Gaithersburg, MD
Census place 2431175 · pop 69,825
Home to the headquarters of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
50.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
29 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$496,500 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,212/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
12.2% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
94/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
254 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.44 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
1319 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.97% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+3.1% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
8.8% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
40 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
21.5% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$112,467 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
52.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
26.9% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
96.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
8.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
2.6% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
13.3% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
Frequently asked
- Is Gaithersburg, MD a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Gaithersburg scores 56/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is poor mental health and its weakest is homeownership. Maryland overall ranks #44 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Gaithersburg, MD?
- Gaithersburg reports 254 violent crimes per 100k and 1319 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Gaithersburg, MD expensive to live in?
- Gaithersburg has a median home value of $496,500 and typical rent around $2,212/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Gaithersburg, MD?
- Its weakest measured area is homeownership (50.8%) — 17/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Gaithersburg, MD best at?
- Its strongest measured area is poor mental health (13.3%) — 92/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home to the headquarters of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.