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Forest Glen vs Wheaton

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: size (7.7× in Wheaton) and trails (4.1× in Wheaton).

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Forest Glen, MDAn outdoors townMaryland · 6,840 people
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Wheaton, MDAn outdoors townMaryland · 52,926 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

Forest GlenAn outdoors town
Outdoors#8 most trails in MD2.9 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 95%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Schools#78 for schools in MDof 235 towns All about Forest Glen →
WheatonAn outdoors town
Outdoors#16 most walkable in MD12 miles of trails across 21 parks and preserves HistorySettled in 170012 archive photos, postcards and papers HealthHealthier than 75%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Wheaton →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Size7.7×
Wheaton is the bigger place
Wheaton 52,926Forest Glen 6,840
Trails4.1×
Wheaton has more miles of trail
Wheaton 11.8 miForest Glen 2.9 mi
Jobs per worker3.3×
Forest Glen is more of a job hub
Forest Glen 1.40Wheaton 0.42
Work from home+16.7 pts
More people work from home in Forest Glen
Forest Glen 37%Wheaton 20.3%
Bachelor’s degree++26.5 pts
More adults in Forest Glen have a degree
Forest Glen 65.2%Wheaton 38.7%
Home values+21%
Homes cost more in Forest Glen
Forest Glen $606,100Wheaton $501,200
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $620 more a month in Forest Glen

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Forest Glen$3,610/mo
Typical home $606K (Census) · tax rate 0.85% · or rent about $1,582/mo · Housing →
Wheaton$2,980/mo
Typical home $501K (Census) · tax rate 0.85% · or rent about $2,163/mo · Housing →

The difference: $620 a month, about $7,500 a year, between Forest Glen and Wheaton.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Forest Glen places higher on 12 of 20 MD lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Maryland ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
B+Forest GlenBetter than 72% of districts in the state B+WheatonBetter than 72% of districts in the state
Health
AForest GlenHealthier than 95% of U.S. towns A−WheatonHealthier than 75% of U.S. towns
12Forest Glen
6Wheaton

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most educatedPeople · 262 towns #27#157 Most activeHealth · 262 towns #39#159 Cheapest rentCost of living · 252 towns #75#186 HealthiestHealth · 262 towns #26#124 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 262 towns #149#245 Most remote workersWork · 256 towns #9#102 Lowest property taxCost of living · 259 towns #196#132 Fastest growingGrowth · 250 towns #164#110

Left end = #1 in Maryland. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Forest Glen’s rankings →

Where they are

Forest Glen and Wheaton share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Forest GlenWheatonForest GlenWheaton
Forest Glen ↔ Wheaton2.2 miles apart · They share a border
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
Forest GlenWheaton
Snow a year16″16″
January low25°F25°F
July high87°F87°F
Growing season (days)202d202d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)8th7th
Outdoors & history
Forest GlenWheaton
Trails3 mi12 mi
Conserved land14.1%21.9%
Settled—1700
Archive photos1212
Famous people born here25
Community
Forest GlenWheaton
Library hours a week—61 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Forest GlenWheaton
People
Population 6,840Lowest 52,926Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +4.8%Lowest MD: +7% +8%Highest MD: +7%
Median age 37.8±3.3Highest 4% below MD 37.7±1.2Lowest 4% below MD
Forest Glen and Wheaton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 27.8%±6.9Highest MD: 22.2% 22.5%±1.5Lowest MD: 22.2%
Forest Glen and Wheaton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 18.8%±3.2Highest MD: 16.7% 13.3%±1.1Lowest MD: 16.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 65.2%Highest MD: 43.4% 38.7%Lowest MD: 43.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.2%±2.6Highest MD: 6.9% 6%±1Lowest MD: 6.9%
Forest Glen and Wheaton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $127,820±$30kHighest 23% above MD $111,478±$9kLowest 8% above MD
Forest Glen and Wheaton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $606,100±$26kHighest 44% above MD $501,200±$17kLowest 19% above MD
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,582±$465Lowest 7% below MD $2,163±$123Highest 27% above MD
Wheaton and Forest Glen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,144Highest 26% above MD $4,254Lowest 4% above MD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 43.2%±22.1Lowest MD: 51.5% 47.1%±7.3Highest MD: 51.5%
Wheaton and Forest Glen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 7%Lowest MD: 9.4% 13.1%Highest MD: 9.4%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 66.3%Highest MD: 67.6% 64.6%Lowest MD: 67.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1958Lowest 21 yrs older than MD 1960Highest 19 yrs older than MD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 32 minHighest 4% above MD 32 minLowest about the MD average
Work from home 37%±5.8Highest MD: 19.3% 20.3%±2.3Lowest MD: 19.3%
Work in townworking residents 1.9%Lowest 3.6%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 8.3 miLowest 9.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.40Highest 0.42Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Washington (30%)Washington (21%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in WheatonFew work in Forest Glen
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 14.1%Lowest 21.9%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 2.9 miLowest 11.8 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.9 miHighest 1.7 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 7Lowest 21Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 134Lowest 142Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #78 of 235 in MD#98 of 235 in MD
School district Montgomery County Public SchoolsMontgomery County Public Schools
High school in town None in townWheaton High
Students per teacherat that high school — 16.2
Maryland average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Forest Glen neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Forest Glen’s Town Square.

Wheaton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wheaton’s Town Square.

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Bordering Forest Glen

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Kemp Mill13,042 people · $597K homes
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South Kensington8,148 people · $920K homes
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Silver Spring81,462 people · $643K homes

Towns like Forest Glen

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Leonardtown4,808 people · $575K homes
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Cheverly6,096 people · $471K homes
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Sykesville4,491 people · $453K homes
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Middletown5,014 people · $555K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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