for more than 200 years.

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Access to one third of the entire U.S. population, overnight.

There are over 90 million people living within an 8-hour drive of Cecil County.

Access the entire Mid-Atlantic via a robust interstate network.

Cecil County's 3 interchanges to I-95 enable our residents and businesses to quickly access 6 major cities. A fourth interchange at Belvidere Road will be completed in 2025.

Wilmington (30 min)
Baltimore (45 min)
Philadelphia (1 hr)
Washington (1.5 hrs)
New York (2.5 hrs)
Richmond (~3 hrs)

Centrally located to major metropolitan areas.

Cecil County offers prime access to 4 major metropolitan areas via I-95.

Within a short drive of major international airports.

In less than two hours, Cecil County residents and businesses can access major airports in Wilmington, Philadelphia, and Baltimore.

Just an hour further expands this access to

Proximity to major ports delivers access to international markets.

Multiple major ports are within 2 hours of Cecil County. Over 131 Million tons of imports & exports run through these ports which include:

Baltimore, MD (45 Million Tons)
Philadelphia, PA (28 Million Tons)
Paulsboro, NJ (18 Million Tons)
Wilmington, DE (6 Million Tons)

The County's proximity to these ports delivers .

Neopanamax shipping access.

The Port of Baltimore has dredged a second 50-foot-deep container berth at the Seagirt Marine Terminal as part of its wider investment to increase capacity and make operations more efficient.

The project allows the Port to accommodate two ultra-large ships simultaneously beginning in late 2021 with the addition of four additional neo-Panamax cranes.

The completion of the berth comes shortly after the planned expansion of the Howard Street Tunnel near the Port, giving the Port and CSX double stack capability north, south and all the way out to Chicago.

Freight and passengers benefit from railroad network.

Situated along main lines for CSX and Norfolk Southern, Cecil County offers direct access to multimodal facilities in nearby Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Harrisburg.

Residents and business travelers are within easy reach of Amtrak passenger rail service.

Estimated 2,002,316 passengers arrived or departed via Maryland Amtrak
Connected to more than 21,400 route miles
Over 500 destinations in 46 states and three provinces in Canada

Cecil Transit connects the workforce to major business parks.

Cecil Transit oversees all county transit operations through the implementation of a fixed route and demand response bus service and the Rural Transportation Initiative which includes the Taxi Voucher Program and the Veteran’s Bus Pass Program.

Cecil Transit’s fixed route bus system offers connecting service to Aberdeen, Havre de Grace, Perryville, Charlestown, North East, Elkton, as well as Newark and Glasgow in Delaware.

Cecil Transit also provides transportation services connecting qualified individuals to job placement and training through a contractual agreement with the local Department of Social Services.

Developable Land Available

A growth corridor along I-95 is designated and ready for your business.

A variety of incentives are available to businesses located in the County:

The entire County is a , which allows for international goods to be stored and fabricated, while still considered part of international commerce. Goods are not subject to U.S. taxes or duties until transferred to the U.S. market outside of this zone. Companies benefit from being permitted to build, manufacture, and manipulate components into finished products for U.S. sale or re-export.

provide federal tax incentives for investment in distressed communities over the next 10 years. Areas designated as Opportunity Zones will benefit from new capital investment that helps redevelop underserved communities.

A one-to-three year Maryland state tax credit available to employers in the designated who hire for newly created full-time jobs. A one-time credit for each new employee and a three-year credit for hiring an employee who is economically disadvantaged. ( Learn More )

Businesses who have taken advantage of the County's valuable, interconnected logistic networks are thriving.

Cecil County offers the opportunity to strengthen value chains throughout a businesses' entire distribution and operational needs.

Nov. 14, 1963 - JFK at I-95 ribbon cutting in Cecil County, Maryland.

We have a rich history.

Cecil County's location has a rich history of connecting the country through transportation and infrastructure.

There are no signs of this corridor slowing down anytime soon.

OUR WORKFORCE

Many leading companies already call Cecil County home. No matter what industry, our business landscape and labor force has the capacity and skill to meet your needs.

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Our laborshed draws from a vast region.

Over 30,000 people work in Cecil County and come from many surrounding counties in three states.

Our workforce is qualified and diverse.

Cecil County businesses draw from a highly capable workforce that represents a diverse mix of occupational categories for any type of business.

Cecil County's residential population has a great balance within each workforce occupation category: Creative, Service and Working. The chart below is color-coded to show workforce occupations in relation to the workforce category color shown on the map.

Cecil County Residents: Workforce by Occupation

Our region is home to the most educated workforce east of the Mississippi.

Cecil County businesses gain access to the most educated metropolitan areas in the United States, with many employees traveling daily to work in the County.

Businesses that don't require higher education degrees for employees can find a qualified pool of employees within less than a

Tap into an abundant talent pipeline.

The region if home to an extremely diverse talent pipeline. A future workforce is being cultivated to fill front line jobs, trade crafts, manufacturing positions, and a host of other technical and professional needs.

Within a less than a three hour drive, there are large number of

Top 100 National Universities

University of Pennsylvania
John Hopkins University
Georgetown University
Lehigh University
Villanova University
University of Maryland
Rutgers University - New Brunswick
George Washington University
American University
Howard University
University of Delaware
Temple University

Top 50 Regional Universities

Loyola University
Saint Joseph's University
Messiah University
La Salle University
McDaniel College
Lebanon Valley College

Top 50 Liberal Arts Universities

Swarthmore College
United States Naval Academy
Haverford College
Bryn Mawr College
Franklin & Marshall College
Dickinson College

The County is adaptive to emerging business needs.

Cecil College has developed several partnerships with four-year universities throughout the region. This enables local Cecil residents to complete four-year programs from classrooms within Cecil College.

Cecil County School of Technology is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for high school students to gain real-world knowledge of relevant, vital professions in society.

Cecil County School of Technology is housed on a unique corporate campus.

Offering a variety of program offerings, the school's mission is to provide Cecil County Public School students with Career and Technology Education programs that will provide them with relevant learning experiences and competitive skills that will prepare them for the ever-changing global workforce.

OUR QUALITY OF LIFE

At its heart, Cecil County is a place of immense natural beauty and our communities are deeply connected to the land and the Chesapeake Bay. This brings a vibrant sense of place and belonging, which is the reason why businesses and families have chosen to call Cecil County home.

Main Street businesses are the heartbeat of our culture.

There are 8 unique municipalities in Cecil County. These towns are home to businesses, small and large, who have found their home and provide retail and entertainment for the community.

Cecilton

The Town of Cecilton is a quiet community settled at the crossroads to the Chesapeake and was formally incorporated in 1864. It’s located in Cecil County and is approximately 20 miles south of Elkton, Maryland and about 10 miles west of Middletown, Delaware.

Charlestown

Charlestown is a small, water-oriented municipality with a population of about 1,500 people, four marinas, a general store, two restaurants, an elementary school and a Post Office. The townspeople are content with it just the way it is, a quiet, river community.

Chesapeake City

Chesapeake City’s historic area is on the National Historic Registry, as well as Maryland’s Historic Registry. The town has many restored historic homes, shops and galleries, featuring hand-painted originals and prints, antiques, collectibles, clothing, gifts and crafts. Additional sights include the Canal Museum, art galleries, summer concerts, boat tours, and tours of the nearby horse country. There are also many fine restaurants, bed and breakfasts, and transient/seasonal boat dockage availability.

Elkton

Elkton is located on the colonial highway of America. Our forefathers navigated its waterways and traveled its roads when heading north to Philadelphia, or south to Virginia.

Perryville

The Town of Perryville is dedicated to promoting the safety, health, and welfare of our citizens and to cultivating a sense of community with all citizens of Perryville. To meet these goals, we are committed to ensuring a standard of excellence in the quality of municipal goods and services provided, to fostering a high standard of environmental stewardship and to encourage growth that benefits the entire citizenry of the Town.

Rising Sun

Rising Sun is the business hub of a large area of farmland and rolling countryside encompassing most of the northwest corner of Cecil County. While the population of the town itself is only about 1,600, that of the surrounding rural area is more than 25,000. Small in size but big in heart, Rising Sun truly is, as the town seal declares, a Small Town Extraordinaire.

Port Deposit

The historic Town of Port Deposit is located on the banks of the Susquehanna River. The Town of Port Deposit is designated a historic district to preserve the culture and long history through the preservation of buildings and landmarks.

North East

Located at the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay, North East is less than an hour drive from Philadelphia and Baltimore.

Cecilton

Charlestown

Chesapeake City

Elkton

Elkton is located on the colonial highway of America. Our forefathers navigated its waterways and traveled its roads when heading north to Philadelphia, or south to Virginia.

Today, many of the town's beautiful colonial structures remain, yet they're surrounded by buildings that reflect an active business community. Office buildings, courthouses, a hospital, and retail establishments share space with history in Elkton, which has been the County Seat since 1787

Perryville

Rising Sun

Port Deposit

In 2009, the Town’s boundary was expanded to encompass the 1,250-acre Bainbridge property, which is located on the granite bluff overlooking down town. In 2015, the property was designated an Enterprise Zone and the historic Tome School buildings were included in the Sustainable Community designation, which provides tax credits for historic restoration projects.

North East

Located at the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay, North East is less than an hour drive from Philadelphia and Baltimore.

Strolling down Main Street, visitors will find various shops full of artisanal goods and antiques, and several restaurants. The Upper Bay Museum located at the end of Walnut street in the North East Community Park offers one of the largest collections of hunting and fishing memorabilia in this area.

Located a short distance outside of town is the Elk Neck State Park, Turkey Point Light House, and Elk Neck State Forest, which all offer hiking and recreational activities for visitors.

Residents can choose from a variety of housing options.

The County's Housing Affordability Index* is 153, which measures better than the US average. A diverse housing stock offers options for any budget.

*Based on Esri's HAI methodology which measures ability of a typical resident to purchase an existing home in an area

Students benefit from a robust public school system.

Cecil County has a well-performing public school system that offers a no-cost alternative to private schools. The County's public high school graduation rate was over 92% in the 2019-2020 school year.

Students participate in programs that allow them to succeed in any career trajectory, from enrollment to the nation's top colleges and universities to tailor-made high school programs that prepare them for trade and industrial careers. The high school-to-career pipeline elevates our labor pool by providing qualified labor to businesses in an ever-tightening labor market.

Explore Cecil County's public school attendance zones.

Residents have access to world-class healthcare.

The County has direct access to ChristianaCare at Union Hospital in Elkton and is within a short drive to leading hospitals such as ChristianaCare in Newark, DE, Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD and Penn Medicine in Philadelphia, PA.

Enjoy an extensive and interesting shoreline.

The County boasts more than 200 miles of shoreline along the northernmost reaches of the Chesapeake Bay.

The is a unique and popular fishing ground for residents and visitors.

Explore a vast network of wide open spaces.

Residents and visitors have opportunity to get away from the faster pace of life, by enjoying our extensive inventory of open space.

Offering a diverse network of trails such as the , and the Lower the County has become a popular weekend destination.

Agribusiness fuels healthy living.

For many years, agribusiness has been one of Cecil County’s leading industries.

But beyond driving a portion of our economy forward, it offers the perks of farm-to-table cuisine for local residents.

Farmland Land Use in Cecil County, Maryland

Having this flourishing agricultural economy adds value to our residents' quality of life including:

Providing secure access to safe, fresh, healthier food
Preserving natural scenic beauty
Helping keep taxes down
Offering varied opportunities for Agri-tourism & adventures - wineries, breweries, pick-your-own, hay rides, corn mazes, wedding venues, etc.

Cecil County is home to world-class attractions and unique local destinations.

Maryland Five Star at Fair Hill

The storied tradition of Eventing at iconic Fair Hill continues with the inaugural Maryland 5 Star in October 2021 at the newly constructed Fair Hill Special Event Zone in Cecil County. One of only two 5 Star events in the United States, and seventh worldwide, the prestigious 5 Star (CCI5*) designation is the pinnacle of the sport of Eventing, best described as an equestrian triathlon. The Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill marks a new chapter for the State of Maryland’s rich horse and equestrian tradition. The event will showcase four days of competition in Dressage, Cross-Country and Show Jumping

Bassmasters

Cecil County has had a relationship with Bassmaster since 2009 when the first Bassmaster Open Tournament was held here. They returned again in 2010, but it was the 2015 Bassmaster Elite Tournament and Summer Fest that put Cecil County and the Upper Chesapeake Bay on the map as a premier fishing destination in the USA. In 2021 and 2022 Cecil County will be hosting one of Bassmaster’s newest tournaments - the BASS Nation Kayak Series which attracts kayak anglers from across the United States. In addition to a tournament relationship with Bassmaster and BASS Nation, Cecil County has also hosted BFL, FLW, Ike Foundation, and miscellaneous other fishing tournaments.

Great Wolf Lodge

Construction of a new Great Wolf Lodge in Perryville, Maryland, began in Summer 2021. The resort will include 700 suite-style hotel rooms and an indoor water park that will make it the biggest such resort on the East Coast — and the largest of Great Wolf's 17 lodges in the chain, which has locations across the U.S. and Canada. Over 500,000 visitors are expected a year. It will also include conference center space for 1,000 guests.

Conowingo Dam

People come from near and far to watch and photograph some of the 250 resident bald eagles near the Conowingo Dam that provides hydro-electric power from the Susquehanna River.

Calvert Regional Park

This regional park consists of a synthetic turf multi purpose field, basketball courts, 11 natural grass multi purpose fields, a one mile paved trail, playgrounds, paved parking, and a concession stand.

No matter who you are, we have the talent to help you grow.

Your employees will love living here.

We have the market cornered.

THE ONLY THING MISSING IS YOUR BUSINESS.

In addition to the multitude of existing commercial real estate options, there are a variety of new development opportunities that can be tailored to your specific needs.

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Bainbridge

The Bainbridge Development Corporation (BDC) was created by the Maryland General Assembly via H.B. 1152 in 1999 to plan, initiate and oversee the activities necessary to convert the approximately 1,200 acre site (formerly the U.S. Bainbridge Naval Training Center) into re-use opportunities which would maximize the economic contribution from the re-development.

(Learn more.)

Chesapeake Overlook

Centered within an Enterprise Zone, Chesapeake Overlook provides immediate access to I-95 through one of Cecil County's four interchanges.

Principio

Situated in the heart of the Mid-Atlantic Region, the Principio Business Park offers unmatched connectivity to the major metropolitan regions of the Eastern Seaboard. The park, which is capable of accommodating upwards of 5 million square feet of total development, is already home to major distribution facilities for General Electric, Restoration Hardware and Perryville Cold Storage. Powerful economic incentives through the Enterprise Zone tax credits add to the benefits of this location and provide significant savings to the overall occupancy costs.

( Learn more . )

North East Business Center

Located right next to I-95, North East Business Center is minutes away from the I-95 and North East Rd Interchange.

North East Commerce Center

North East Commerce Center offers easy on/off access to Interstate 95 and is located halfway between Baltimore and Philadelphia. Located within the Cecil County Enterprise Zone, North East Commerce Center qualifies for employment and property tax credits.

( Learn more. )

Triumph Industrial Park

TIP is a 525 acre industrial park, conveniently located only a few miles off of I-95, between Philadelphia and Baltimore. Triumph is perfectly suited for commercial and industrial use with built-to-suit customizable lots of all sizes for lease.

(Learn more.)

Southfields

Southfields of Elkton is one of the largest development projects in the Town of Elkton and it is transformational in nature. Southfields is a master development project comprised of approximately 630 acres. Retail, commercial, sports/recreational and light industrial uses are also included in the project to truly create a LIVE-WORK-PLAY community. The project will include over 280 acres of open-green space and recreational park areas.

Contact us to explore your next steps.

Visit our website or call 410-996-8465.