Signals
Damascus
Rockville
Opportunity
60 · Top 42%
vs58 · Top 45%
Climate
70 · Bottom 48%
vs72 · Top 42%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 17%
vs85 · Top 17%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 16%
vs68 · Bottom 32%
Schools
77 · Top 18%
vs85 · Top 8%
Access
86 · Bottom 32%
vs91 · Bottom 48%
Economic stability
84 · Top 3%
vs71 · Top 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Damascus | Rockville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,640 | 67,671 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $158,883 | $128,649 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $62,599 | $64,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,239/sq mi | 4,988/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $528,400 | $682,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,792 | $2,274 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 90.1% | 52.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.0% | 65.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.7% | 7.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 84°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.9" | 41.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 41.0 min | 33.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.5 | 39.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.99 | 14.48 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 23.1% | 28.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 34.3% | 43.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 37.4% | 33.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Damascus, MD · Rockville, MD · How this is calculated: methodology