City Vital Signs

Fast Facts
  • People Who Wouldn't Live Anywhere Else: 21,518
  • Others: 0
  • Miles to the Maddening Crowd:
    • 130 miles to Baltimore
    • 130 miles to Washington, DC
    • 100 miles to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • We Love the Mountains: an average 945 feet above sea level, give or take several hundred feet, depending upon where you stand
  • Why We're Green and Gorgeous: average annual rainfall of 36.5 inches
  • Lots of Snow Bunnies Here: average annual snowfall of 34.1 inches
  • We're Cool in August:
    • Average summer temperature 72.6 degrees Fahrenheit
    • Average winter temperature 32.8 degrees Fahrenheit
Must Sees
  • George Washington’s Headquarters - he slept here, really
  • History House - Huge Victorian home furnished as it was when its original owners resided there 100 years ago
  • Walking tour of Washington Street - impressive walk along site of original Fort Cumberland, past the architectural wonder that is our courthouse (like gnomes and gargoyles? check it out), our Greco-Roman library, two beautiful churches and a tree lined street of enormous 19th century homes
  • The Western Maryland Station Center - Original train station now housing our scenic railroad and an art gallery
  • The C&O Canal - Hike or bike all the way to Washington, DC, if you like
  • The Cumberland Theatre - Live theater in a small town employing professional actors on their way up. Mandy Patinkin had to start somewhere
  • Antique and specialty shops - Check out our downtown! Victorian buildings along bricked streets filled with antique, gourmet and other specialty shops
  • Too many outdoor activities to list - with a number of state parks just minutes away we just can't mention them all, but think hiking, biking, river rafting, camping, skiing - you get the picture
  • Miss This and You'll Hate Yourself: Our steam train! The ride up the mountain to Frostburg, approximately 10 miles away aboard the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad is not to be missed. Real, live steam engine, antique rail cars take you up and back. It's a treat.
  • Best Kept Secret: In Cumberland, life is sweet (but don't tell anyone; we want to keep it to ourselves)