Census-designated place · Maryland
Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring, census-designated place, in Montgomery County, Maryland. Silver Spring had 81,462 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±2,512). GEOID 2472450.
Residents, 2020-2024
81,462
±2,512 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 81,015
Median household income
$99,860
±$7,677 (90% margin)
Maryland: $103,678
Median home value
$643,300
±$16,258 (90% margin)
Maryland: $419,900
Median gross rent
$1,913
±$42 (90% margin)
Maryland: $1,705
Where is Silver Spring and what county is it in?
Silver Spring is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Montgomery County, Maryland. It covers 7.9 square miles of land, 10,277 residents per square mile in 2020.
Silver Spring is in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 23 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Silver Spring, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Silver Spring's population at 81,462 (±2,512). The 2020 Census counted 81,015 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Silver Spring is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Silver Spring | Montgomery County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 81,462 ±2,512 | 1,065,949 | no clear change |
| Households | 33,988 ±962 | 389,210 | +2,161 |
| Average household size | 2.39 ±0.06 | 2.72 | −0.17 |
| Housing units | 35,774 ±873 | 406,531 | +2,378 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Silver Spring?
The median resident of Silver Spring is 35.6 years old; 22.2% are under 18 and 12.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 32.8%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 28.3%. 33.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Silver Spring | Montgomery County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.6 ±0.8 | 40.2 | +1.1 |
| Under 18 years | 22.2% ±1.2 pts | 22.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 12.1% ±1.0 pts | 17.0% | – |
| Male | 49.2% ±1.3 pts | 48.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 24.5% ±2.0 pts | 21.0% | −3.5 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 32.8% ±1.6 pts | 39.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 28.3% ±2.1 pts | 18.3% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 8.5% ±1.2 pts | 15.3% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.3% ±0.9 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.3 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 33.9% ±1.9 pts | 33.6% | −2.6 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 43.9% ±2.0 pts | 43.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.2% ±0.4 pts | 4.2% | – |
| With a disability | 8.3% ±0.9 pts | 9.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 9.9% ±1.2 pts | 7.0% | −2.3 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 87.6% ±1.7 pts | 91.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 60.6% ±2.4 pts | 60.6% | +5.7 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 33.6% ±1.8 pts | 33.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 84.4% ±1.4 pts | 88.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 5.2% ±1.0 pts | 3.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Silver Spring earn?
Half of Silver Spring's 33,988 households earn less than $99,860 a year (±$7,677), against $132,450 in Montgomery County and $103,678 in Maryland. In 2015-2019 it was $103,110 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 10.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Silver Spring | Montgomery County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $99,860 ±$7,677 | $132,450 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $135,559 ±$4,950 | $181,376 | – |
| Per capita income | $57,635 ±$2,344 | $67,571 | +$3,583 |
| People below the poverty line | 10.6% ±1.8 pts | 7.5% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 16.2% ±4.4 pts | 9.0% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.8% ±1.3 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.1% ±0.6 pts | 98.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.4% ±1.3 pts | 95.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Silver Spring?
Owners occupy 38.3% of Silver Spring's occupied homes and renters 61.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $643,300 by its owner (±$16,258). The median renter pays $1,913 a month including utilities, and 42.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Silver Spring | Montgomery County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $643,300 ±$16,258 | $640,300 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,913 ±$42 | $2,068 | −$136 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 42.1% ±2.9 pts | 41.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,845 ±$93 | $2,929 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 38.3% ±1.7 pts | 65.3% | +2.6 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 61.7% ±1.7 pts | 34.7% | – |
| Housing units | 35,774 ±873 | 406,531 | +2,378 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.4% ±0.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.1% ±1.5 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 29.6% ±1.6 pts | 46.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.5% ±0.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.8% ±0.4 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 13.3% ±1.2 pts | 8.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 11.2% ±1.1 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 16.5% ±2.0 pts | 8.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Silver Spring work and get to work?
45.2% of Silver Spring's workers drive alone and 27.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 34.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.4%.
| Measure | Silver Spring | Montgomery County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 78.7% ±1.4 pts | 69.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% ±1.0 pts | 4.9% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 45.2% ±2.4 pts | 52.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.1% ±1.0 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 13.8% ±1.5 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Walked | 2.7% ±0.7 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 27.3% ±2.1 pts | 28.3% | +22.4 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 34.0 min ±1.1 | 31.9 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Silver Spring?
19 census tracts lie mostly in Silver Spring, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $47,227 (Tract 7019) to $201,591 (Tract 7022).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 7016.02Montgomery County | 7,158 | $79,531 |
| Tract 7027Montgomery County | 7,131 | $114,563 |
| Tract 7021.01Montgomery County | 6,285 | $71,458 |
| Tract 7029Montgomery County | 5,630 | $173,864 |
| Tract 7028Montgomery County | 5,548 | $144,351 |
| Tract 7026.02Montgomery County | 5,025 | $84,167 |
| Tract 7020Montgomery County | 5,705 | $72,821 |
| Tract 7024.02Montgomery County | 4,629 | $106,936 |
| Tract 7023.02Montgomery County | 4,319 | $89,263 |
| Tract 7025.03Montgomery County | 4,256 | $89,633 |
| Tract 7022Montgomery County | 4,029 | $201,591 |
| Tract 7025.01Montgomery County | 3,580 | $115,409 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Silver Spring) · Census block assignment files
How does Silver Spring compare with other places in Maryland?
Silver Spring ranks 189th of 322 places in Maryland with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 6th | 326 |
| Residents per square mile | 6th | 326 |
| Median household income | 189th | 322 |
| Per capita income | 111th | 326 |
| Median home value | 35th | 323 |
| Median gross rent | 114th | 288 |
| Poverty rate | 88th | 230 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47th | 325 |
| Median age | 270th | 326 |
| Owner-occupied share | 311th | 323 |
| Work from home | 54th | 293 |
| Travel time to work | 104th | 325 |
Silver Spring's figures with every place in Maryland (CSV)
Every place in Maryland, sortable · Compare Silver Spring with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Silver Spring?
4 of the 57 figures for Silver Spring on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Silver Spring are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.