Catonsville is very "inner suburb" or "edge of the city" kind of vibe. I absolutely love it. Safe, mostly quiet, but still tons of stuff that's walkable, a cohesive community and neighborhood, but also very diverse. Not as many "young" people here but you'll find younger folk in Parkville and Towson, I think.

Most parts of Baltimore County that are right off the Beltway are pretty nice and even some are affordable. But I'd stay away from Dundalk.