1. Start with the site and the geography it serves
The 2020–2024 ACS five-year population estimate is 75,257, with a margin of error of 2,426. For hosting, the useful implication is narrower: define the website’s intended service area before deciding what must be tested. A firm serving Ellicott City may also describe Howard County, the Baltimore metropolitan area or Maryland, but those are not interchangeable audiences. Your hosting review should identify the actual pages, forms and service-area content that must remain available and accurate across that scope.
Recommended approach
Inventory the site by service area and page type. Mark pages that matter to Ellicott City, Howard County and any broader Maryland audience separately.
