Signals
Waldorf
Gaithersburg
Climate
72 · Top 42%
vs74 · Top 31%
Physical resilience
91 · Top 10%
vs85 · Top 17%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 36%
vs75 · Bottom 41%
Schools
23 · Bottom 14%
vs72 · Top 23%
Access
79 · Bottom 21%
vs91 · Bottom 46%
Economic stability
77 · Top 13%
vs72 · Top 24%
Measured values
| Metric | Waldorf | Gaithersburg | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 82,943 | 69,825 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $116,089 | $112,467 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,929 | $54,861 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,289/sq mi | 6,754/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $407,600 | $496,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,995 | $2,058 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.9% | 50.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.7% | 52.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.7% | 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 | 37 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 44.6 min | 32.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.1 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.01 | 12.98 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 5.7% | 20.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 13.2% | 30.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 56.9% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Waldorf
Elevated or high exposure: drought.
Gaithersburg
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
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Waldorf
72
Your Score
—
Area Score
Gaithersburg
71
Your Score
68
Area Score
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Full profiles: Waldorf, MD · Gaithersburg, MD · How this is calculated: methodology