The Town FilesDamascus, Maryland
Community in Montgomery County · population 17,224 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $528,400
- Household income
- $158,883
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 41.5
Damascus is a community of 17,224 people in Montgomery County, Maryland. The median home is worth $528,400, above the typical Maryland town ($412,300). It ranks more of a college town than 90% of Maryland towns, more upscale than 79% of Maryland towns, better for families than 78% of Maryland towns.
How Damascus ranks
Percentile among Maryland towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maryland towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Damascus is worth $528,400, above the typical Maryland town ($412,300). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $158,883, which is more affordable than 77% of Maryland towns. Median rent is $1,792 a month. 90.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Damascus | Typical Maryland town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $528,400 | $412,300 |
| Median rent | $1,792 | $1,748 |
| Median household income | $158,883 | $108,677 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 90.1% | 77.3% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Damascus
| People | Damascus | Typical Maryland town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.2% | 16.4% |
| Under 18 | 23.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.0% | 39.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.7% | 7.1% |
| Veterans | 8.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 19.5% | — |
| Work from home | 26.5% | 17.4% |
| Average commute | 37.6 min | 31.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.4% | 94.3% |
Weather in Damascus
July highs average 84.3°F and January lows 24.5°F. About 47.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.4 inches of snow (typical Maryland town: 15.9 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 98 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Damascus since 1950, compared with 18 for the typical Maryland town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on November 2, 2018 about 5.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 5, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 58 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on June 2, 1998.
Severe weather in Montgomery County since 1996
Montgomery County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3634: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4491: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3430: Covid-19 |
| March 4, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4261: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| November 20, 2012 | Hurricane | DR-4091: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Montgomery County
Montgomery County had 462,298 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $94,473 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Damascus itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Public schools in Damascus
5 public schools with 3,652 students, about 14.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damascus High | 9-12 | 1,398 | 16.6 |
| John T. Baker Middle School | 6-8 | 842 | 14.8 |
| Clearspring Elementary | PK-5 | 539 | 12.8 |
| Lois P. Rockwell Elementary | PK-5 | 527 | 14.6 |
| Damascus Elementary | K-5 | 346 | 11.2 |
Towns near Damascus
- Clarksburg, MD5.0 mi · 29,051 people · home $679,400
- Green Valley, MD5.4 mi · 12,643 people · home $594,300
- Montgomery Village, MD5.7 mi · 34,893 people · home $388,900
- Flower Hill, MD7.1 mi · 14,108 people · home $463,500
- Monrovia, MD7.4 mi · 2,702 people · home $805,100
- Mount Airy, MD7.5 mi · 9,654 people · home $487,400
- Germantown, MD7.6 mi · 91,249 people · home $422,400
- Gaithersburg, MD8.5 mi · 69,657 people · home $496,500
Damascus questions
Is Damascus, Maryland a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Damascus scores better for retirees than 51% of Maryland towns and quieter than 53%. 15.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.5).
How much does a house cost in Damascus?
The median owner-occupied home in Damascus is valued at $528,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $158,883, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,792 a month.
What is the weather like in Damascus?
July highs average 84.3°F and January lows 24.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.9 inches of precipitation a year and 31.4 inches of snow.
Does Damascus get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Damascus since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on November 2, 2018. The typical Maryland town has had 18.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)