What It Is Like to Retire in Kent Island |
| Considered the Gateway to the Eastern Shore, Kent Island in Queen Anne’s County, Maryland, is the largest island in the Chesapeake Bay and is connected to Central Maryland via the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. It once served as a trading post for the first permanent English settlement in Maryland, and there are historic structures located here. Now as a suburb of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area, and a bedroom community of Annapolis, the population on the island is about 17,000 with Stevensville and Chester being the most populous towns, and offering historical districts, parks, and dining. Photo of Chesapeake Bay Bridge courtesy of Wikipedia (public domain); photo of Love Point Road in Historic Stevensville courtesy of Wikipedia (public domain).
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Where to Retire in Kent Island and Home Prices |
| In mid-2021 Zillow reported the median home value was $430,420 in Stevensville, which is the central part of the island and a popular town to live in. |
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What Is Special about Kent Island |
| Kent Island is a quiet suburb of the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area that offers small bay beaches, fishing piers, boating, hike and bike trails, parks and historic areas. The Cross Island Trail and the South Island Trail offer paved miles for walking and biking with nice views of the Chesapeake Bay, parks, and piers. |
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What Is Not Special about Kent Island |
| Home prices are much higher than the national average. For cultural events you need to leave the island- although Washington D.C. and Baltimore are easily accessible across the bridges, but about an hour away, Annapolis is only about 20 miles away. |
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Who Will Like Retirement in Kent Island |
| Retirees who enjoy walking, biking and hiking will enjoy the trails, parks and open space. The island has medical facilities, a library, a historical district and outlet shopping, and of course great seafood restaurants.
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Local Economy Is Driven by |
| Kent Island was once a tobacco and corn farming area, a steamboat hub for travel across the Bay, and a major supplier of the Maryland Blue Crab. The Kent Narrows is the strait that separates Kent Island from the mainland of Queen Anne's County and the Eastern Shore, and was once the heart of the seafood industry. There are still a couple of seafood packing houses but today the economy is driven by manufacturing, retail, construction, and tourism. |
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Climate and Physical Environment |
| The average January temperature on Kent Island is 36 degrees, July's average temperature is 79 degrees. Kent Island received extensive damage during Hurricane Isabel in 2003. Many historic landmarks and businesses were destroyed by flooding and the storm surge. |
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Restaurants & Cultural Scene |
| Chester and Stevensville have several restaurants; Kent Narrows is surrounded by the Chester River and Eastern Bay and is a a popular destination for boaters, biking and kayaking. Hotels and marinas are located here, along with great crab and seafood restaurants; TripAdvisor.com lists several seafood restaurants and Crab bars with great reviews; Kent Island Day is an annual event to commemorate the founding of Kent Island in 1631 with a parade, historic exhibits, music, food, and vendors; a plethora of cultural sites, activities, and the arts are in nearby Washington D.C., Baltimore and Annapolis. |
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