New Maryland, a suburban village nestled in central New Brunswick, Canada, is a charming community that offers a unique blend of history and modern suburban life. Located directly south of Fredericton and south of Route 2 and Route 101, New Maryland is a thriving community with a population of 4,153 as of 2021. This makes it large enough to be classified as a "town".
New Maryland is recognized as one of the wealthiest communities in New Brunswick, boasting a median household income of over $110,000, the highest of any municipality in the province. The village has been known as "New Maryland" for over a century, originally a farming community and parish, it has grown into a bustling suburban area.
The village of New Maryland owes its name to a settler, Mr. Arnold, who journeyed to the area from the state of Maryland, USA in 1817. Initially referred to as "Maryland" or "Maryland Hill," the area began to be known as "New Maryland" in 1825.
New Maryland is also the site of the last fatal gun duel in New Brunswick, which took place between George Frederick Street and George Ludlow Wetmore on October 2, 1821. This historical event is commemorated on the sign for New Maryland on the adjacent Trans-Canada Highway, Route 2. The Wetmore–Street Pub, located within the village, is named after the two combatants in this duel.
Since the 1970s and 1980s, several large suburban subdivisions have been constructed in New Maryland, leading to its official incorporation as a village on June 1, 1991. Today, the village is home to a variety of businesses, including a pub, pharmacy, post office, hairdressers, a vehicle repair shop, and two gas stations, along with several more small businesses.
New Maryland is also home to the New Maryland Elementary School and multiple daycares, serving the village and its outlying areas. The majority of the residents commute to Fredericton, making New Maryland a vibrant bedroom community.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, New Maryland had a population of 4,153 living in 1,529 of its 1,550 total private dwellings. This represented a slight decrease of -0.5% from its 2016 population of 4,174. With a land area of 21.25 km2 (8.20 sq mi), New Maryland had a population density of 195.4/km2 (506.2/sq mi) in 2021.
