City profile · Maryland · Census ACS 2023

National Harbor, MD

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

4,418
Residents
$133,616
Median income
$462,000
Median home
$1,657
Median rent (state)
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Side-by-side metrics and state or size-class ranks use the same Census and FBI fields shown on this profile. Results stay in the URL so you can bookmark or share them.

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Starting with National Harbor, MD - add up to three more cities on the compare page.

See how it ranks

State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for National Harbor.

Place dossier plate

Sheet MD-NATIONAL-HARBOR-MD · National Harbor, MD 4,418 pop · income 91st pct

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

  • POP-VILLAGE 4,418
  • INC-TOP $133,616
  • COL-ABOVE 105.0
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-TOP 91st
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Royal Kunia
  • HOME-HIGH $462,000
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Royal Kunia, HI ( $37 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 National Harbor

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest National Harbor 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 National Harbor 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: 4,418.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $133,616. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

National Harbor - the verdict

Nationally, National Harbor sits in the 91st percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

91st
percentile, household income
82nd
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: National Harbor, MD

National Harbor is a small town in Maryland, home to 4,418 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Households in National Harbor report a median income of $133,616 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 6.4%. National Harbor's housing stock carries a median value of $462,000, and the median resident age is 49.8 years. Educational attainment runs 51.1% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 73.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

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). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,657 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $255 across Maryland, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. 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 National Harbor'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 housing and income to comparison shortlist to work and mobility; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

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

1. Housing and income

How far does income reach against housing in National Harbor?

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.

The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 3.5 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 6.4%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

Compare the housing trade-off →

2. Comparison shortlist

Which cities make useful reference points for National Harbor?

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.

Within Maryland, the closest population matches are Perryville (4,425 residents, $75,543 income); La Vale (4,388 residents, $77,634 income); Shady Side (4,460 residents, $138,346 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Crouch Mesa, NM (4,419 residents); Canton, NC (4,417 residents); Tazewell, VA (4,419 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.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

Question 3

What does the journey to work look like in National Harbor?

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 65.2%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.

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.

Compare commute patterns →

Population

4,418 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$133,616 /yr

Top-decile income · poverty 6.4% (Below-median poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.0 (US=100)

High cost · BEA RPP 2024, Maryland average

City profile score · National Harbor, MD

64/100

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+
$133,616

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

Bachelor's+ share A
51.1%

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

Poverty rate C
6.4%

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

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).

National Harbor profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Household income, Bachelor's+ share, Poverty rate, Cost of living. Household incomeBachelor's+ sharePoverty rateCost of living 64 C+
National Harbor profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Household income: 91/100 (A+) · $133,616
  • Bachelor's+ share: 85/100 (A) · 51.1%
  • Poverty rate: 56/100 (C) · 6.4%
  • Cost of living: 21/100 (F) · 105.0 index

How does National Harbor compare to other US cities?

Here's how National Harbor stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 91% higher than other cities
Home value 82% 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 National Harbor 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 National Harbor near the bottom of Maryland's cities

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

Median Household Income
#114 of 445
74th percentile in Maryland
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 479
0th percentile in Maryland
Median Home Value
#135 of 450
70th percentile in Maryland
Poverty Rate
#161 of 479
66th percentile in Maryland
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#108 of 479
77th 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.

91stIncome percentile
Gauge source note

91st percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How National Harbor's home value compares nationally

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

$462,000 18th percentile more affordable than 18% 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. National Harbor $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

National Harbor's home-value-to-income ratio: 3.5×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
moderate
3.0–5.0×
National rank
#8,816 of 15,516
More affordable than 43% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#7,132 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 3.5×, National Harbor sits in the moderate band: national rank #8,816 of 15,516 and #7,132 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). 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

$133,616 National Harbor, MD median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - National Harbor, MD National Harbor, MD's median household income ($133,616) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not National Harbor, MD-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution National Harbor, MD median $133,616/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%
National Harbor, 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 National Harbor, MD.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 51.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 73.8%

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

Population
4,418
Median Income
$133,616
Median Home Value
$462,000
Median Age
49.8
Poverty Rate
6.4%
Labor force participation
73.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
51.1%

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
65.2%
Carpool
3.5%
Public Transit
6.8%
Walk
3.1%
Work from Home
19.1%
Other
2.3%

Based on 3,078 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 National Harbor. 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 National Harbor 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 National Harbor sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How National Harbor 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
National Harbor (this city) 4,418 $133,616
Perryville 4,425 $75,543
La Vale 4,388 $77,634
Shady Side 4,460 $138,346
Primary sources on this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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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