Cost of Living in Potomac

Potomac's cost of living centers on a real, extreme housing premium and Montgomery County's maximum local income tax, partially offset by a comparatively low property tax rate.

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An extreme housing premium

Potomac's average home value ran $1,393,901 per Zillow -- more than double Montgomery County's own $627,198 average, and among the highest in Maryland.

Montgomery County's maximum piggyback income tax

Montgomery County levies Maryland's state-maximum 3.2% local piggyback income tax, a genuinely material cost atop Maryland's 10-bracket state income tax for Potomac's real, high-income resident base.

A comparatively low property tax rate

Montgomery County's effective property tax rate ran a real 0.87%, the 7th-lowest of Maryland's 24 counties -- though the dollar amount on a typical Potomac home still runs high given the area's substantial assessed values.

Key takeaways

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-27. Independent research; not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.