Population 1,065,949 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Montgomery County
Household size in Montgomery County
| Period | Montgomery County | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.74 | 2.73 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.84 | 2.82 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.90 | 2.86 | 2.74 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.85 | 2.77 | 2.68 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.12 | +0.04 | +0.01 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Montgomery County holds 2.85 people, more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.74, even as the national average fell. No other Maryland county has larger households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Montgomery County
| Period | Montgomery County | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.3 | 37.0 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.9 | 37.6 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.8 | 38.5 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.4 | 39.2 | 40.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.1 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Montgomery County are younger than 41.4 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is older than in the wider Washington area, where the median age is 39.2. The median age has climbed from 39.3 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Montgomery County
| Period | Montgomery County | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 11.3% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 11.3% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.7% | 10.4% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.8% | 10.4% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Montgomery County than nationally: 9.8%, against 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of the Washington area.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Montgomery County
Renters in Montgomery County
| Period | Montgomery County | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.7% | 34.0% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 33.4% | 36.6% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.6% | 36.8% | 33.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.7% | 36.3% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Montgomery County is about as common as it is nationally: 34.7% of households rent, against 34.8%. About three in ten owners (30.2%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the southeast; owners are most common in the west. The renter share has risen 4.0 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Montgomery County
| Period | Montgomery County | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 8.7% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.5% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 6.6% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 5.9% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.0% of homes in Montgomery County are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy is down 1.2 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Montgomery County has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Maryland counties.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Montgomery County
| Period | Montgomery County | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1977 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1978 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1979 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1982 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +6 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Montgomery County was built around 1979, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1975 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the southeast.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Montgomery County
| Period | Montgomery County | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,557 | $1,470 | $1,249 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,665 | $1,583 | $1,363 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,009 | $1,907 | $1,576 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,358 | $2,236 | $1,869 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$801 | +$766 | +$620 | +$606 |
Rent in Montgomery County runs $2,358 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $801 a month from 2006–10, a 51% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 32.8% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. No other Maryland county has higher rents.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Montgomery County
Bachelor's degrees in Montgomery County
| Period | Montgomery County | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 56.1% | 46.6% | 36.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 57.1% | 48.2% | 37.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 58.8% | 51.0% | 40.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 60.1% | 53.9% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Montgomery County: 60.1% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 4.0 points, in line with the national trend. Only one other Maryland county has a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Montgomery County
| Period | Montgomery County | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.8% | 89.4% | 88.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.2% | 90.2% | 89.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.9% | 90.8% | 90.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.9% | 91.2% | 90.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | +1.7 pts | +2.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Montgomery County have finished high school (90.9%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The picture is much the same across the Washington area.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Montgomery County
| Period | Montgomery County | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 5.9% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 6.9% | 8.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 4.7% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 4.8% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Montgomery County is close to the national rate: 4.9% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Montgomery County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County | 2.85 | 41.4 | 9.8% | 34.7% | 5.0% | 1979 | $2,358 | 60.1% | 90.9% | 4.9% |
| District of Columbia | 2.09 | 36.2 | 12.2% | 58.5% | 10.4% | 1963 | $2,078 | 63.4% | 92.7% | 7.0% |
| Prince George's County | 2.84 | 39.7 | 14.8% | 37.7% | 5.8% | 1979 | $2,013 | 36.8% | 86.1% | 6.4% |
| Loudoun County | 3.05 | 38.7 | 7.9% | 22.1% | 3.8% | 2002 | $2,605 | 66.3% | 94.2% | 3.4% |
| Anne Arundel County | 2.67 | 40.4 | 10.2% | 24.9% | 5.8% | 1983 | $2,121 | 45.8% | 93.6% | 3.8% |
| Clarke County | 2.60 | 48.2 | 5.9% | 18.5% | 10.7% | 1981 | $1,307 | 40.1% | 92.9% | 2.5% |
| Queen Anne's County | 2.60 | 44.4 | 8.7% | 17.1% | 9.6% | 1990 | $1,695 | 37.2% | 93.3% | 3.9% |
| Winchester City | 2.39 | 38.5 | 13.7% | 56.4% | 10.3% | 1967 | $1,411 | 29.6% | 87.1% | 7.0% |
| Frederick County | 2.70 | 42.7 | 10.8% | 20.7% | 6.5% | 1996 | $1,700 | 32.6% | 90.1% | 4.0% |
| Warren County | 2.71 | 40.7 | 10.1% | 24.1% | 10.7% | 1985 | $1,260 | 25.1% | 88.9% | 4.7% |
| Kent County | 2.65 | 39.3 | 13.3% | 27.5% | 7.5% | 1992 | $1,378 | 27.4% | 91.1% | 5.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Hillsborough County, FL · Bronx County, NY · Mecklenburg County, NC · Broward County, FL · Marion County, IN · Middlesex County, MA · Bexar County, TX · Travis County, TX · Fairfax County, VA · Honolulu County, HI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Montgomery County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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