Are there ticks in Maryland?

Yes. Maryland has ticks in every county, led by the deer tick (blacklegged tick) that spreads Lyme disease, along with the American dog tick and the lone star tick. They are active whenever the ground is not frozen, and today 375 of the state's 384 towns are at moderate or high tick risk on TickZone's daily score.

What types of ticks live in Maryland?

Maryland has the deer tick (blacklegged tick), which carries Lyme disease; the American dog tick; and the lone star tick, which is established in the state and causes alpha-gal syndrome. See the Maryland tick identification chart for photos and how to tell them apart.

When does tick season start and end in Maryland?

In Maryland, ticks are active whenever the ground is not frozen, roughly March through November. Nymph deer ticks peak in June and July and cause most Lyme cases, and adult ticks have a second peak in the fall. On any winter day above freezing, adult ticks can still bite.

When is flea and tick season?

Flea and tick season generally runs from early spring through late fall, peaking in the warm summer months. In Maryland, start prevention for pets and people in March and keep it up through November, since ticks can bite on any mild day.

Which tick carries Lyme disease in Maryland?

The deer tick, also called the blacklegged tick, is the tick that spreads Lyme disease in Maryland. The American dog tick and lone star tick do not carry Lyme.

Ticks in Maryland

Ticks are active in Maryland whenever the ground is not frozen, led by the Lyme-carrying deer tick. TickZone scores all 384 Maryland towns every morning, so risk stays local: pick your town for today's number, a 7-day outlook, and what's driving it.

Tick season in Maryland

Tick season in Maryland runs whenever the ground is not frozen, roughly March through November, with two peaks. Nymph deer ticks, the poppy-seed-sized stage that causes most Lyme cases, peak from late May through July. Adult deer ticks make a second push in October and November, and on any winter day above about 40 F they can quest again. American dog ticks are busiest from April through July.

Generalized for the Northeast and Upper Midwest Lyme belt.
Life stage	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Deer tick nymphs
Deer tick adults
American dog tick
Lone star tick

Peak Active

Generalized for the Northeast and Upper Midwest Lyme belt. Activity windows by life stage from TickEncounter (Univ. of Rhode Island) and the Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases. Any warm spell can wake ticks earlier than the calendar suggests.

Those are averages, and any single week can run hotter or colder than the calendar suggests. The daily score on every town page folds the season, the weather, and local habitat into one number each morning, so it is the safer way to time yard work, hikes, and pet prevention.

Highest-risk towns in Maryland (2026)

Maryland's highest structural tick risk concentrates in Montgomery County, which holds 5 of the state's top 10 towns (21 CDC-reported Lyme cases per 100k). The top 10 towns run 57 to 93 percent forest, ranked at peak season so the list stays stable.

1Friendsville Garrett CountyHigh at peak
2Kitzmiller Garrett CountyHigh at peak
3Martin's Additions Montgomery CountyHigh at peak
4Chevy Chase Village Montgomery CountyHigh at peak
5Chevy Chase View Montgomery CountyHigh at peak
6Chevy Chase Montgomery CountyHigh at peak
7Charlestown Cecil CountyHigh at peak
8Highland Beach Anne Arundel CountyHigh at peak
9North Chevy Chase Montgomery CountyHigh at peak
10Deer Park Garrett CountyHigh at peak

See the riskiest towns in every state →

All Maryland towns, by county

Allegany County · 11 towns · 195/100k Lyme

Anne Arundel County · 29 towns · 24/100k Lyme

Baltimore County · 32 towns · 41/100k Lyme

Baltimore city · 1 towns · 14/100k Lyme

Baltimore

Calvert County · 11 towns · 40/100k Lyme

Caroline County · 9 towns · 31/100k Lyme

Carroll County · 9 towns · 119/100k Lyme

Cecil County · 8 towns · 78/100k Lyme

Charles County · 8 towns · 21/100k Lyme

Dorchester County · 10 towns · 24/100k Lyme

Frederick County · 23 towns · 68/100k Lyme

Garrett County · 8 towns · 301/100k Lyme

Harford County · 14 towns · 46/100k Lyme

Howard County · 9 towns · 56/100k Lyme

Kent County · 5 towns · 106/100k Lyme

Montgomery County · 59 towns · 21/100k Lyme

Prince George's County · 80 towns · 6/100k Lyme

Queen Anne's County · 12 towns · 59/100k Lyme

Somerset County · 2 towns · 30/100k Lyme

St. Mary's County · 8 towns · 43/100k Lyme

Talbot County · 4 towns · 42/100k Lyme

Washington County · 18 towns · 69/100k Lyme

Wicomico County · 8 towns · 28/100k Lyme

Worcester County · 6 towns · 48/100k Lyme

Maryland tick questions

Are there ticks in Maryland?: Yes. Maryland has ticks in every county, led by the deer tick (blacklegged tick) that spreads Lyme disease, along with the American dog tick and the lone star tick. They are active whenever the ground is not frozen, and today 375 of the state's 384 towns are at moderate or high tick risk on TickZone's daily score.
What types of ticks live in Maryland?: Maryland has the deer tick (blacklegged tick), which carries Lyme disease; the American dog tick; and the lone star tick, which is established in the state and causes alpha-gal syndrome. See the Maryland tick identification chart for photos and how to tell them apart.
When does tick season start and end in Maryland?: In Maryland, ticks are active whenever the ground is not frozen, roughly March through November. Nymph deer ticks peak in June and July and cause most Lyme cases, and adult ticks have a second peak in the fall. On any winter day above freezing, adult ticks can still bite.
When is flea and tick season?: Flea and tick season generally runs from early spring through late fall, peaking in the warm summer months. In Maryland, start prevention for pets and people in March and keep it up through November, since ticks can bite on any mild day.
Which tick carries Lyme disease in Maryland?: The deer tick, also called the blacklegged tick, is the tick that spreads Lyme disease in Maryland. The American dog tick and lone star tick do not carry Lyme.