Gaithersburg vs Olney
Gaithersburg, Maryland versus Olney, 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 Olney score about the same overall (45 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Gaithersburg | Olney |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $105k | $167k |
| Cost of Living | $72k | $72k |
| Home Value | $473k | $616k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.96% | 0.89% |
| Income Tax | 9.00% | 9.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.31% | 14.27% |
| Unemployment | 5.5% | 3.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 35°F | 35°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.7 in | 48.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.6 in | 15.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 181 days | 180 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 76 days | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 4.8 | 9.2 |
| 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 | 35,522 |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 42.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.75 | 0.59 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | D+61 | D+61 |
| White (%) | 32.5% | 57.4% |
| Black (%) | 15.5% | 13.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 26.0% | 10.4% |
| Asian (%) | 20.9% | 12.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.1% | 5.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 30 min | 33 min |
| Walkability | 13.9/20 | 13.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 18 mi | 21 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.6% | 96.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 79.55 | 38.57 |
| 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 Olney more affordable?
- Olney has the lower cost of living: its index is $72k, compared with Gaithersburg's $72k and Olney's $72k. Median rent is $2k in Gaithersburg versus $2k in Olney.
- Is Gaithersburg or Olney safer?
- Olney has the lower violent crime rate. Gaithersburg reports 721/100k and Olney reports 606/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Gaithersburg or Olney?
- The median home value is $473k in Gaithersburg and $616k in Olney, so homes are more affordable in Gaithersburg.