Garrett County is a county in Maryland, United States, the westernmost county in the state and part of the Allegheny Plateau. It had a population of 28,806 at the 2020 census and covers 647 square miles (1,680 km2) of land centred near 39°17′N 79°22′W.
Oakland is the county seat, and its postal code is 21550. The county has 7 incorporated towns, 1 city, and 7 census-designated places, plus dozens of unincorporated communities. Garrett County sits in the Eastern time zone and has long been considered part of the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania media market rather than Baltimore’s.
Towns & Villages in Garrett County
Garrett County’s incorporated towns cluster around Deep Creek Lake and the Oakland valley, while the rest of the county is a mix of census-designated places and small unincorporated crossroads communities scattered through the Allegheny Mountains. In the table below, “CDP” marks a Census Bureau-defined place with no local government, and “Unincorp.” marks a named community with no formal boundary or population count of its own.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland | City · seat | 1,851 | 21550 |
| Accident | Town | — | 21520 |
| Deer Park | Town | — | 21550 |
| Friendsville | Town | — | 21531 |
| Grantsville | Town | — | 21536 |
| Kitzmiller | Town | — | 21538 |
| Loch Lynn Heights | Town | — | 21550 |
| Mountain Lake Park | Town | — | 21550 |
| Bloomington | CDP | — | 21523 |
| Crellin | CDP | — | 21550 |
| Finzel | CDP | — | — |
| Gorman | CDP | — | — |
| Hutton | CDP | — | — |
| Jennings | CDP | — | — |
| Swanton | CDP | — | 21561 |
| Altamont | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Asher Glade | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Avilton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bethel | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bevansville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bittinger | Unincorp. | — | 21522 |
| Blooming Rose | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bowling Green | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Camp Whitethorn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Casselman | Unincorp. | — | — |
| East Vindex | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Elder Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Engle Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fairview | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Floyd | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fort Pendleton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Foxtown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fricks Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gortner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gravel Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Green Glade | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hazelhurst | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Herrington Manor | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hi-Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| High Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hoyes | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hoyes Run | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kaese Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kearney | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Keeler Glade | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kempton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kendall | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Keysers Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lake Ford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Locust Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McComas Beach | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McHenry | Unincorp. | — | 21541 |
| Merrill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mineral Spring | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mitchell Manor | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Germany | Unincorp. | — | — |
| North Glade | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Piney Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Redhouse | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sand Spring | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sang Run | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Schell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Selbysport | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shallmar | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Standard | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Steyer | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Strawn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Strecker | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sunnyside | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Table Rock | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Thayerville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wallman | Unincorp. | — | — |
| West Vindex | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wilson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Winding Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
McHenry, at the north end of Deep Creek Lake, is Garrett County’s largest unincorporated community and its resort hub, though it has never incorporated as a town. Deer Park, Loch Lynn Heights, Mountain Lake Park, and Crellin all lie within a few miles of Oakland and share its 21550 ZIP code rather than having their own.
ZIP Codes
- 21550 — Oakland (also serves Deer Park, Loch Lynn Heights, Mountain Lake Park, Crellin)
- 21520 — Accident
- 21522 — Bittinger
- 21523 — Bloomington
- 21531 — Friendsville
- 21536 — Grantsville
- 21538 — Kitzmiller
- 21541 — McHenry
- 21561 — Swanton
Smaller unincorporated communities generally use the ZIP code of their nearest post office town above rather than one of their own.
Geography
Garrett County lies on the Allegheny Plateau in the far western panhandle of Maryland, with elevations reaching over 3,000 feet at Backbone Mountain, the state’s highest point. The Youghiogheny River drains the northern part of the county, and the artificial Deep Creek Lake, the state’s largest freshwater lake, sits near McHenry and draws much of the county’s tourism. Roughly 1.3% of the county’s area is water.
Garrett County borders Somerset County, Pennsylvania to the north, Fayette County, Pennsylvania to the northwest, Allegany County, Maryland to the east, Grant County, West Virginia and Mineral County, West Virginia to the south, and Preston County, West Virginia to the west.
Demographics
Garrett County had 28,806 residents at the 2020 census, a density of about 45 people per square mile. Oakland (1,851) and Mountain Lake Park are the largest incorporated towns; McHenry is the largest unincorporated place. Median household income in the county trails the Maryland median of $98,678, reflecting the area’s tourism- and resource-based economy rather than the incomes of the Baltimore-Washington corridor.
Economy & Local Life
Tourism around Deep Creek Lake and Wisp Resort, Maryland’s only major ski area, drives much of Garrett County’s economy, alongside logging, dairy and livestock farming, and Maryland’s only active natural gas production. Garrett College, a community college in McHenry, is a significant local employer and institution. The Autumn Glory Festival in Oakland each October is the county’s signature annual event.
History
Garrett County was created from Allegany County on November 4, 1872, the last of Maryland’s 23 counties to be formed. It was named for John Work Garrett (1820–1884), president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, whose company had extended its line through the region and lobbied for the new county. The area’s mountainous terrain and distance from Baltimore have long tied it economically and culturally closer to Pittsburgh than to the rest of Maryland.
Getting There
- Cumberland, Maryland — about 30 miles east on US 40/I-68
- Morgantown, West Virginia — about 35 miles southwest via US 219
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — about 75 miles north via I-68 and I-79
Interstate 68 crosses the county’s eastern end, and US 219 runs north–south through Oakland and McHenry. Garrett County Airport near Oakland handles general aviation; the nearest commercial airport is Pittsburgh International, roughly 80 miles north.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Garrett County, Maryland?
It is the westernmost county in Maryland, bordering Pennsylvania and West Virginia in the Allegheny Mountains.
What is the population of Garrett County?
28,806 as of the 2020 census.
How big is Garrett County?
647 square miles (1,680 km2) of land, making it Maryland’s second-largest county by land area.
What is the county seat of Garrett County?
Oakland is the county seat.
How many towns are in Garrett County?
Seven incorporated towns and one city (Oakland), plus seven census-designated places and dozens of unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Garrett County?
Nine ZIP codes, led by 21550 (Oakland) and including 21520 (Accident), 21536 (Grantsville), and 21541 (McHenry).
What is Garrett County known for?
Deep Creek Lake, Wisp Resort skiing, and being Maryland’s only natural gas-producing county.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Maryland.