RANK #931 / 1001 NAT · #18 / 18 MD · POP 1,065,949
1YR FORECAST: -1.3%
5YR OUTLOOK: +16%
Bethesda, a notable town in Montgomery County, Maryland, is recognized for its dining, shopping, and medical centers. The county itself is located directly north of Washington, D.C., and offers a mix of urban and suburban environments. Commuting to D.C. is possible via the Metro Red Line, Metrobus, and Ride On bus services, with many residents utilizing public transit. The county provides extensive green spaces, including over 400 parks and trails like those found at Rock Creek Regional Park and Sugarloaf Mountain, offering opportunities for hiking, biking, and water activities.
Life in Montgomery County appeals to families, professionals, and retirees due to its quality of life. The Montgomery County Public Schools district is Maryland's largest and is recognized for its educational offerings. The local economy is driven by sectors such as biotechnology, technology, and advanced communications, with significant investment flowing into these areas. The county also has a strong focus on workforce development and sustainable transportation initiatives.
Montgomery County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices -1.5% YoY, population +0.8%, wages +2.0%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Prices declining
Below-average climate & terrain
Prices detached from rents
Housing looks overvalued at 15.5x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
County-Wide Capital Improvements Program (CIP)
Montgomery County Government
|
$6,600M | Planned |
|
Dickerson Data Center
Undisclosed (Terra Energy owns the former plant site)
|
$1,000M | Proposed |
|
X-Energy Headquarters and Advanced Reactor Development
X-Energy
|
$223M | Under Construction |
|
Brookville Smart Energy Bus Depot Microgrid
AlphaStruxure (Schneider Electric & Carlyle JV)
|
$50M | Operating |
|
Watkins Mill Station (Residential/Mixed-Use)
Pulte Homes
|
$50M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
The data is not encouraging — Montgomery County scores just 6/100 on the Boom Town Index, ranking #931 of 1001 counties. Job growth at -1.3% and median household income of $132,450 reflect an economy that has been contracting or stagnating relative to the rest of the country.
Montgomery County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $640,300 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.21 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $2,068/month on average.
Montgomery County is attracting residents (population +0.8% YoY) even as the job market softens with employment at -1.3%. Housing values changed -1.5% over the past 12 months. People may be moving here for affordability or lifestyle reasons rather than job opportunities.
Not particularly — 1.46% of Montgomery County's population moved in from another state, which is below the national average. Most residents are long-term locals rather than recent transplants.