Is Damascus, MD a Good Place to Live?
Damascus is a small city of 16,846 in Maryland, with a median household income of $149,234 and a 3.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 109 (US average = 100), which is 9% above the national average.
Strengths: Damascus stands out for solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, longer commutes. Whether Damascus is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Damascus city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 108.6Damascus's overall cost of living index is 108.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Damascus costs roughly 9% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Damascus, MD | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $474,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,724 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 91.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $149,234 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for Damascus is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
Damascus is served primarily by Montgomery County Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.8:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Damascus, MD | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Montgomery County Public Schools | — |
| Elementary Schools | 138 | — |
| Middle Schools | 40 | — |
| High Schools | 29 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 13.8:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.8% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 94.9% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Damascus sees average highs of 39.1°F in January and 84.3°F in July, with 47.9 inches of annual precipitation and 31.4 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Damascus, MD |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 39.1°F |
| Average High — July | 84.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 31.4" |
Demographics
| Metric | Damascus, MD | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,846 | — |
| Median Age | 41.5 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 39.2 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 70.9% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 10.2% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.9% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 6.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.2% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 13.7% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Damascus
Damascus, MD is covered by 2 ZIP codes: