City comparison
Arlington, MA is about 400 miles (650 km) from Potomac, MD in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 500 miles, or about 8 h 15 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Arlington, MA to Potomac, MD takes about 47 min, covering roughly 400 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Potomac has a population of 46,499, vs 45,906 in Arlington — about the same size. By land area, Potomac covers about 25 sq mi vs 5.1 sq mi for Arlington.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Arlington | Potomac | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,902/mo | $2,584/mo | 35.9% higher in Potomac |
| Median home value | $839,200 | $1,044,900 | 24.5% higher in Potomac |
| Median household income | $136,312 | $218,710 | 60.4% higher in Potomac |
| Groceries index | 99.8 | 104.3 | 4.5% higher in Potomac |
| Utilities index | 144.3 | 105.6 | 36.6% higher in Arlington |
| Transportation index | 102.9 | 102.2 | 0.7% higher in Arlington |
| Healthcare index | 103.7 | 101.6 | 2.0% higher in Arlington |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Arlington, you'd need $100,000 in Potomac to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Arlington and Potomac have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. Housing costs are roughly 5% higher in Potomac than in Arlington. If you earn $80,000 in Arlington, you'd need about $80,000 in Potomac to keep the same standard of living.