North Potomac, Maryland | |
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| Coordinates: 39°05′50″N 77°14′54″W / 39.09722°N 77.24833°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State |  Maryland |
| County |  Montgomery |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.56 sq mi (16.99 km2) |
| • Land | 6.52 sq mi (16.89 km2) |
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.10 km2) |
| Elevation | 390 ft (120 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 23,790 |
| • Density | 3,648.21/sq mi (1,408.48/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 20878, 20850 |
| Area code(s) | 301 and 240 |
| FIPS code | 24-56875 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2389581[2] |
North Potomac is a census-designated place and unincorporated area in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is located less than 5 miles (8.0 km) north of the Potomac River, and is about 20 miles (32 km) from Washington, D.C. It has a population of 23,790 as of 2020.[3]
The region's land was originally used for growing tobacco, which was replaced by wheat and dairy farming after the soil became depleted. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal was used by local farmers to ship their grain (or flour made from the grain at the local mills), and two former canal locks are located less than 5 miles (8.0 km) away in the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. In addition, infrastructure remains for what was one of the state's leading dairy farms during the first half of the 20th century.
North Potomac did not get an identity of its own until 1989, when the United States Post Office allowed the use of the North Potomac name for what is mostly a collection of housing sub-divisions, farms, and wooded parks. The United States Census Bureau listed a North Potomac in 1970 but not 1980. In 2000, it began recognizing North Potomac as a census designated place. Today, the community benefits from its proximity to workplaces such as the Shady Grove Hospital area and the I-270 Technology Corridor. Washington, D.C. is accessible by automobile or public transportation. The median household income is nearly $160,000, and nearly half of the eligible residents have a graduate or professional degree.
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: North Potomac, Maryland
- ^ "QuickFacts: North Potomac CDP, Maryland". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 17, 2021.