Montgomery County, Maryland is a portrait of contrasts. The county has a population of 1,017,859, with the median household per capita income of $99,435, making it one of the wealthiest counties in the United States.
According to the U.S. Census 2011-2015 American Community Survey Five-Year Estimates, 11% of Black or African American and 11.6% of Hispanic residents lives below the federal poverty level. Individuals with less than a high school education live in poverty at a rate of 16.4%. One-third (33%) of Montgomery County residents are foreign born.
Per U.S. Census 2012 - 2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
Housing costs in Montgomery County are high. According to the 2014 American Community Survey One-Year Estimates, the Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area median monthly homeownership costs are $2,202 and median monthly gross rent is $1,525. More than 30% of households pay more than one-third of their incomes to satisfy these monthly housing costs. According to the 2015 U.S. Census American Community Survey, 49.4% of renters are “housing burdened” in that they pay more than one-third of their income for housing.
