Washington DC Suburbs

Because of its proximity to the nation’s capital, Montgomery County is considered a suburb of Washington, D.C. Homes in the county, one of Maryland’s most affluent and populous, accommodate nearly one million residents. The county is accessible by the red line of the Metro and is served by Ronald Regan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, and Baltimore/Washington International Airport. Several desirable neighborhoods are located in Montgomery County, including Rockville, Gaithersburg, Silver Spring, and Bethesda.

Rockville, the county seat, is one of Montgomery County’s largest cities with a population of close to 60,000. Located 12 miles northwest of D.C., the city was recently ranked number 26 by Money Magazine as one of the “100 Best Places to Live” in the U.S. Rockville Town Center, a mixed-use pedestrian-friendly community, is currently being renovated in an effort to lure economic activity back to the heart of the city. It will offer several hundred condos, 185,000 square feet of retail space, and 600,000 square feet of office space upon completion. Rockville is the main Metro station that serves suburban Washington, D.C. homes and businesses in this city.

Like Rockville, Gaithersburg is another Montgomery County city that has made Money Magazine’s list of the “100 Best Places to Live” in the U.S. The city, with a population of 53,000, is located at the terminus of Metro’s red line and served by the Shady Grove Metro station. It is also home to the Kentlands, a popular planned community of houses, townhouses, condos and rental units built in 1988 and billed as a “neo-traditional New Urbanist project.”

Silver Spring is also a popular destination for people buying suburban Washington, D.C. homes. With a population of over 76,000, it is actually an unincorporated area in Montgomery County and not a city. But like Rockville, the area’s downtown is in the midst of a successful renewal, thanks to the recent opening of a new outdoor shopping plaza and the reopening of the historic 1938 Silver Theatre. Brookside Gardens, a 50-acre oasis located in nearby Wheaton Regional Park, is also a major Silver Spring attraction. Downtown Silver Spring is served by the Silver Spring Metro station, while Forest Glen and Wheaton Metro stations serve the community’s outlying areas.

Bethesda, with a population of roughly 55,000, is another unincorporated Montgomery County community with a variety of suburban Washington, D.C. homes for sale. Both the National Institutes of Health and the National Naval Medical Center (Bethesda Naval Hospital) are located in Bethesda, and are served by the Medical Center Metro station. But the area is probably best known for its fine dining. Many of Bethesda’s 180 eclectic restaurants can be found in its two restaurant districts, Bethesda Row and Woodmont Triangle. Both of these districts are served by the Bethesda Metro station.

For many D.C. commuters, Montgomery County represents the perfect combination of suburban charm and big city amenities. You can learn more about the Montgomery County housing market, including timely statistics about active inventory and the median sales price of area homes, by visiting the Montgomery County housing market report. You can also contact any one of Long & Foster’s many Maryland real estate offices for assistance.