Population 2,215 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Sandy Spring
Household size in Sandy Spring
| Period | Sandy Spring | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.77 | 2.73 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.77 | 2.82 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.92 | 2.86 | 2.74 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.78 | 2.77 | 2.68 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | +0.04 | +0.01 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Sandy Spring holds 2.78 people, slightly more than the U.S. average of 2.65. That is in line with the rest of the Washington area.
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 Sandy Spring
| Period | Sandy Spring | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.7 | 37.0 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.9 | 37.6 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.3 | 38.5 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.5 | 39.2 | 40.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.2 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Sandy Spring skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.5, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has dropped from 45.7 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Sandy Spring
| Period | Sandy Spring | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 11.3% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 11.3% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.6% | 10.4% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.3% | 10.4% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +8.0 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Sandy Spring: 15.3% of all households, against 11.6% nationally.
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 Sandy Spring
Renters in Sandy Spring
| Period | Sandy Spring | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.4% | 34.0% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.1% | 36.6% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.3% | 36.8% | 33.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 36.3% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −14.7 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Sandy Spring is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 6.7% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 24.7% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%.
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 Sandy Spring
| Period | Sandy Spring | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.9% | 8.7% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.6% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.5% | 6.6% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 5.9% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Sandy Spring than nationally: 5.7%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The picture is much the same across the Washington area.
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 Sandy Spring
| Period | Sandy Spring | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1983 | 1977 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1987 | 1978 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1979 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1982 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +6 | +4 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Sandy Spring is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1991, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole.
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 Sandy Spring
| Period | Sandy Spring | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,233 | $1,470 | $1,249 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,845 | $1,583 | $1,363 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,313 | $1,907 | $1,576 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,399 | $2,236 | $1,869 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$166 | +$766 | +$620 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Sandy Spring costs $1,399 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 29.8% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Sandy Spring
Bachelor's degrees in Sandy Spring
| Period | Sandy Spring | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 62.0% | 46.6% | 36.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 61.8% | 48.2% | 37.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 56.5% | 51.0% | 40.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 67.4% | 53.9% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Sandy Spring: 67.4% 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.
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 Sandy Spring
| Period | Sandy Spring | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.5% | 89.4% | 88.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.4% | 90.2% | 89.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.7% | 90.8% | 90.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.1% | 91.2% | 90.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | −6.5 pts | +1.7 pts | +2.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Sandy Spring is close to the national rate: 90.1% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%.
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 Sandy Spring
| Period | Sandy Spring | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 5.9% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 6.9% | 8.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.5% | 4.7% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.3% | 4.8% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Sandy Spring has been low: just 2.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Sandy Spring compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandy Spring | 2.78 | 44.5 | 15.3% | 6.7% | 5.7% | 1991 | $1,399 | 67.4% | 90.1% | 2.3% |
| Ashton | 2.88 | 47.1 | 7.9% | 7.7% | 9.0% | 1979 | $1,387 | 65.8% | 90.0% | 0.8% |
| Brinklow | 2.96 | 53.8 | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1.2% | 1981 | $2,227 | 61.5% | 97.3% | 5.3% |
| Olney | 2.99 | 41.9 | 7.3% | 11.7% | 2.8% | 1989 | $2,111 | 64.0% | 96.1% | 4.4% |
| Brookeville | 3.04 | 45.8 | 5.3% | 6.6% | 2.1% | 1985 | $2,137 | 63.5% | 98.0% | 3.2% |
| Spencerville | 2.95 | 47.6 | 23.3% | 4.4% | 7.5% | 1967 | $2,068 | 65.5% | 95.2% | 0.0% |
| Cloverly | 3.24 | 45.3 | 7.9% | 13.5% | 5.8% | 1983 | $2,243 | 58.7% | 96.2% | 6.0% |
| Highland | 3.18 | 42.3 | 2.0% | 3.5% | 1.8% | 1986 | $3,151 | 76.1% | 97.2% | 1.8% |
| Aspen Hill | 3.15 | 39.9 | 13.0% | 34.0% | 5.5% | 1971 | $2,484 | 42.8% | 83.8% | 7.1% |
| Colesville | 3.08 | 47.6 | 18.0% | 19.8% | 6.5% | 1971 | $2,172 | 56.0% | 90.1% | 2.7% |
| Glenmont | 3.12 | 38.8 | 16.0% | 37.4% | 3.5% | 1982 | $2,100 | 44.8% | 85.5% | 5.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Yachats, OR · Reinbeck, IA · Rotonda West, FL · South Wales, NY · Ty Ty, GA · Waitsfield, VT · Westville, FL · Conyngham, PA · Conway, PA · Conehatta, MS
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 Sandy Spring. 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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