Silver Spring vs Wheaton
Silver Spring, Maryland versus Wheaton, Maryland: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Silver Spring and Wheaton score about the same overall (43 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Silver Spring | Wheaton |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $95k | $101k |
| Cost of Living | $71k | $71k |
| Home Value | $606k | $455k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.84% | 0.84% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.10% | 11.56% |
| Unemployment | 4.7% | 6.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 36°F | 36°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.9 in | 46.3 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 | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 8.4 | 2.8 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 77.4 | 77.4 |
| Violent Crime | 3268/100k | 3268/100k |
| Property Crime | 3576/100k | 3576/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 81,808 | 52,775 |
| Median Age | 34.9 | 36.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.74 | 0.76 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 1.05 |
| Political Leaning | D+89 | D+89 |
| White (%) | 33.5% | 22.1% |
| Black (%) | 29.2% | 18.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 23.6% | 44.2% |
| Asian (%) | 8.4% | 11.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.3% | 3.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 34 min | 33 min |
| Walkability | 14.2/20 | 13.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 10 mi | 14 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.2% | 94.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 153.65 | 145.90 |
| 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 Silver Spring or Wheaton more affordable?
- Wheaton has the lower cost of living: its index is $71k, compared with Silver Spring's $71k and Wheaton's $71k. Median rent is $2k in Silver Spring versus $2k in Wheaton.
- Is Silver Spring or Wheaton safer?
- Wheaton has the lower violent crime rate. Silver Spring reports 3268/100k and Wheaton reports 3268/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Silver Spring or Wheaton?
- The median home value is $606k in Silver Spring and $455k in Wheaton, so homes are more affordable in Wheaton.