The Town FilesOlney, Maryland
Community in Montgomery County · population 35,820 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $656,600
- Household income
- $171,458
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 41.6
Olney is a community of 35,820 people in Montgomery County, Maryland. The median home is worth $656,600, above the typical Maryland town ($412,300). It ranks more upscale than 92% of Maryland towns, more of a college town than 79% of Maryland towns, better for families than 78% of Maryland towns.
How Olney ranks
Percentile among Maryland towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maryland towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Olney is worth $656,600, above the typical Maryland town ($412,300). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $171,458, which is more affordable than 52% of Maryland towns. Median rent is $2,404 a month. 89.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Olney | Typical Maryland town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $656,600 | $412,300 |
| Median rent | $2,404 | $1,748 |
| Median household income | $171,458 | $108,677 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 89.2% | 77.3% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Olney
| People | Olney | Typical Maryland town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.6 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.5% | 16.4% |
| Under 18 | 26.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 65.0% | 39.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.3% | 7.1% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 21.2% | — |
| Work from home | 32.1% | 17.4% |
| Average commute | 31.8 min | 31.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.5% | 94.3% |
Weather in Olney
July highs average 87.1°F and January lows 26.9°F. About 41.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.5 inches of snow (typical Maryland town: 15.9 in). Expect about 23 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 86 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Olney since 1950, compared with 18 for the typical Maryland town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on June 5, 2024 about 0.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 5, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 84 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on June 8, 1990.
Severe weather in Montgomery County since 1996
Montgomery County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3634: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4491: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3430: Covid-19 |
| March 4, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4261: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| November 20, 2012 | Hurricane | DR-4091: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Montgomery County
Montgomery County had 462,298 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $94,473 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Olney itself the ACS puts it at 3.6%.
Public schools in Olney
5 public schools with 2,868 students, about 14.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rosa M. Parks Middle | 6-8 | 855 | 16.1 |
| William H. Farquhar Middle | 6-8 | 646 | 14.4 |
| Olney Elementary | K-5 | 604 | 16.8 |
| Brooke Grove Elementary | PK-5 | 415 | 12.2 |
| Belmont Elementary | K-5 | 348 | 14.5 |
Towns near Olney
- Leisure World, MD2.8 mi · 9,215 people · home $274,800
- Aspen Hill, MD3.5 mi · 51,063 people · home $570,000
- Ashton-Sandy Spring, MD3.9 mi · 5,746 people · home $809,200
- Redland, MD4.0 mi · 18,592 people · home $540,200
- Layhill, MD4.1 mi · 5,764 people · home $608,000
- Derwood, MD4.7 mi · 2,535 people · home $719,800
- Cloverly, MD5.0 mi · 15,285 people · home $665,300
- Glenmont, MD5.3 mi · 16,710 people · home $571,200
Olney questions
Is Olney, Maryland a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Olney scores better for retirees than 70% of Maryland towns and quieter than 41%. 16.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.6).
How much does a house cost in Olney?
The median owner-occupied home in Olney is valued at $656,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $171,458, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $2,404 a month.
What is the weather like in Olney?
July highs average 87.1°F and January lows 26.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.3 inches of precipitation a year and 26.5 inches of snow.
Does Olney get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Olney since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on June 5, 2024. The typical Maryland town has had 18.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)