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Area data

Darnestown, MD — ZIP 20878

Population: 66,115 (Census ACS)

The typical home value in ZIP 20878 (Darnestown, MD) is $686,193 — down 0.8% over the past year. Homes sell for a median $797,000 after a median 40 days on market. Typical rent runs $2,385/month. 13 schools serve the area (NCES). FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall natural-hazard risk Relatively Moderate, with winter weather, hail, heat wave the top-rated hazards. Cost of living is 5.0% above the US average (BEA, metro/state-level).

Backed by 25+ public sourcesFEMA · U.S. Census · NOAA · Dept. of Education · EPA · and more

$686,193

Typical home value

-0.8%

1-year change

40

Median days on market

Relatively Moderate

Hazard risk (county)

Home values & appreciation

Typical home value
$686,193
1-year appreciation
-0.8%
3-year appreciation
+4.4%
5-year appreciation
+12.2%
10-year appreciation
+36.2%
Peak value since 2000 (Apr 2025)
$700,442
House Price Index (state)
376.2 (+0.9% YoY)

Sources: home value index (ZIP-level) · FHFA House Price Index (state-level)

Market activity

Median sale price
$797,000
Median list price
$685,000
Median price per sqft
$302
1-year sale-price change
+9.6%
Median days on market
40 days
Homes sold (recent period)
189
For-sale inventory
183
Sale-to-list ratio
99.6%
Active listings
158
1-year forecast
+0.7%
Days to pending
32 days
New listings (monthly)
66

Source: recent area sales and market data (ZIP-level)

Rents

Typical rent
$2,385/mo
1-year rent change
+1.8%
Studio fair-market rent
$2,111/mo
1BR fair-market rent
$2,204/mo
2BR fair-market rent
$2,438/mo
3BR fair-market rent
$3,107/mo
4BR fair-market rent
$3,658/mo

Sources: market rent index (ZIP-level) · HUD Fair Market Rents (metro/county-level, 40th-percentile regulatory reference)

Affordability

Cost of living index (Above Average)
105.0 (100 = US avg)
Electricity rate (state-level)
19.5¢/kWh
Natural gas rate (state-level)
$16.10/MCF
30-year mortgage rate (national)
7.40%
15-year mortgage rate (national)
6.73%

Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities (metro/state-level) · EIA energy rates (state-level) · Freddie Mac PMMS (national)

Schools

Total schools
13
Elementary schools
10
Middle schools
2
High schools
1
Avg student-teacher ratio
13.8 : 1
Schools include
Thurgood Marshall Elementary, Brown Station Elementary, Darnestown Elementary, Diamond Elementary, DuFief Elementary

Source: NCES school directory, 2024-25 (school-address-based)

Natural hazards & flood risk

Overall hazard risk (county)
Relatively Moderate
Top hazards (county)
winter weather, hail, heat wave, inland flooding, lightning
Notable hazard ratings (county)
winter weather: Very High · hail: Relatively High · heat wave: Relatively High · lightning: Relatively High · strong wind: Relatively High · inland flooding: Relatively High
Most common flood zone among NFIP claims
Zone X
NFIP flood claims on record
23
Wildfire risk to homes (county)
Higher than 11% of US counties
Buildings in wildfire direct-exposure zone
45.4%
Radon potential (county)
High radon potential — EPA Zone 1 of 3
EPA Superfund (NPL) sites within 5 mi
None
Nearest Superfund site
Hidden Lane Landfill (10.1 mi)
Flood zones vary by property. Look up a specific address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
EPA recommends radon testing for every home regardless of zone.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (county-level) · FEMA NFIP flood-insurance claims (ZIP-level) · USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (county-level) · EPA radon zones + Superfund NPL

Climate (30-year normals)

Average annual temperature
58.0°F
Average high
67.5°F
Average low
49.0°F
Annual precipitation
44.3 in
Annual snowfall
13.7 in
USDA plant hardiness zone
7b (extreme annual low 5 to 10°F)

Sources: NOAA Climate Normals (30-year, nearest-station) · USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)

Air quality

Air quality rating
Good
Median AQI (annual)
39
Days with Good air quality
299
Days with Moderate air quality
61
Highest AQI recorded (year)
90

Source: EPA annual air quality index (county-level)

Walkability & transit

Walkability index
16.0 / 20
Transit service frequency
752
Jobs reachable by car (30 min)
136,638
Jobs reachable by transit (45 min)
107,917

Source: EPA Smart Location Database (metropolitan block groups)

Amenities

National parks within ~60 mi
60
Nearest national park
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (8 mi)
National parks include
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Great Falls Park, Glen Echo Park
Airports within 30 mi
31
Nearest airport
Montgomery County Airpark (GAI) (6 mi)
Nearest major airport
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) (16 mi)
Hospitals in or near this ZIP
67
Hospitals include
GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIV HOSPITAL, HOWARD UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL CORP, MEDSTAR GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
Avg hospital rating (CMS)
3.3 / 5
Best hospital rating nearby (CMS)
5.0 / 5
Solar radiation rating
Fair (4.2 kWh/m²/day)

Sources: National Park Service · FAA airport data · CMS hospital data (same ZIP, else within ~40 mi) · DOE/NREL (proximity-based)

Migration

Net migration (county)
-6,292 tax filers

Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration (county-level; published with a multi-year lag)

Housing stock

Median year housing built
1987
Housing built before 1970
7.2%
Housing built 2000 or later
22.9%
Median annual property tax
$6,348
Mean commute to work
20 min
Households with broadband internet
91.0%

Source: Census ACS 5-year estimates (ZIP-level)

Employment & development

Total county employment
364,761
Average weekly wage
$1,761
Top industries (by employment)
Health Care, Professional Services, Accommodation & Food
Annual residential building permits (county)
1,411

Sources: BLS QCEW (county-level) · Census Building Permits (county-level)

How it compares

ZIP 20878State medianUS median
Typical home value$686,193$446,567$288,527
Median sale price$797,000$450,000$325,000
Median days on market40 days40 days51 days
Typical rent$2,385/mo$1,998/mo$1,809/mo
Median annual property tax$6,348$3,862$2,006

State and US medians are computed across all US ZIP codes with sufficient public-data coverage, from the same sources as the figures above.

Area data compiled from public government, academic, and industry research feeds. Data sources →

Common questions

What is the typical home value in ZIP 20878?
$686,193.
What is the median sale price in ZIP 20878?
$797,000.
How long do homes take to sell in ZIP 20878?
Median days on market: 40 days.
What is typical rent in ZIP 20878?
Typical rent: $2,385/month.
What is the natural-hazard risk in ZIP 20878?
Overall risk: Relatively Moderate (FEMA NRI, county-level). Top hazards: winter weather, hail, heat wave, inland flooding, lightning.
Is ZIP 20878 in a flood zone?
Flood zones vary by property within ZIP 20878. 23 FEMA flood-insurance (NFIP) claims are on record; the most common zone among them is X. Check a specific address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
What is the wildfire risk in ZIP 20878?
Risk to homes is higher than 11% of US counties (USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities, county-level).
What is the radon potential in ZIP 20878?
High radon potential — EPA Zone 1 of 3, county-level. EPA recommends testing every home regardless of zone.
Are there Superfund sites near ZIP 20878?
No current or proposed National Priorities List sites within 5 miles (EPA).
How many schools serve ZIP 20878?
13 schools (10 elementary, 2 middle, 1 high) (NCES, 2024-25).
Is ZIP 20878 walkable?
Walkability index: 16.0/20 (EPA Smart Location Database).
What is the air quality in ZIP 20878?
Good. Median AQI: 39. (EPA AQI).
What is the cost of living in ZIP 20878?
Regional Price Parity: 105.0 (100 = US average) (Above Average) (BEA RPP, metro/state-level).

Nearby ZIP codes

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Data last updated

Most recent source refresh: Oct 2026. See all data sources →

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