Shady Side, MD

98 Apartments for Rent

Shady Side was known as the Great Swamp in the 1790s, and at an elevation of only eight feet, the town is still home to several marshes, as well as great fishing and fine living right on Chesapeake Bay.

Shady Side sits on a peninsula tucked between the West River and Chesapeake Bay, just a half-hour drive south of Annapolis and an hour east of Washington, D.C.. With a population of just over 5,800 as of the 2010 census, Shady Side retains a small-town feel while still being relatively close to major metropolitan areas.

Moving to Shady Side

Although Shady Side a coastal town, you won't find any seaside high-rise apartment buildings or condominiums here. The area is made up mostly of single-family homes, and many of those are owner-occupied. That's not to say that you can't find a house to rent, or even an apartment for rent in Shady Side. Apartments are unconventional and difficult to find, though, as they are often within otherwise non-apartment structures, such as small commercial buildings and carriage houses. If a nautical lifestyle draws you to Shady Side, there are several homes for rent with dockage along the river or bay, but expect to pay a little more than you would for a landlocked abode.

In fact, you can expect to pay higher than average rent in Shady Side relative to the national average, but for Maryland, the prices are on the average to low side.

When you begin your search for your new Shady Side home, throw out any notion that you might find condo rentals or furnished apartments; you won't. You'll either be living in a detached home, or above someone's garage. Don't worry, it will be a nice garage. When you find a place you like, be ready to act fast, as vacancy rates in Shady Side are historically low.

Neighborhoods in Shady Side

Shady Side is essentially a neighborhood itself, but it can be divided by Shady Side Road into the bayside and the riverside areas. Each side has one large clump of residential development, with sparse outcroppings of homesteads wherever marshland gives way to something a bit firmer.

Steamboat Road: On the West River side, Steamboat Road links you to the largest grouping of homes in Shady Side, as well as the Chesapeake Yacht Club. This is where you are most likely to find a house to rent.

Cedarhurst on the Bay: With over four acres of community-owned waterfront property, a pier, a community house freshly reconstructed after being destroyed by Hurricane Isabel in 2003 and an 80-slip harbor, Cedarhurst is like a community within a community. The 300 homes are mainly owner-occupied, though.

Living in Shady Side

If you're looking for urban sophistication or large shopping malls, Shady Side is not the place for you. However, if you're looking for a solid nautical village with a real sense of community, the residents of Shady Side will welcome you with open arms. Have a drink down at the Brick House (which looks exactly as it sounds -- a large brick house, but on the inside, it's a bar) to meet up with other locals, or grab a meal at the Drift Diner. Shadyside Park and Jack Creek Park provide green space for you to spread out in. With few commercial businesses other than those that meet boating or nourishment needs, you'll have to head out of town at some point, but we doubt that you'll want to.