College Park vs Silver Spring
College Park, Maryland versus Silver Spring, Maryland: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
College Park edges out Silver Spring on overall objective livability (49 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | College Park | Silver Spring |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $77k | $95k |
| Cost of Living | $71k | $71k |
| Home Value | $405k | $606k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.17% | 0.84% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.94% | 13.10% |
| Unemployment | 6.7% | 4.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 36°F | 36°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.0 in | 46.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 15.8 in | 15.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 165 days | 165 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 77 days | 77 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 56.7 | 8.4 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 44 AQI |
| School Quality | 83.8 | 77.4 |
| Violent Crime | 0/100k | 3268/100k |
| Property Crime | 0/100k | 3576/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 34,416 | 81,808 |
| Median Age | 21.6 | 34.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.71 | 0.74 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.04 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | D+89 | D+89 |
| White (%) | 42.0% | 33.5% |
| Black (%) | 22.5% | 29.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 16.5% | 23.6% |
| Asian (%) | 14.0% | 8.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.0% | 5.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 25 min | 34 min |
| Walkability | 12.7/20 | 14.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 10 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.8% | 94.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 190.90 | 153.65 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
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 College Park or Silver Spring more affordable?
- Silver Spring has the lower cost of living: its index is $71k, compared with College Park's $71k and Silver Spring's $71k. Median rent is $2k in College Park versus $2k in Silver Spring.
- Is College Park or Silver Spring safer?
- College Park has the lower violent crime rate. College Park reports 0/100k and Silver Spring reports 3268/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in College Park or Silver Spring?
- The median home value is $405k in College Park and $606k in Silver Spring, so homes are more affordable in College Park.