City comparison
McLean, VA is about 30 miles (50 km) from Severn, MD in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 40 miles, or about 37 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 McLean, VA to Severn, MD takes about 4 min, covering roughly 30 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.
Severn has a population of 56,438, vs 49,587 in McLean — about 1.1× larger by population. By land area, McLean covers about 25 sq mi vs 18 sq mi for Severn.
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 | McLean | Severn | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $3,319/mo | $2,033/mo | 63.3% higher in McLean |
| Median home value | $1,257,900 | $439,400 | 186.3% higher in McLean |
| Median household income | $250,001 | $125,330 | 99.5% higher in McLean |
| Groceries index | 104.3 | 102.0 | 2.2% higher in McLean |
| Utilities index | 105.6 | 108.8 | 3.0% higher in Severn |
| Transportation index | 102.2 | 101.4 | 0.7% higher in McLean |
| Healthcare index | 101.6 | 100.9 | 0.7% higher in McLean |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in McLean, you'd need $86,789 in Severn to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Severn, MD is about 13.2% cheaper overall than McLean, VA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 32% higher in McLean than in Severn. If you earn $80,000 in McLean, you'd need about $69,431 in Severn to keep the same standard of living.