Potomac vs Rockville
Potomac, Maryland versus Rockville, Maryland: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Potomac and Rockville score about the same overall (44 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Potomac | Rockville |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $219k | $122k |
| Cost of Living | $72k | $72k |
| Home Value | $1.0M | $624k |
| Monthly Rent | $3k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $4k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.94% | 1.04% |
| Income Tax | 9.00% | 9.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.46% | 16.27% |
| Unemployment | 4.2% | 3.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 35°F | 35°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.1 in | 41.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 5.8 in | 5.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 165 days | 165 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 76 days | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 31.8 | 12.5 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 45 AQI |
| School Quality | 77.4 | 77.4 |
| Violent Crime | 606/100k | 669/100k |
| Property Crime | 1477/100k | 1058/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 46,499 | 67,142 |
| Median Age | 47.4 | 38.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.55 | 0.68 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | D+61 | D+61 |
| White (%) | 58.8% | 45.0% |
| Black (%) | 5.5% | 9.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.8% | 17.5% |
| Asian (%) | 20.6% | 22.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.3% | 5.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 31 min | 32 min |
| Walkability | 10.7/20 | 13.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 14 mi | 17 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 98.0% | 94.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 50.97 | 95.32 |
| 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 Potomac or Rockville more affordable?
- Rockville has the lower cost of living: its index is $72k, compared with Potomac's $72k and Rockville's $72k. Median rent is $3k in Potomac versus $2k in Rockville.
- Is Potomac or Rockville safer?
- Potomac has the lower violent crime rate. Potomac reports 606/100k and Rockville reports 669/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Potomac or Rockville?
- The median home value is $1.0M in Potomac and $624k in Rockville, so homes are more affordable in Rockville.