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Living in Wheaton, MD

Suburb in Maryland

Wheaton is a suburb in Maryland, home to about 52,000 people, with 6.5 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, you can walk or take transit almost everywhere. Life moves at a very fast pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Wheaton a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 13 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Family-friendly: playgrounds, family attractions and plenty of households with kids
  • Lots of culture: museums, zoos and attractions nearby
  • Low natural disaster risk: 8 federally declared disasters since 2000

👎 Cons

  • Cloudier than most places
  • Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $552k, and rent is $2,840 a month

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Wheaton ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
52,000
6.5 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
44°F / 85°F
Average daily highs · 16″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$552k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,840/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
109
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,897
State income tax per resident · 0.84% property tax
Safety
No data
Not in FBI 2019 city table
Natural disasters
8 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, heat waves
Top-rated hospitals
13
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
39%
9 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
DCA
14 mi away

Living in Wheaton: common questions

What is the cost of living in Wheaton?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $552k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,840 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 109, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Wheaton?

Maryland collects about $1,897 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.84% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Wheaton safe?

Wheaton isn't in the FBI's 2019 city crime table, so Best Life Fit Me counts its safety as average.

What is the weather like in Wheaton?

Wheaton has cool winters: winter days average around 44°F and summer days around 85°F, with roughly 16″ of snow a year.

Does Wheaton get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, heat waves and earthquakes: 8 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.24 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Wheaton?

The nearest major airport is DCA, about 14 mi away.

How Wheaton scores

Each bar compares Wheaton with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Big city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Urban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Walk & transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Strong culture scene Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cool winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Expensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Very fast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Friendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Below average
💸Low taxes Good
💼Job market Excellent
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Excellent
🧸Kids & family Excellent
🐕Dog-friendly Excellent
⛰️Outdoors Excellent
🎭Culture Excellent
🛡️Safety No crime data (counted as average)
🌪️Few natural disasters Excellent
☀️Sunny Below average
🌤️Mild summers Good
✈️Airport Good

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These places have the most similar overall profile across all 23 aspects.

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Is Wheaton right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.