Montgomery County, Maryland

Living in Germantown, MD

Among Montgomery County's 16 largest communities, Germantown has the second-most affordable home values ($422K), the second-most townhouses (41% townhouses) and the second-newest housing (typical home built 1990). With about 91,200 residents, it's Montgomery County's largest community. Below: prices, housing and getting around, and how Fred works here.

Get the Germantown market report Plan a tour

Median home value: $422K; Census, 2020–2024
Median rent: $2,040; per month
Own their home: 67%; of households
Avg. commute: 31 min; one way

Local work

Fred in Germantown.

“Not only did Fred save me tens of thousands in closing costs, he made sure I was kept informed and helped tremendously in navigating the home-buying experience.”

Jose Ramirez · Buyer, Germantown

At a glance

Homes, prices & getting around.

The median home in Germantown is valued at $422K, below the Montgomery County median of $640K — the 2nd lowest of the 16 Montgomery County communities compared on this site. Median rent is $2,040 a month (county: $2,068).

Housing here is a townhouse market — 41% of homes are attached rowhouses or townhouses, with 26% detached. Most homes are owner-occupied (67%, in line with Montgomery County). The typical home was built in 1990, newer than the Montgomery County median of 1980.

Germantown has no Metro station of its own; the closest is Shady Grove (Red Line), about 6.5 miles away. MARC commuter trains stop at Germantown, under half a mile away. Of workers here, 5% take public transit (close to the Montgomery County rate of 7%) and 22% work from home.

Homes by type of building

Detached houses 26%
Townhouses 41%
2–9 unit buildings 12%
10+ unit buildings 21%

Residents: 91,249; 2020 Census
Homes: 33,305; 2020 Census
Typical home built: 1990; median year
Avg. commute: 31 min; one way
Transit commuters: 5%; of workers
Work from home: 22%; of workers
Price-to-rent: 17; Montgomery County: 26

Straight-line distance to major job centers

Bethesda / NIH: 15 mi
Tysons: 18 mi
Dulles Airport: 18 mi
Downtown D.C.: 23 mi
Fort Meade: 28 mi
Downtown Baltimore: 36 mi

As the crow flies from the community's Census center point; drive times vary with traffic — Fred can map your real commute.

Questions

Living in Germantown: common questions.

Is Germantown a city? What county is it in?

No — Germantown is an unincorporated community (a Census-designated place) in Montgomery County, Maryland. It has no city government of its own; Montgomery County provides local services, and the mailing-address “Germantown” area can be larger than the Census boundary.

What is the median home value in Germantown?

$422K, based on owners' own estimates in the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey, compared with $640K across Montgomery County. These figures trail today's prices — request a valuation or a current Germantown market report for recent sales.

Do more people rent or own in Germantown?

67% of households own their home and 33% rent (ACS 2020–2024), compared with 65% owners across Montgomery County. Fred can run the rent-versus-buy numbers for a specific Germantown home.

How far is Germantown from downtown D.C.?

Germantown is about 23 miles from downtown D.C. and about 36 miles from downtown Baltimore in a straight line. The average one-way commute from here is 31 minutes.

Which schools serve Germantown?

Public schools are assigned by home address. Germantown is served by Montgomery County Public Schools; check the district's boundary tools for any specific address, and see school-level results on the Maryland Report Card.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Germantown?

A rough guide is the price-to-rent ratio — the median home value divided by a year of median rent. Here it's about 17 (Montgomery County: 26); the higher it is, the more renting tends to win on monthly cost. It's only a starting point — taxes, rates and how long you'll stay matter more. Fred runs the real numbers for specific homes.

Are there first-time buyer programs for Germantown?

Yes: Maryland Mortgage Program — the state's down-payment assistance and first-time buyer loans; Montgomery County housing programs (DHCA) — including the county's Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit (MPDU) program. Eligibility and limits change, so confirm with a participating lender — Fred can introduce one.

Can Fred help me buy or sell in Germantown?

Yes. Fred Mohseni is a Realtor® licensed in Maryland, Virginia and D.C. with The ONE Street Company at Samson Properties. Call (202) 704-5931 or send a note.

How Fred helps

Your Germantown real estate agent.

Whether you're buying, selling, investing or relocating in Germantown, you work directly with Fred — a Realtor® licensed in Maryland, Virginia and D.C., with an accountant's eye for the numbers.

Buying

Tours, offers and negotiation in Germantown, with a patient, jargon-free guide from pre-approval to closing day.

Selling

Pricing from recent Germantown sales, then preparation and marketing for the strongest possible offer.

Investing

Rent-versus-own math, cash-flow analysis and neighborhood selection from an accounting and finance background.

Relocating

New to the area? Fred compares Germantown with nearby towns and runs remote tours before you arrive.

Nearby

Germantown and its neighbors.

The closest places on this site, across county and state lines. Montgomery Village is about 3.3 miles away, Clarksburg is about 3.4 miles away, Gaithersburg is about 4.1 miles away.

Community	Population	Median home value	Median rent	Own their home	Typical home	Avg. commute
Germantown	91,249	$422K	$2,040	67%	Townhouses	31 min
Montgomery Village	34,893	$389K	$1,916	68%	Townhouses	33 min
Clarksburg	29,051	$679K	$2,495	90%	Mostly houses	34 min
Gaithersburg	69,657	$496K	$2,058	51%	Mixed	29 min
North Potomac	23,790	$826K	$2,413	83%	Single-family	32 min
Redland	18,592	$540K	$2,221	74%	Mostly houses	35 min
Rockville	67,117	$682K	$2,274	53%	Mostly houses	31 min

ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates. * = wide margin of error. “Typical home” is the most common kind of building. On smaller screens some columns are hidden; open on a laptop for population, home type and commute.

Next step

Thinking about Germantown?

Ask Fred for a current Germantown market report — recent sales, what's listed and what it means for your budget. Or call (202) 704-5931.

Request the Germantown market report Compare Montgomery County

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; D.C. Office of Planning neighborhood clusters and regional rail stations (D.C. GIS). Home values are owners' own estimates averaged over 2020–2024, so they trail today's prices. This product uses Census Bureau data but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau. Data updated November 2026.