Hampden Listed As One Of The Hottest Neighborhoods In U.S.

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Things are heating up in Maryland this winter, as one Baltimore neighborhood is ranked one of the hottest in the country.

Marcus Washington with what makes Hampden the place to be.

If you spend any time in Hampden, you know it's a community that marches to the beat of its own drum. That's why a lot of people keep coming back for more.

For everything alive there is a heartbeat, and that beat for Hampden is easily 36th Street--often called "The Avenue."

"It's the backbone of the whole neighborhood and it's why people want to live here because you don't have to leave," said Susannah Siger, Ma Petite Shoe.

The locally owned shops, restaurants and more offer an experience that keeps drawing so many people to Hampden.

"I just like it because everything is just unique," said Alice Jackson.

Recently the website Redfin named Hampden one of the hottest neighborhoods in the country.

"I think it's just a lot of young people who want to do something sort of different and individualistic. They want to start, not a chain restaurant, they want to start their own creative venture," said Peter Dunn.

One of the unique things about coming to one of the hottest neighborhoods is you get a lot of locally owned businesses and a lot of familiar faces, which makes people feel even more connected to Hampden.

"I think that people are looking for this community where they can support local businesses and live in the community and shop in the community and be a part of the community--and that's really what Hampden offers," said Laura Alima, The Charmery.

"You want to find some beautiful local flowers, you can go across the street. A beautiful bakery there, ice cream; anything you want is in Hampden," said David Alima, The Charmery.

Baltimore's Hampden neighborhood was ranked eighth out of the ten hottest neighborhoods listed.