Should I Move To
Gaithersburg, Maryland comes in at about 69,016 residents. Cost of living comes out expensive — 21% above the national average. Rent typically lands near $1,925/mo, and the median household income is about $104,544. Overall, 62/100 on our composite score, which works out to a C+, putting it at #97 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Cost-of-living index of 121 (with 100 as the US baseline) — that's expensive territory. With median rent at $1,925/mo and median household income at $104,544, housing takes about 22% of gross income — right inside the standard 30%-of-income guideline. Homes typically value around $472,800.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Expect four-season weather — summers near 88°F, winters around 32°F. Rain (and snow, in some seasons) totals about 42 inches annually. Walkability varies a lot by neighborhood — denser pockets work fine on foot, the rest leans on driving. AQI runs about 40 — a "good" reading.
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
On the families profile, Gaithersburg sits squarely in the middle. The profile-weighted score is 62/100 — a C+. Its standout dimension is education (83/100); the soft spot is affordability (35/100).
On the retirees profile, Gaithersburg sits squarely in the middle. The profile-weighted score is 58/100 — a C. Its standout dimension is education (83/100); the soft spot is affordability (35/100).
Gaithersburg is a tougher sell for remote workers. The profile-weighted score is 54/100 — a C-. Its standout dimension is education (83/100); the soft spot is affordability (35/100).
On the young professionals profile, Gaithersburg sits squarely in the middle. The profile-weighted score is 62/100 — a C+. Its standout dimension is education (83/100); the soft spot is affordability (35/100).
Our overall score for Gaithersburg is 62/100 — a C+, sitting at #97 in the national ranking. It's a weighted average across the seven UrbRank dimensions.
By the composite index, Gaithersburg sits at 121 — expensive, 21% above the national average. Median renter pays around $1,925 a month.
Gaithersburg runs four-season on the weather. Summer's near 88°F, winter's near 32°F; 42 inches of precipitation annually.
Walk Score: 55/100. Walkability varies a lot by neighborhood — denser pockets work fine on foot, the rest leans on driving.
Roughly 69,016 people live here, with 53% college-educated (bachelor's or higher) among adults 25+ with a median age of 37.
Drop Gaithersburg into the comparison tool with any other US city and you'll get housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life data lined up side by side. Profile-specific leaderboards (families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals) are linked from the navigation.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Gaithersburg with other Maryland cities scored on UrbRank.
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