Aspen Hill vs Gaithersburg
Aspen Hill, Maryland versus Gaithersburg, Maryland: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Aspen Hill and Gaithersburg score about the same overall (44 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Aspen Hill | Gaithersburg |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $105k | $105k |
| Cost of Living | $72k | $72k |
| Home Value | $496k | $473k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.84% | 0.96% |
| Income Tax | 9.00% | 9.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.99% | 15.31% |
| Unemployment | 6.6% | 5.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 35°F | 35°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.4 in | 46.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 15.8 in | 32.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 165 days | 181 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 76 days | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 11.1 | 4.8 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 45 AQI |
| School Quality | 77.4 | 77.4 |
| Violent Crime | 606/100k | 721/100k |
| Property Crime | 1477/100k | 1021/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 54,262 | 69,016 |
| Median Age | 36.8 | 37.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.74 | 0.75 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | D+61 | D+61 |
| White (%) | 34.2% | 32.5% |
| Black (%) | 17.1% | 15.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 33.1% | 26.0% |
| Asian (%) | 9.3% | 20.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.4% | 5.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 34 min | 30 min |
| Walkability | 12.1/20 | 13.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 17 mi | 18 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.2% | 94.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 102.83 | 79.55 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Aspen Hill or Gaithersburg more affordable?
- Gaithersburg has the lower cost of living: its index is $72k, compared with Aspen Hill's $72k and Gaithersburg's $72k. Median rent is $2k in Aspen Hill versus $2k in Gaithersburg.
- Is Aspen Hill or Gaithersburg safer?
- Aspen Hill has the lower violent crime rate. Aspen Hill reports 606/100k and Gaithersburg reports 721/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Aspen Hill or Gaithersburg?
- The median home value is $496k in Aspen Hill and $473k in Gaithersburg, so homes are more affordable in Gaithersburg.