Gaithersburg vs Germantown
Gaithersburg, Maryland versus Germantown, Maryland: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Gaithersburg and Germantown score about the same overall (45 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Gaithersburg | Germantown |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $105k | $109k |
| Cost of Living | $72k | $72k |
| Home Value | $473k | $394k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.96% | 0.87% |
| Income Tax | 9.00% | 9.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.31% | 14.10% |
| Unemployment | 5.5% | 5.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 35°F | 35°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.7 in | 46.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.6 in | 32.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 181 days | 181 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 76 days | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 4.8 | 11.1 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 45 AQI |
| School Quality | 77.4 | 77.4 |
| Violent Crime | 721/100k | 606/100k |
| Property Crime | 1021/100k | 1477/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 69,016 | 90,210 |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 36.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.75 | 0.76 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | D+61 | D+61 |
| White (%) | 32.5% | 26.1% |
| Black (%) | 15.5% | 24.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 26.0% | 24.1% |
| Asian (%) | 20.9% | 20.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.1% | 5.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 30 min | 34 min |
| Walkability | 13.9/20 | 13.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 18 mi | 18 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.6% | 96.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 79.55 | 36.69 |
| 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 Gaithersburg or Germantown more affordable?
- Germantown has the lower cost of living: its index is $72k, compared with Gaithersburg's $72k and Germantown's $72k. Median rent is $2k in Gaithersburg versus $2k in Germantown.
- Is Gaithersburg or Germantown safer?
- Germantown has the lower violent crime rate. Gaithersburg reports 721/100k and Germantown reports 606/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Gaithersburg or Germantown?
- The median home value is $473k in Gaithersburg and $394k in Germantown, so homes are more affordable in Germantown.