If you're moving to St. Mary's County for a civilian or contractor job connected to NAS Patuxent River, you're joining the county's largest employer: the base employs 9,800 civilians, 5,700 contractors and 2,400 active duty military personnel, according to NAVAIR. You won't get a housing office or BAH, but you get to choose exactly where and how you want to live, and your commute should drive that choice.
This guide covers what's at Pax River, which areas sit closest to the gates, how gate hours affect your day, where contractor offices are, renting first vs. buying, financing without military benefits, and a 90-day plan for your first months here.
What Is at NAS Patuxent River?
The base is home to NAVAIR headquarters, its affiliated Program Executive Offices and the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, according to NAVAIR. It has five runways, the longest 11,800 feet, plus Webster Field in St. Inigoes.
Maryland's Department of Commerce puts the wider Pax River workforce at about 25,000 military, civilian and contract personnel, and lists the base's own count at 10,000 in its St. Mary's County brief. Different sources count contractors differently, which is why the numbers don't match exactly.
Large Private Employers in St. Mary's County
Employees, selected defense contractors
Many of those jobs are off base in offices along the Route 235 corridor, not inside the gates. Map your actual workplace before you pick an area.
Which Areas Are Closest to the Base?
- Lexington Park and California: the shortest drives to the gates along Route 235, plus most of the county's shopping and dining.
- Great Mills: established neighborhoods close to Gate 2 on Great Mills Road.
- Leonardtown and Hollywood: more drive time, a small-town downtown in Leonardtown, more land and water nearby.
- Mechanicsville and Charlotte Hall: larger lots and a rural setting at the north end of the county, and a more central spot if someone in the house also commutes toward Waldorf or DC.
Within each area, the neighborhood matters as much as the town name. A Hollywood address can be minutes from Route 235 or well out toward the water, and the drive changes a lot between the two. That's why I send drive times from the actual address, not from the town center.
Some people also look across the Thomas Johnson Bridge in Calvert County, around Solomons and Lusby. Drive that commute at rush hour before you commit, since the bridge is the only crossing at that end of the Patuxent.
About 20% of employed St. Mary's residents, 11,817 people, commute to jobs outside the county, according to the Department of Commerce. If your household has two jobs in two directions, picking a location gets more complicated, and the northern end of the county starts to make sense.
How Do Gate Hours Affect My Commute?
Base access depends on your credentials, so confirm the details with your employer. Once you're cleared, gate hours matter. Gate 1 at Pegg Road and Route 235 is the only gate open 24/7, Gate 2 at Great Mills Road is open weekdays from 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Gate 3 at Hermanville Road is open only from 6 to 9 a.m., according to the Navy's base access page.
Pax River Gates at a Glance
Check current hours before you rely on them
Gate 1
- Pegg Road and Route 235
- Open 24/7
Gate 2
- Great Mills Road
- Weekdays, 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Gate 3
- Hermanville Road
- 6 to 9 a.m. only
If you work a late shift, Gate 1 may be your only way in or out, which can change which neighborhood makes sense. I break down the gates in my PCS buyer checklist.
Is There Public Transit to the Base Area?
The county runs the St. Mary's Transit System (STS). The county started a one-year fare-free pilot on July 1, 2025 for public routes and paratransit, according to a county news release. Check STS for current routes and whether fares are still waived. Check the routes against your work schedule before you count on transit for a daily commute.
What If I Work Odd Hours or Travel for Work?
Test events, flight schedules and travel can pull you in early, keep you late or send you away for a week. If that's your job, look at the home through that lens. A shorter drive to Gate 1, the only gate open around the clock, can matter more than square footage.
Travel also changes what you want in the house itself. A home on public water and sewer, or with recent septic records, means fewer surprises while you're gone. A garage or covered parking helps if your car sits for a week at a time. None of this is a rule. It's a list worth thinking about before you tour.
What Should I Know About Jet Noise Near the Base?
The Navy's 2026 AICUZ study maps aircraft noise contours and Accident Potential Zones around Pax River and Webster Field, and you can open the maps yourself on the Navy's AICUZ page. The study doesn't change zoning on existing homes, but it can matter for additions and new building. Look up any address on your short list, then visit at different times of day and listen. My AICUZ guide explains how to read the maps.
Should I Rent First or Buy Right Away?
If you know the area and your job is stable, buying right away saves you a second move. If you're brand new to Southern Maryland, renting for a few months to learn the commute is a reasonable call. I'm happy to help either way.
- Pick a lease length that gives you time to learn the area without paying rent much longer than you need.
- Ask whether a rental is on well and septic, and who maintains them.
- Use weekends to tour neighborhoods and narrow your list.
- Get preapproved before your lease ends, so you're ready when the right home comes up.
How Do I Finance a Home Without Military Benefits?
Conventional and FHA loans are common options for civilian buyers, and first-time buyers may qualify for Maryland homebuyer programs. If you served in the past, check your VA eligibility too, since it doesn't go away when you take a civilian job. My St. Mary's home buyer's guide and affordability guide walk through the money side.
If you're changing jobs, tell your lender early. Lenders look at how long you've been employed and in what kind of role, and a new offer letter, a contract position or a move from salary to hourly can each change what they need from you. Getting preapproved before your start date, with the offer letter in hand, saves time later.
What Local Details Catch New Buyers Off Guard?
Check These on Every Address
St. Mary's County specifics
- Private well and septic, and the inspections that go with them
- Critical Area rules on waterfront lots
- School assignment, which follows the street address
- Where the home sits on the 2026 AICUZ noise maps
- Your drive to the gate or office at rush hour
Each has its own guide: well and septic, waterfront, school zones and the Pax River noise maps.
What Should I Do in My First 90 Days?
Your First 90 Days
A plan for a new Pax River job
- Weeks 1 to 2
Drive your real commute at rush hour from each area on your short list - Weeks 2 to 4
Get preapproved, or sign a short, flexible lease - Month 2
Check school assignments, AICUZ maps and well and septic records on any finalists - Month 3
Tour on weekends, narrow to two or three areas, and write an offer when the right home comes up
Find your people while you're at it. Leonardtown's First Fridays, local parks and county events are an easy way in.
What If I Might Move Again in a Few Years?
Contract work and civil service careers can move you again, sometimes sooner than you planned. If that's possible, think about resale from the start. Homes close to the gates and the Route 235 corridor, in good condition, with clean well and septic records, are easier to sell or rent later than a project house far from the base.
You don't need to plan your exit before you've moved in. It's just one more lens to look through when two homes seem equal. If renting it out later is a possibility, my property manager guide covers what Maryland requires of landlords.
What Does a Relocation Search Look Like?
Example scenario: This is made up to show the steps, not a real buyer. An engineer takes a civilian job at the base with a start date eight weeks out. Their spouse works remotely but goes into an office in Waldorf twice a week.
They start with a three-month lease in California, MD, close to the engineer's office on Route 235. On weekends they drive from Hollywood, Leonardtown and Mechanicsville to both jobs at rush hour. Hollywood ends up splitting the difference. They get preapproved in the first month, check school assignments and the AICUZ maps on three finalists, and write an offer in month three.
The lease gave them time to learn the roads. The drive tests made the choice, not the listing photos.
What Mistakes Do Relocating Buyers Make?
- Picking an area from a map. Drive it at the hour you'll actually commute.
- Assuming you'll work inside the gate. Many contractor offices are on Route 235.
- Skipping the well and septic questions. They're common here and affect inspections and budgets.
- Forgetting the second commute. Two jobs in two directions change the best location.
Who Answers Each Relocation Question?
- Your employer or security office: base access and credentials.
- Your lender: preapproval, loan type and Maryland homebuyer programs.
- SMCPS: school assignment for an address.
- The county and the Navy: AICUZ maps, permits and well and septic records.
- Me: short-listing areas around your commute, touring and writing the offer.
How Do I Compare Areas Before I Commit?
Every area trades something: commute for space, price for walkability, water for budget. My guide to the best areas to live in St. Mary's County compares them side by side, and my St. Mary's County guide covers costs, taxes and the local checklist.
Starting a new job here? Let's set up a call, and I'll put together a short list of areas that match your commute and budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lexington Park and California have the shortest drives along Route 235, and Great Mills sits near Gate 2. Leonardtown and Hollywood are farther out with more space.
Yes. Base access depends on your credentials, so check with your employer. Once you're cleared, Gate 1 is the only gate open 24/7. Here's how the three gates compare.
Of course. Conventional and FHA loans are common here, and my St. Mary's buyer's guide walks through the money side.
NAVAIR says the base employs 9,800 civilians, 5,700 contractors and 2,400 active duty military personnel, making it St. Mary's County's largest employer. See which areas are near the base.
NAVAIR headquarters, its affiliated Program Executive Offices and the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, according to NAVAIR. Webster Field in St. Inigoes is part of the operation too. See the 2026 AICUZ noise maps before you buy near either.
About 20%, or 11,817 employed residents, work outside St. Mary's County, according to the Maryland Department of Commerce. If your household commutes in two directions, compare the north end of the county in my Mechanicsville guide.
Sources: U.S. Navy: NAS Patuxent River AICUZ · NAVAIR: Patuxent River · Maryland Department of Commerce: St. Mary's County brief economic facts · U.S. Navy: NAS Patuxent River base access · St. Mary's County: STS fare-free pilot release (June 2025) · St. Mary's Transit System. Checked October 2026; rules and rates can change, so confirm anything that affects your decision.
This article is general real estate information, not legal, lending, tax, or insurance advice. Talk with the right licensed professional about your specific property.
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