Signals
Takoma Park
Gaithersburg
Opportunity
59 · Top 45%
vs56 · Bottom 49%
Climate
72 · Top 42%
vs74 · Top 31%
Physical resilience
84 · Top 18%
vs85 · Top 17%
Housing affordability
67 · Bottom 29%
vs75 · Bottom 41%
Schools
61 · Top 37%
vs72 · Top 23%
Access
89 · Bottom 39%
vs91 · Bottom 46%
Economic stability
73 · Top 22%
vs72 · Top 24%
Measured values
| Metric | Takoma Park | Gaithersburg | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,632 | 69,825 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $108,136 | $112,467 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $61,527 | $54,861 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,436/sq mi | 6,754/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $749,200 | $496,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,432 | $2,058 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.2% | 50.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61.7% | 52.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.1% | 8.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 90°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.8" | 43.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 22 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 36.4 min | 32.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.3 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.43 | 12.98 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 17.1% | 20.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 21.0% | 30.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 58.2% | 45.9% | 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.
Your best match
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Takoma Park
72
Your Score
—
Area Score
Gaithersburg
71
Your Score
68
Area Score
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Full profiles: Takoma Park, MD · Gaithersburg, MD · How this is calculated: methodology