Montgomery County, Maryland

Living in Olney, MD

Among Montgomery County's 16 largest communities, Olney has the second-largest share of owner-occupied homes (89% owned) and the second-most single-family houses (67% detached). With about 35,800 residents, it's Montgomery County's 10th-largest community. Below: prices, housing and getting around, and how Fred works here.

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Median home value: $657K; Census, 2020–2024
Median rent: $2,404; per month
Own their home: 89%; of households
Avg. commute: 32 min; one way

Local work

Fred in Olney.

“Fred helped me get my dream location and home. With his support, knowledge, and dedication, he saw me all the way to closing.”

Sheila Risal · Buyer & seller, Olney

At a glance

Homes, prices & getting around.

The median home in Olney is valued at $657K, close to the Montgomery County median of $640K — around the middle of the 16 Montgomery County communities compared on this site. Median rent is $2,404 a month (county: $2,068).

Housing here is mostly single-family houses — 67% of homes are detached. Most homes are owner-occupied (89%, against 65% across Montgomery County). The typical home was built in 1986, newer than the Montgomery County median of 1980.

Olney has no Metro station of its own; the closest is Shady Grove (Red Line), about 5.3 miles away. MARC commuter trains stop at Washington Grove, about 5.7 miles away. About 32% of workers here work from home.

Homes by type of building

Detached houses 67%
Townhouses 28%
2–9 unit buildings 2%
10+ unit buildings 4%

Residents: 35,820; 2020 Census
Homes: 12,466; 2020 Census
Typical home built: 1986; median year
Avg. commute: 32 min; one way
Transit commuters: 2%; of workers
Work from home: 32%; of workers
Price-to-rent: 23; Montgomery County: 26

Straight-line distance to major job centers

Bethesda / NIH: 10 mi
Downtown D.C.: 17 mi
Tysons: 18 mi
Fort Meade: 18 mi
Dulles Airport: 24 mi
Downtown Baltimore: 27 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 Olney: common questions.

Is Olney a city? What county is it in?

No — Olney 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 “Olney” area can be larger than the Census boundary.

What is the median home value in Olney?

$657K, 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 Olney market report for recent sales.

Do more people rent or own in Olney?

89% of households own their home and 11% rent (ACS 2020–2024), compared with 65% owners across Montgomery County. Fred can run the rent-versus-buy numbers for a specific Olney home.

How far is Olney from downtown D.C.?

Olney is about 17 miles from downtown D.C. and about 27 miles from downtown Baltimore in a straight line. The average one-way commute from here is 32 minutes.

Which schools serve Olney?

Public schools are assigned by home address. Olney 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 Olney?

A rough guide is the price-to-rent ratio — the median home value divided by a year of median rent. Here it's about 23 (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 Olney?

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 Olney?

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 Olney real estate agent.

Whether you're buying, selling, investing or relocating in Olney, 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 Olney, with a patient, jargon-free guide from pre-approval to closing day.

Selling

Pricing from recent Olney 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 Olney with nearby towns and runs remote tours before you arrive.

Nearby

Olney and its neighbors.

The closest places on this site, across county and state lines. Aspen Hill is about 3.5 miles away, Redland is about 4 miles away, Rockville is about 6.2 miles away.

Community	Population	Median home value	Median rent	Own their home	Typical home	Avg. commute
Olney	35,820	$657K	$2,404	89%	Single-family	32 min
Aspen Hill	51,063	$570K	$1,916	65%	Mostly houses	34 min
Redland	18,592	$540K	$2,221	74%	Mostly houses	35 min
Rockville	67,117	$682K	$2,274	53%	Mostly houses	31 min
Wheaton	52,150	$501K	$2,163	65%	Mostly houses	32 min
Gaithersburg	69,657	$496K	$2,058	51%	Mixed	29 min
Fairland	25,396	$477K	$1,894	46%	Mixed	35 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 Olney?

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

Request the Olney 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.