Cost of living in Potomac research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Potomac is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Maryland, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Potomac is 199, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Potomac is 2.0x higher than the national average.
Potomac ranks as the #191 cheapest in Maryland out of 194.
Potomac ranks as the #6,312 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Potomac is $1,347,287.
The median income in Potomac is $239,205.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Potomac has an overall cost of living index of 199, which is 2.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Maryland, Potomac has a cost of living index that's 1.6x higher than Maryland's index of 121.
The standard of living in Potomac ranks as #191 most affordable out of the 194 places we measured in Maryland. By definition, that implies Potomac ranks as the #3 most expensive place in the Old Line State.
For more reading on life in Potomac, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Potomac. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Potomac is 110.
The Groceries index in Potomac is 109.
The Health index in Potomac is 99.
The Housing index in Potomac is 408.
The Transportation index in Potomac is 97.
The Utilities index in Potomac is 111.
| Living Expense | Potomac | Maryland | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 199 | 121 | 100 | |
| Services | 110 | 105 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 109 | 107 | 100 | |
| Health | 99 | 96 | 100 | |
| Housing | 408 | 150 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 97 | 99 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 111 | 113 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Maryland, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Potomac is $1,347,287.
The Median Rent in Potomac is $2,616.
The Median Income in Potomac is $239,205.
The Home Value To Income in Potomac is 5.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Potomac is 0.13x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Potomac. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Bethesda, MD has a cost of living index of 202, 1.0x Potomac.
Rockville, MD has a cost of living index of 155, 0.8x Potomac.
McLean, VA has a cost of living index of 227, 1.1x Potomac.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Potomac |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bethesda, MD | 67,403 | 202 | 1.0x |
| Rockville, MD | 67,218 | 155 | 0.8x |
| McLean, VA | 50,232 | 227 | 1.1x |
| North Bethesda, MD | 49,498 | 158 | 0.8x |
| Olney, MD | 36,000 | 153 | 0.8x |
| Clarksburg, MD | 29,246 | 152 | 0.8x |
| North Potomac, MD | 23,994 | 172 | 0.9x |
| Great Falls, VA | 14,854 | 228 | 1.1x |
| Kemp Mill, MD | 14,437 | 145 | 0.7x |
| Colesville, MD | 14,075 | 140 | 0.7x |