City profile · Maryland · Census ACS 2023

Fort Washington, MD

Fort Washington's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

25,843
Residents
$145,942
Median income
$464,300
Median home
$1,657
Median rent (state)
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State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for Fort Washington.

Place dossier plate

Sheet MD-FORT-WASHINGTON-MD · Fort Washington, MD 25,843 pop · income 93rd pct

POP-SMALL · INC-TOP · COL-ABOVE · SAFE-UNK · RANK-TOP · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-HIGH · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-SMALL 25,843
  • INC-TOP $145,942
  • COL-ABOVE 105.0
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-TOP 93rd
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Mountain Green
  • HOME-HIGH $464,300
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Mountain Green, UT ( $17 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around Fort Washington

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Fort Washington on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Fort Washington on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 25,843.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $145,942. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Fort Washington - the verdict

Nationally, Fort Washington sits in the 93rd percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

93rd
percentile, household income
83rd
percentile, home value
84th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Fort Washington, MD

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 25,843 residents in Fort Washington, a small city within Maryland. Households in Fort Washington report a median income of $145,942 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 2.8%. Fort Washington's housing stock carries a median value of $464,300, and the median resident age is 45.0 years. 41.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 63.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The city is served by 12 public schools according to NCES Common Core of Data.

Maryland carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Maryland at 105.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,657 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Maryland's average monthly utility costs around $255 (state average). The average commute for Fort Washington workers runs 32.8 minutes, with 66.9% driving alone and 16.5% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 60.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of Fort Washington's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from comparison shortlist to schools and households to work and mobility to housing and income; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For Fort Washington, city-specific coverage includes matched public-school count, commute-mode shares. No matched row is reported here for local building permits, within-city Census tract profiles, annual population history, FBI reported-crime rates; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

Question 1

Which cities make useful reference points for Fort Washington?

Within Maryland, the closest population matches are Ballenger Creek (25,866 residents, $108,385 income); Elkridge (26,183 residents, $135,412 income); Fairland (26,183 residents, $87,924 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Terrytown, LA (25,844 residents); Key West, FL (25,824 residents); Grandview, MO (25,821 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

Question 2

What does the education layer cover for Fort Washington?

The NCES join finds 12 public schools within the city match. 41.7% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher in the ACS estimate. These measures answer different questions: the school count describes local institutions, while adult attainment describes residents and cannot be used as a school-quality rating.

The city has a broader matched school footprint, but count alone does not describe performance, capacity, program availability, or attendance boundaries. This profile deliberately avoids converting it into an unsupported family-friendliness score.

See how the family ranking is built →

3. Work and mobility

What does the journey to work look like in Fort Washington?

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. Remote work has a visible role in the local pattern. That can reduce commute exposure for some workers, but it says nothing about job availability or broadband quality; read it alongside income and housing rather than as a stand-alone lifestyle score.

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 66.9%. The reported mean trip to work is 32.8 minutes.

Compare commute patterns →

Question 4

How far does income reach against housing in Fort Washington?

The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 3.2 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 2.8%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Income and home value move within the same broad scale here. The useful next check is not a generic affordability label, but whether similar-size cities offer a materially different income, housing, or commute trade-off.

Compare the housing trade-off →

Population

25,843 residents

Small city (10k–49k)

Median Household Income

$145,942 /yr

Top-decile income · poverty 2.8% (Low poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.0 (US=100)

High cost · BEA RPP 2024, Maryland average

City profile score · Fort Washington, MD

69/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Household income A+
$145,942

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Poverty rate A-
2.8%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Bachelor's+ share B+
41.7%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Cost of living F
105.0 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

Fort Washington profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Household income, Poverty rate, Bachelor's+ share, Cost of living. Household incomePoverty rateBachelor's+ shareCost of living 69 B-
Fort Washington profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Household income: 95/100 (A+) · $145,942
  • Poverty rate: 80/100 (A-) · 2.8%
  • Bachelor's+ share: 77/100 (B+) · 41.7%
  • Cost of living: 21/100 (F) · 105.0 index

How does Fort Washington compare to other US cities?

Fort Washington measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 93% higher than other cities
Home value 83% pricier than other cities
Median rent 84% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Fort Washington against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Maryland only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Maryland-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Fort Washington near the bottom of Maryland's cities

Among the 479 Maryland cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Fort Washington ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Fort Washington only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#87 of 445
80th percentile in Maryland
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 479
0th percentile in Maryland
Median Home Value
#132 of 450
71st percentile in Maryland
Poverty Rate
#276 of 479
42nd percentile in Maryland
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#175 of 479
63rd percentile in Maryland
How in-state ranks are ordered

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Maryland only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

93rdIncome percentile
Gauge source note

93rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Fort Washington's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$464,300 17th percentile more affordable than 17% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Fort Washington $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Fort Washington's home-value-to-income ratio: 3.2×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
moderate
3.0–5.0×
National rank
#7,602 of 15,516
More affordable than 51% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#1,149 of 3,317
Small cities (10,000–49,999)

At 3.2×, Fort Washington sits in the moderate band: national rank #7,602 of 15,516 and #1,149 of 3,317small cities (10,000–49,999). Income and home value move in the same broad scale; check same-state peers before treating the multiple as an advantage or a warning.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$145,942 Fort Washington, MD median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Fort Washington, MD Fort Washington, MD's median household income ($145,942) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Fort Washington, MD-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Fort Washington, MD median $145,942/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Fort Washington, MD median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Fort Washington, MD.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 41.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
25,843
Median Income
$145,942
Median Home Value
$464,300
Median Age
45.0
Poverty Rate
2.8%
Labor force participation
63.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
41.7%

Schools

Total Schools
12
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
32.8 minutes
Drive Alone
66.9%
Carpool
9.2%
Public Transit
4.3%
Walk
1.1%
Work from Home
16.5%
Other
2.0%

Based on 13,198 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

Maryland statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $255

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Maryland at $255 (electricity about $120 , water and sewer about $55 ).

These are Maryland statewide averages, not a meter reading for Fort Washington. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Maryland's BEA cost-of-living index is 105.0 (Above Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Fort Washington is $1,657/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Maryland statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 60.2 / 100 (Moderate).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a Maryland statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Fort Washington sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Fort Washington compares to similar-size Maryland cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
Fort Washington (this city) 25,843 $145,942
Ballenger Creek 25,866 $108,385
Elkridge 26,183 $135,412
Fairland 26,183 $87,924
NCES CCD
Primary sources on this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

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Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

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