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Living in
Silver Spring.
Silver Spring is an unincorporated community in Montgomery County, MD. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Silver Spring
Silver Spring offers urban density with a genuinely international character—this isn't a homogeneous suburb, and that shapes daily life in real ways. The downtown has legitimate cultural draw with the AFI Silver Theatre, The Fillmore music venue, and a restaurant scene that reflects the community's diversity, from Ethiopian to Salvadoran to Vietnamese. The median home price sits around $643k and median rent at $1,900, which is expensive but reflects proximity to D.C. and a strong job market (3.7% unemployment).
Silver Spring at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
10.6%
Foreign-Born
33.9%
Broadband Internet
95.4%
of households
Population Growth
+0.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics33.9% foreign-born, most often from Ethiopia
Who lives in Silver Spring: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Silver Spring, the largest foreign-born group is from Ethiopia (18.5%), and 21.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.2%
of residents
65 and Older
12.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
36.0%
of households
Married Couples
35.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.39
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 12% above MD average
Rent, home values, and income in Silver Spring
In Silver Spring, rent runs 12% above the MD average, and home values are 53% above the MD average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,360
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
38.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1964
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $536,271 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for MD
Unemployment in Silver Spring and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Montgomery County, which includes Silver Spring, is close to the MD average.
Unemployment rate
Silver Spring: Montgomery County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Montgomery County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Silver Spring Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area
Commute34 min avg
How Silver Spring residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Silver Spring, most residents drive alone to work (45%), and 39% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 10 mi
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
Major hub12.0M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 49% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Montgomery County Police Department, which covers Silver Spring, runs 49% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
167.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,571.4
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Montgomery County Police Department (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 29 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
91.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Montgomery County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Montgomery County, which includes Silver Spring, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 29 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29 | Winter Weather | $1.4M |
| 2024 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $6.7M |
| 2023 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $12.9M |
| 2022 | 39 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.6M |
| 2021 | 48 | Thunderstorm Wind | $4.8M |
| 2020 | 53 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.9M |
| 2019 | 56 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.5M |
| 2018 | 48 | Flood | $100 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Montgomery County, county-wide
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Montgomery County, which includes Silver Spring, is typically good — 299 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
39
Good Days
299
per year
Moderate Days
61
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Montgomery County, county-wide
Climate85°F summers, 27°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Silver Spring has warm summers (avg high 85°F) and cold winters (avg low 27°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
64°/44°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
85°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
68°/48°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
45°/27°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
46.9"
Annual Snowfall
15.8"
Hot Days/Year
30
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
95
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
140
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 25°F | 2.87" |
| Feb | 46°F | 27°F | 2.40" |
| Mar | 53°F | 34°F | 3.72" |
| Apr | 65°F | 44°F | 3.28" |
| May | 74°F | 54°F | 4.27" |
| Jun | 83°F | 63°F | 4.23" |
| Jul | 87°F | 68°F | 4.51" |
| Aug | 86°F | 66°F | 3.88" |
| Sep | 79°F | 59°F | 4.42" |
| Oct | 68°F | 47°F | 4.04" |
| Nov | 57°F | 37°F | 2.92" |
| Dec | 47°F | 30°F | 3.48" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 2.5/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Silver Spring
Silver Spring has 2 hospitals, averaging 2.5 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
9.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.5 / 5
Adventist Healthcare White Oak Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Holy Cross Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Walter Reed National Military Med Cen
Acute Care - Department of Defense · ER available · 3.6 mi away · Bethesda
Suburban Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.4 mi away · Bethesda
Psychiatric Institute of Washington
Psychiatric · 4.5 mi away · Washington
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education12.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Silver Spring
Silver Spring's student/teacher ratio is 12.7:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 60.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
13
within city limits
Private Schools
12
within city limits
College Degree Rate
60.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Silver Spring (within 15 miles)
University of Maryland Global Campus
11.3 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 49,664 students · in-state tuition $8,280 · 32% graduate · median earnings $68,110 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Maryland-College Park
4.5 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 30,760 students · in-state tuition $12,290 · 86% graduate · median earnings $89,228 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 13,773 students · in-state tuition $5,394 · 23% graduate · median earnings $55,378 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 11,182 students · in-state tuition $70,170 · 86% graduate · median earnings $96,691 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 10,108 students · in-state tuition $38,936 · 69% graduate · median earnings $69,682 (10 yrs after entry)
Strayer University-Global Region
6.3 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 9,376 students · in-state tuition $13,920 · 14% graduate · median earnings $44,016 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Civil War Defenses of Washington, 2 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Silver Spring
Silver Spring has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Civil War Defenses of Washington (2 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Civil War Defenses of Washington
National Park Site
2 mi awayRock Creek Park
Park
3 mi awayAfrican American Civil War Memorial
National Park Site
5 mi awayCarter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
6 mi awayClara Barton National Historic Site
National Historic Site
6 mi awayGlen Echo Park
Park
6 mi awayMary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site
National Historic Site
6 mi awayBelmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument
National Monument
7 mi awayPublic Libraries in Silver Spring
Long Branch
8800 Garland Ave., Silver Spring
Silver Spring (New)
900 Wayne Ave, Silver Spring
Cities Near Silver Spring
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Silver Spring?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Silver Spring FAQ
Is Silver Spring, Maryland affordable?⌄
Silver Spring's median rent is $1,913/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $99,860/year. Median home value is $643,300.
Is Silver Spring, Maryland safe?⌄
Silver Spring is policed by the Montgomery County Police Department, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 167 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1571 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Silver Spring, Maryland?⌄
Montgomery County, which includes Silver Spring, has an unemployment rate of 3.7%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Silver Spring, Maryland?⌄
The cost of living in Silver Spring is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,913/month and median household income is $99,860/year. The median home value is $643,300. About 52% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Silver Spring, Maryland?⌄
The average commute in Silver Spring is 34 minutes, which is longer than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from