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Elkton, North East and Rising Sun, MD (Cecil County): What to Know

Elkton, North East and Rising Sun are three of Cecil County's eight towns, in northeastern Maryland between Philadelphia and Baltimore. Here's what each town is like, the schools, getting around, things to do and the taxes you'll see at closing.

A small Chesapeake harbor at sunrise with moored sailboats

Elkton, North East and Rising Sun are three of the eight incorporated towns in Cecil County, Maryland, a county in northeastern Maryland that borders Pennsylvania and sits just west of Delaware. Living here means small-town Maryland with a lot of water and parkland: Elkton is the county seat, North East is a waterfront town at the head of the Chesapeake Bay, and Rising Sun is a historic crossroads town close to the Pennsylvania line. I-95 runs through the county, midway between Philadelphia and Baltimore.

Last reviewed October 13, 2026. For current home prices, talk to a Foraker agent; this guide doesn't quote market figures because they go stale fast.

Where is Cecil County relative to Delaware and Pennsylvania?

Cecil County runs along the I-95 corridor in northeastern Maryland, which Maryland's Department of Commerce describes as midway between Philadelphia and Baltimore. Commerce puts Elkton about 47 miles from Philadelphia and 50 miles from Baltimore. At Fair Hill, the county's northern edge, Pennsylvania is the border and Delaware is less than half a mile east.

The county covers about 350 square miles with 241 miles of shoreline, and had 103,725 residents at the 2020 Census. Its eight towns are Cecilton, Charlestown, Chesapeake City, Elkton, North East, Perryville, Port Deposit and Rising Sun.

What are Elkton, North East and Rising Sun like?

Elkton (2020 population 15,807) is the largest town and the county seat. It began as Head of Elk, at the head of the Elk River, and grew on the flour trade. It was incorporated as Elkton in 1787, after the legislature moved the county court there.

North East (2020 population 4,085) sits at the head of the Chesapeake Bay on the North East River. Settled in 1658 and incorporated in 1850, it was the first permanent settlement in Cecil County. MD 272 serves as Main Street, which has restaurants and shops selling artisanal goods and antiques. Tourism, built around the river and nearby Elk Neck State Park, is a growing part of the town's economy.

Rising Sun (2020 population 2,740) grew up around a 1720s crossroads. Until Mason and Dixon's survey, the area was treated as part of Chester County, Pennsylvania. The town takes its name from a tavern sign, "The Rising Sun," hung around 1720 at a stage stop on the route between Baltimore and Philadelphia. It was incorporated in 1860, and the railroad arrived six years later.

What school district serves Elkton, North East and Rising Sun?

All three towns are served by Cecil County Public Schools (CCPS), the county's public school system. Maryland Commerce's county brief lists 17 elementary, 6 middle or combined, 5 high schools and 1 career and technical school. Attendance zones are set by CCPS, so confirm the assigned schools for a specific address before you buy. Cecil College has locations in North East and Elkton.

How do you get around?

  • I-95 has three interchanges in the county, and US 1, US 40, US 222 and US 301 also cross it. US 40 and I-95 both run just north of North East, and MD 272 links the town to both and south to Elk Neck State Park.
  • To Chester County, PA: US 1 runs north from Cecil County into Pennsylvania and on to Kennett Square and Longwood Gardens.
  • MARC train: Perryville station (650 Broad Street, 135 parking spaces) is a stop on MARC's Penn Line, with weekday service toward Baltimore's Penn Station and Washington's Union Station.
  • Local bus: Cecil Transit's Cross-County Connection links Elkton, North East, Perryville and the MARC train on weekdays, with a modified Saturday schedule. The Elkton-Newark Connection runs weekdays to the Newark, Delaware train station and transit hub.
  • Airports: Commerce lists Philadelphia International about 45 minutes north on I-95 and BWI about an hour south.

What is there to do?

  • Elk Neck State Park: 2,370 acres on a peninsula between the Chesapeake Bay and the Elk River. A trail leads to the historic Turkey Point Light Station. The North East Beach area has a swimming area, a canoe and kayak launch and picnic shelters, and there's a campground.
  • North East waterfront: the Upper Bay Museum, in North East Community Park at the end of Walnut Street, has one of the area's largest collections of hunting and fishing memorabilia. The county tourism office is in the same park.
  • Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area (Elkton): 5,656 acres with an approximately 80-mile trail system for hikers, runners, bikers and riders, plus a nature center and the Foxcatcher Farm Covered Bridge.

What taxes apply at closing in Cecil County?

Maryland stacks three charges on a sale in Cecil County: a 0.5% state transfer tax (0.25% for a qualifying first-time Maryland home buyer), a 0.5% county transfer tax and a recordation tax of $4.10 per $500 of the price. By default the buyer and seller share them equally unless the contract says otherwise. When the buyer is a qualifying first-time Maryland home buyer, the seller pays all three unless the parties agree otherwise in writing. For the full math and a side-by-side with Pennsylvania and Delaware, see Realty Transfer Tax in PA, DE and MD: Who Pays?

Who do Elkton, North East and Rising Sun suit?

Cecil County tends to suit buyers who want:

  • water and boating: the county has five rivers, the C&D Canal and the Upper Chesapeake Bay;
  • room and a rural setting outside the towns;
  • a commute in either direction on I-95, or a train toward Baltimore and Washington from Perryville;
  • a Maryland address close to Newark, Wilmington and southern Chester County.

Many country properties run on a private well and septic system, and Maryland law ties a well water test to the sale; see our septic and well inspection guide. For what homes cost right now, talk to a Foraker agent.

Talk to us about Cecil County

I'm Brian Foraker, owner of Foraker Realty Co. We're licensed in Maryland and work Cecil County from our Kennett Square and North Wilmington offices, so if you're comparing Elkton with Newark or Rising Sun with southern Chester County, one agent can follow the search across the line. Start on our buying page or selling page, browse listings at forakerrealty.com, or call (484) 406-3004.

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