Potomac, Maryland Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Potomac, MD Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A+
Health Top grade
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A+
Income Top grade
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A+
Education Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Potomac | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 43,455 | 6,204,886 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1634.7 | 500.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.05% | 0.51% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 48.8 | 38.0 | 37.3 |
| Households | 15,337 | 2,362,551 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Potomac declined by 0.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 43,455 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Potomac is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 24.2% of residents. That is 3.2 points above Maryland as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 7,451 17.1% -3.1 pts
- Millennials 29–44 6,380 14.7% -7.6 pts
- Gen X 45–60 10,536 24.2% +3.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 10,094 23.2% +6.7 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Maryland, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.7% of the people living in Potomac and men 48.3%.
- Women 51.7% Maryland 51.5%
- Men 48.3% Maryland 48.5%
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100% of everyone living in Potomac
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Economy
Potomac has a the economy index of A+, which means it is exceptionally prosperous.
| Metric | Potomac | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $206,987 | $103,916 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 1.62% | 3.98% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Potomac is about 99% higher than in Maryland.
Housing
| Metric | Potomac | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,543,562 | $267,101 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $2,677 | $1,704 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 85.6% | 67.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Potomac is about 48.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $2,677 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Potomac spend about 58 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 242 hours, about 10.1 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Potomac | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 29.0 | 28.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 58.0 | 56.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 242 | 236 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $7,487 | $7,301 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 37.8% | 19.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 34,318 | 16,437 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,190 | 2,353 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Potomac is 29 minutes, longer than the 28 minutes in Maryland.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Potomac has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Potomac | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 79.6% | 39.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.81 | 2.57 | 2.53 |
Health
Potomac has a health index of A+, which means it is exceptionally healthy.
| Metric | Potomac | Maryland Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 85.9 | 78.4 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 7.0% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 6.1% | 15.9% | 19.0% |
Potomac, MD Compared With Nearby Cities
How Potomac, MD compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potomac, MD | 43,455 | $206,987 #2/3 | $1,543,562 #1/3 | 29.0 min #3/3 |
| McLean, VA | 50,555 | $209,744 | $1,042,273 | 27.6 min |
| North Bethesda, MD | 50,620 | $129,461 | $536,379 | 27.5 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Potomac, Maryland.
How big is Potomac, Maryland by population?
About 43,455 people live in Potomac, Maryland, in 15,337 households of 2.8 people on average. The median age is 48.8, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 12 years.
Is Potomac, Maryland mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Potomac, Maryland has 1,635 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 19 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Potomac, Maryland?
The median home costs 7.5 times the median household income ($1,543,562 against $206,987), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $2,677 a month takes about 16% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Potomac, Maryland?
Unemployment in Potomac, Maryland is only 3.7%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in Potomac, Maryland have a college degree?
79.6% of adults in Potomac, Maryland hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 8 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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