Should I Move To
Roughly 46,499 people live in Potomac, Maryland. Living here costs expensive relative to the rest of the country, 26% above the national average. Median rent runs about $2,584/mo; the typical household pulls in $218,710. On the UrbRank Score it pulls a 52/100 — a C-, putting it at #435 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.
By the composite index, Potomac sits at 126 — expensive when stacked against the rest of the country. Running the rent-to-income math ($2,584/mo against $218,710 median household income), housing eats roughly 14% of a typical paycheck — comfortably under the 30% rule of thumb, which is unusual. Buying-side, the median home value is $1,044,900.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →The weather here is four-season: roughly 88°F in summer, 32°F in winter. Annual precipitation lands near 42 inches. Almost entirely car-dependent. Sidewalks exist; they just don't connect to where you need to go. AQI runs about 40 — a "good" reading.
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
For families, Potomac isn't the strongest match. The profile-weighted score is 53/100 — a C-. Its standout dimension is education (100/100); the soft spot is affordability (13/100).
For retirees, Potomac isn't the strongest match. The profile-weighted score is 41/100 — a D. Its standout dimension is education (100/100); the soft spot is affordability (13/100).
For remote workers, Potomac isn't the strongest match. The profile-weighted score is 38/100 — a F. Its standout dimension is education (100/100); the soft spot is affordability (13/100).
For young professionals, Potomac isn't the strongest match. The profile-weighted score is 49/100 — a D. Its standout dimension is education (100/100); the soft spot is affordability (13/100).
Our overall score for Potomac is 52/100 — a C-, sitting at #435 in the national ranking. It's a weighted average across the seven UrbRank dimensions.
By the composite index, Potomac sits at 126 — expensive, 26% above the national average. Median renter pays around $2,584 a month.
Potomac runs four-season on the weather. Summer's near 88°F, winter's near 32°F; 42 inches of precipitation annually.
Walk Score: 13/100. Almost entirely car-dependent. Sidewalks exist; they just don't connect to where you need to go.
Roughly 46,499 people live here, with 85% college-educated (bachelor's or higher) among adults 25+ with a median age of 47.
Drop Potomac 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 Potomac with other Maryland cities scored on UrbRank.
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