Montgomery County, Maryland

Living in Silver Spring, MD

Among Montgomery County's 16 largest communities, Silver Spring has the largest share of rented homes (62% rented), the most transit commuting (14% of workers) and the second-most condo and apartment buildings (51% in buildings of 10+ units). With about 81,000 residents, it's Montgomery County's 2nd-largest community. Below: prices, housing and getting around, and how Fred works here.

Get the Silver Spring market report Plan a tour

Median home value: $643K; Census, 2020–2024
Median rent: $1,913; per month
Own their home: 38%; of households
Nearest Metro: 0.8 mi; Silver Spring

Local work

Fred in Silver Spring.

“What we admired the most were his insights during every home tour, and the patience he showed us as first-time, nervous home buyers.”

Ahmed Ibrahim · First-time buyer, Silver Spring

At a glance

Homes, prices & getting around.

The median home in Silver Spring is valued at $643K, close to the Montgomery County median of $640K — around the middle of the 16 Montgomery County communities compared on this site. Median rent is $1,913 a month (county: $2,068).

Housing here is mostly condo and apartment buildings — 51% of homes are in buildings of 10 or more units. Most homes are rented (62%, against 35% across Montgomery County). The typical home was built in 1964, older than the Montgomery County median of 1980.

The nearest Metro station is Silver Spring (Red Line), about a mile from the center of Silver Spring, and MARC commuter trains stop at the same station. Of workers here, 14% take public transit (above the Montgomery County rate of 7%) and 27% work from home.

Homes by type of building

Detached houses 30%
Townhouses 5%
2–9 unit buildings 14%
10+ unit buildings 51%

Residents: 81,015; 2020 Census
Homes: 35,150; 2020 Census
Typical home built: 1964; median year
Avg. commute: 34 min; one way
Transit commuters: 14%; of workers
Work from home: 27%; of workers
Price-to-rent: 28; Montgomery County: 26

Straight-line distance to major job centers

Bethesda / NIH: 4 mi
Downtown D.C.: 7 mi
Tysons: 13 mi
Fort Meade: 17 mi
Dulles Airport: 24 mi
Downtown Baltimore: 30 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 Silver Spring: common questions.

Is Silver Spring a city? What county is it in?

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

What is the median home value in Silver Spring?

$643K, 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 Silver Spring market report for recent sales.

Do more people rent or own in Silver Spring?

38% of households own their home and 62% rent (ACS 2020–2024), compared with 65% owners across Montgomery County. Fred can run the rent-versus-buy numbers for a specific Silver Spring home.

How far is Silver Spring from downtown D.C.?

Silver Spring is about 7.2 miles from downtown D.C. and about 30 miles from downtown Baltimore in a straight line. The average one-way commute from here is 34 minutes.

Which schools serve Silver Spring?

Public schools are assigned by home address. Silver Spring 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 Silver Spring?

A rough guide is the price-to-rent ratio — the median home value divided by a year of median rent. Here it's about 28 (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 Silver Spring?

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 Silver Spring?

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 Silver Spring real estate agent.

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

Selling

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

Nearby

Silver Spring and its neighbors.

The closest places on this site, across county and state lines. Takoma Park is about 1.8 miles away, Takoma & Brightwood is about 2.3 miles away, Langley Park is about 2.3 miles away.

Community	Population	Median home value	Median rent	Own their home	Typical home	Avg. commute
Silver Spring	81,015	$643K	$1,913	38%	Condos & apartments	34 min
Takoma Park	17,629	$749K	$1,432	54%	Mostly houses	34 min
Takoma & Brightwood, DC	24,032	$630K–$843K	$1,237–$2,249	50%	Condos & apartments	35 min
Langley Park	20,126	$357K	$1,707	24%	Mixed	39 min
Chillum	36,039	$394K	$1,735	40%	Condos & apartments	36 min
Petworth & Brightwood Park, DC	40,405	$574K–$1.32M	$1,406–$3,201	63%	Townhouses	32 min
Wheaton	52,150	$501K	$2,163	65%	Mostly houses	32 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 Silver Spring?

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

Request the Silver Spring 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.