The Town FilesPotomac, Maryland
Community in Montgomery County · population 47,018 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,157,000
- Household income
- $236,675
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 47.4
Potomac is a community of 47,018 people in Montgomery County, Maryland. The median home is worth $1,157,000, above the typical Maryland town ($412,300). It ranks more upscale than 96% of Maryland towns, better for retirees than 93% of Maryland towns, better for families than 83% of Maryland towns.
How Potomac 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 Potomac is worth $1,157,000, above the typical Maryland town ($412,300). Homes cost about 4.9 times the median household income of $236,675, which is more affordable than 16% of Maryland towns. Median rent is $2,887 a month. 84.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Potomac | Typical Maryland town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,157,000 | $412,300 |
| Median rent | $2,887 | $1,748 |
| Median household income | $236,675 | $108,677 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.9× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 84.8% | 77.3% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Potomac
| People | Potomac | Typical Maryland town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.4 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.2% | 16.4% |
| Under 18 | 23.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 84.9% | 39.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.9% | 7.1% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 28.8% | — |
| Work from home | 38.3% | 17.4% |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 31.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.8% | 94.3% |
Weather in Potomac
July highs average 87.1°F and January lows 26.9°F. About 41.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.8 inches of snow (typical Maryland town: 15.9 in). Expect about 23 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 86 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Potomac since 1950, compared with 18 for the typical Maryland town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 5, 1979 about 3.9 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 12 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 5, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 111 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 2, 2016.
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 Potomac itself the ACS puts it at 3.6%.
Public schools in Potomac
8 public schools with 6,495 students, about 16.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winston Churchill High | 9-12 | 2,203 | 17.9 |
| Cabin John Middle | 6-8 | 974 | 16.0 |
| Herbert Hoover Middle | 6-8 | 926 | 16.2 |
| Bells Mill Elementary | PK-5 | 591 | 16.9 |
| Beverly Farms Elementary | K-5 | 561 | 17.0 |
| Wayside Elementary | PK-5 | 470 | 13.4 |
| Potomac Elementary | K-5 | 435 | 17.4 |
| Cold Spring Elementary | K-5 | 335 | 15.2 |
Towns near Potomac
- North Bethesda, MD4.3 mi · 50,094 people · home $731,800
- Bethesda, MD4.4 mi · 68,056 people · home $1,169,900
- Travilah, MD4.4 mi · 11,985 people · home $1,325,100
- McLean, VA4.8 mi · 50,773 people · home $1,412,700
- Rockville, MD5.3 mi · 67,117 people · home $682,300
- Brookmont, MD5.4 mi · 3,751 people · home $1,361,100
- Great Falls, VA5.8 mi · 15,953 people · home $1,411,000
- North Potomac, MD6.2 mi · 23,790 people · home $826,200
Potomac questions
Is Potomac, Maryland a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Potomac scores better for retirees than 93% of Maryland towns and quieter than 52%. 24.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.4).
How much does a house cost in Potomac?
The median owner-occupied home in Potomac is valued at $1,157,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $236,675, so homes cost about 4.9 times income. Median rent is $2,887 a month.
What is the weather like in Potomac?
July highs average 87.1°F and January lows 26.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.3 inches of precipitation a year and 5.8 inches of snow.
Does Potomac get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Potomac since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on September 5, 1979. 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)