Manhattan Beach
Manhattan Beach Real Estate & Neighborhood Guide
Manhattan Beach is a Severna Park peninsula between Cypress Creek and Dividing Creek, with three community beaches, a boat ramp and Severna Park schools. Our team has helped buyers and sellers here, and the guide below covers what buyers ask about most.
$1,213,763
8
Greater Severna Park · Magothy River · Severna Park, MD 21146
Manhattan Beach
Photo: The Jen Holden Group
year the civic association was incorporated
community beaches on Cypress and Dividing Creeks
yearly community assessment, on the fall tax bill
to the B&A Trail, by sidewalk
The neighborhood
Water on three sides.
Manhattan Beach sits on a peninsula off Ritchie Highway, with Cypress Creek to the west, Dividing Creek to the east and the Magothy River to the north. Homes have Severna Park 21146 addresses and are part of the Severna Park High School feeder area.
Every home is reached from Manhattan Beach Road, which leads to Dividing Road, Cypress Road, Oak Grove Circle and the side streets that run toward the water. Most homes are single-family houses on wooded lots, and some sit right on the creeks.
The Manhattan Beach Civic Association was incorporated on September 9, 1929. Its clubhouse on Dividing Road opened in 1958 and was renovated in 2015. In 1992 the community became a Special Community Benefit District, which is how the beaches, boat ramp and clubhouse are funded today.
Our team has represented both sellers and buyers on Dividing Road.
Schools
Jones Elementary, then Severna Park.
For the 2026–27 school year, Manhattan Beach is served by Jones Elementary on Hoyle Lane, Severna Park Middle and Severna Park High. Jones is about a mile and a half from the clubhouse, and the high school is a little over three and a half miles away.
Elementary
Jones Elementary
Official AACPS page
Middle
Severna Park Middle
Official AACPS page
High
Severna Park High
Official AACPS page
Community association
Not an HOA, but not optional either.
The Manhattan Beach Civic Association runs the community's beaches, boat ramp, clubhouse and wetlands. It is not a homeowners association. Instead, it administers a Special Community Benefit District set up under Anne Arundel County law.
That means every owner inside the boundary is a member, and the county adds the assessment to each property tax bill: $200 per tax account per year, on the fall bill. Each tax account gets one vote at membership meetings, where the budget is approved.
| Association | Covers | Membership | What to ask for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manhattan Beach Civic Association (MBCA) | Homes reached from Manhattan Beach Road, between Cypress Creek, Dividing Creek, the Magothy River and Ritchie Highway | Automatic for owners, through a $200 yearly assessment on the county tax bill | The current assessment, the latest budget, ramp key and paddlecraft rack rules, and any planned beach projects |
Water access
Three beaches and a boat ramp.
Dividing Beach, at 703 Dividing Road, is a sandy beach on Dividing Creek. Oak Grove Beach, at 724 Oak Grove Circle, faces Cypress Creek and has its own picnic area. Cypress Beach, at 701 Cypress Road, is the most natural of the three, with views out to the Magothy. All three have paddlecraft racks.
In 2026, members voted to spend up to $30,000 restoring Dividing and Oak Grove beaches. The work added 40 tons of sand at each one, along with new sod, seed and picnic tables.
The community boat ramp is opened with a gate key that members buy for $50. The lock changes every other year, so plan on a new key after each change, and read the ramp rules before your first launch.
Around the neighborhood
Kayaks, the clubhouse and the playground.
Paddlecraft rack spaces are assigned each spring by lottery, with applications taken April 1 through 15. The clubhouse on Dividing Road hosts membership meetings, Scout meetings and neighborhood parties, and it has a playground beside it. From the neighborhood, a sidewalk leads less than half a mile to the B&A Trail.
Paddlecraft racks
Clubhouse
Playground
Photos: The Jen Holden Group.
Homes and prices
What to look at beyond the floor plan.
Prices in Manhattan Beach depend heavily on the water. A house on the creek, a house with a water view and a house a few streets back can be very different purchases, even when the floor plans are similar. We compare recent sales with the same kind of water frontage before we talk about price.
Current listings and neighborhood figures appear on this page and update daily from Bright MLS.
On a tour, we look at:
Getting around
Close to Ritchie Highway, quiet once you turn in.
Jones Elementary
Severna Park High School
Downtown Annapolis
BWI Airport
Approximate driving distances from the clubhouse at 742 Dividing Road. Baltimore's Inner Harbor is about 22 miles, and Washington, DC is about 36.
Our work in Manhattan Beach
We've sold here, and bought here.
We represented the sellers and the buyers of 770 Dividing Road, listed 829 Dividing Road for its sellers and helped buyers purchase 755 Dividing Road. Working both sides on the same street shows us what buyers ask about on a tour and what sellers can prepare before the home goes on the market.
Principal · Realtor®
Jen Holden
Jen lives a few miles away in Shipley's Choice and knows the Severna Park High School feeder area street by street. She helps sellers decide how to prepare and price their homes, and helps buyers move quickly when the right house comes up.
Realtor® · Senior Agent
Megan Koppe
Megan has helped Severna Park buyers and sellers for more than a decade. She's known for a calm approach and the details that keep a move on track.
Questions buyers ask
Before you choose a home here.
Is there an HOA in Manhattan Beach?
No. The Manhattan Beach Civic Association administers a Special Community Benefit District instead. Every owner inside the boundary is a member, and the county adds a $200 yearly assessment per tax account to the fall property tax bill.
How many community beaches are there?
Three: Dividing Beach on Dividing Creek, and Oak Grove Beach and Cypress Beach on Cypress Creek. Each one has paddlecraft racks, assigned by lottery every spring.
Can I launch a boat from the neighborhood?
Yes. Members can buy a $50 gate key for the community boat ramp. The lock changes every other year, and the association asks boaters to avoid the ramp at very low tide.
Which schools serve Manhattan Beach?
For the 2026–27 school year, Jones Elementary, Severna Park Middle and Severna Park High. Verify a specific address in the AACPS locator for the year of your move.
What if the right home isn't listed yet?
Tell us your budget, timing and must-haves, including how close to the water you want to be. We can set up a focused search and talk through Compass Coming Soon or Private Exclusive homes when they fit.
Keep exploring
More of Greater Severna Park.
Your next move
Thinking about Manhattan Beach?
Whether you're watching for a house near the water or wondering what yours would sell for, we're glad to talk it through. No pressure, just an honest look at the street, the house and your timing.
Prefer to call? Call or text Jen at 443.803.7620. Office: 410.429.7425
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