Gaithersburg receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Manassas Park
Gaithersburg
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 44%
vs56 · Bottom 49%
Growth
39 · Bottom 31%
vs43 · Bottom 36%
Climate
74 · Top 31%
vs74 · Top 31%
Physical resilience
68 · Top 40%
vs85 · Top 17%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 41%
vs75 · Bottom 41%
Access
95 · Top 34%
vs91 · Bottom 46%
Economic stability
78 · Top 10%
vs72 · Top 24%
Measured values
| Metric | Manassas Park | Gaithersburg | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,798 | 69,825 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $103,250 | $112,467 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,563 | $54,861 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,537/sq mi | 6,754/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $395,900 | $496,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,146 | $2,058 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.5% | 50.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.0% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.9% | 52.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.1% | 8.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 73 | 96 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.3 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.2" | 43.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 39.7 min | 32.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.5 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-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.
Your best match
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Manassas Park
69
Your Score
64
Area Score
Gaithersburg
71
Your Score
68
Area Score
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Full profiles: Manassas Park, VA · Gaithersburg, MD · How this is calculated: methodology