Moving to Rockville, MD in 2026

Executive summary: If you’re thinking about moving to Rockville, MD, you should know that it’s a mid-sized city with about 68,417 people as of 2024, good public transportation (two Red Line stations), high housing costs compared to the rest of the country, and clear reporting of local safety issues.

People don’t just want “cool places to live,” movers at AT Movers keep seeing this. They want to live in a city where daily tasks are easy—where their school assignment is clear, their commute is doable, their neighborhood fits their lifestyle, and getting a parking permit on moving day doesn’t turn into a disaster.

This guide answers the most common searches we get every week: how much does it cost to live in Rockville, Maryland? Is it a good place to live? Is it safe? It has in-text links to official sources so you can check the information for your exact address.

Is Rockville, MD a good place to live?

In short, Rockville is a good place to live if you want to be in the suburbs but still be close to public transportation and services. This is especially true if you’re traveling into the DC area or just want to be close to Montgomery County’s job centers. The people who live there have a lot of education (65.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or higher), and the average travel time is about 30.7 minutes (ACS 2020–2024).

Rockville is also “process-friendly” from the point of view of a moving company. For example, the city provides clear service pages for transit, trash/recycling, parking permits, and even temporary no-parking signs for moving trucks. That level of understanding is important because it lowers the stress of moving day.

Cost of living in Rockville, MD

Of course, Rockville doesn’t have a single official “cost of living index.” However, the Census Bureau’s housing and income data (ACS) is the most reliable alternative. The average price of a home that is owned by its owner in Rockville City is $682,300, and the average gross rent is $2,274 (ACS 2020–2024).

To put things in perspective, here are the same metrics for Montgomery County, Maryland, and the whole country (same ACS year).

The BLS reports that Montgomery County’s covered average weekly wage was $2,051 in the first quarter of 2025, compared to $1,589 overall. This can be used to compare affordability to local wages. It’s not a “household income” number, but it helps show why home prices in the county stay competitive.

Budgeting tip (what movers see): In areas with higher rent, the “hidden” cost of moving is often the building logistics, like making lift reservations, asking for proof of insurance, and getting into the loading zone. Include that early on in your plan.

Is Rockville, MD safe?

Start with official local data, which shows how crime is categorized and kept track of in the area. In the Rockville City Police Department 2024 Annual Report, the department reports a year-over-year comparison: Crimes Against People (499 in 2024 vs. 454 in 2023), Crimes Against Property (2,107 vs. 1,863), and Crimes Against Society (77 vs. 92).

“Overall, crime data showed a moderate increase in 2024,” the same report says, making it clear which way things are going to change.

Official perspective (quote): As quoted by the official source, Interim Chief Jason L. West wrote: “…the 2024 Annual Report… highlights crime data and departmental accomplishments.” (See the Rockville City Police Department 2024 Annual Report.)

To connect local reporting to a bigger national picture, the FBI’s “Crime Data Explorer” has the newest crime statistics. The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program has been collecting national crime statistics for a long time. This is important because many agencies now report using NIBRS, which changes the groups and how they can be compared.

Takeaway for real life: “safe” means different things in different places and situations. First, look at official city reports to get a sense of the trends. Then, visit the block you’re thinking about moving to during rush hour and at night, and talk to the property manager or HOA about any problems that keep happening.

Schools, boundaries, and how to verify your address

Montgomery County Public Schools serve Rockville. The best “insider” move is not to guess which school you’ll get, but to use official tools to make sure before you sign a lease or make an offer.

MCPS says that each school serves a specific area and suggests using the official MCPS School Boundaries page and its School Assignment Tool to find out which schools serve a certain address.

Family move tip: Moving with your family? If you move in the summer, school offices and registration teams will be very busy. Check your work early, and keep a PDF or screenshot of the final result for your notes.

Neighborhood comparisons and local “fit” signals

People may be talking about the city of Rockville or the Rockville-area, which includes unincorporated areas with their own service rules. Because of this, verifying an address is important for more than just schools. It’s also important for city services like trash collection and police-run parking tools.

In real life, there are three types of neighborhoods that people usually choose between: (1) Transit-first (close to Metro at Rockville or Twinbrook and easy to walk to), (2) Downtown convenience (close to the Town Center core and public services), and (3) Quieter residential blocks (feels more like single-family homes but still close to parks and major roads). Use the city’s official transit overview to base your ideas on when planning your journey.

Rockville’s Recreation and Parks Department takes care of “dozens of parks” and other facilities. If you want to see how your daily life will really be, you can look through the city’s official Places directory to find parks, community centers, and trails close to where you want to live.

Realtor links (for neighborhood-level comparisons): Realtor links let you compare homes in the same neighborhood. If you’re buying, you should work with a professional agent who can find comparable homes and explain how HOA or condo rules affect moves. Start with Find a REALTOR® (National Association of REALTORS®) and then confirm any city-specific restrictions (parking, loading, service zones) through official city pages.

Commute, Metro, bus options, and why your “drive time” estimate matters

On its transportation page, Rockville says: “Rockville is conveniently located along two Metrorail stops with easy access into Washington, D.C.” and names Rockville and Twinbrook as Red Line stations.

That is important for planning because taking public transportation is generally more reliable than driving during rush hour. There are links on the same page to WMATA (Metro) and Ride On (county buses), which are the best places to “officially start.”

Keep in mind that Rockville is on the I-270 route, which can get crowded every day if you’re driving. As a helpful dose of truth, the Census says that the average time it takes Rockville workers to get to work is 30.7 minutes (ACS 2020–2024).

Hiring movers, moving costs, and consumer protections that actually matter

Moving costs aren’t based on “miles” as much as people think. Things like stairs, elevators, long carries, fragile items, packing services, and the amount of time your building gives you can quickly change the numbers. That’s why the first thing you should do is get a written estimate based on a survey you do in person or online.

For moves between states, the FMCSA’s registered mover search says that movers must be legally registered and have a U.S. DOT number that you can check.

Federal rule worth knowing (quote): It’s important to know that the FMCSA says: “Under a non-binding estimate, the mover cannot require you to pay more than 110 percent… at the time of delivery.” (See Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move.)

Maryland has its own layer of safety for consumers if you are moving within the state. The Maryland Department of Labor Household Goods Movers Registration page says that a mover who uses a commercial motor vehicle to move household goods in the state must be registered.

Official quote (Maryland consumer verification): In an announcement from the Maryland Department of Labor, Secretary of Labor Portia Wu said: “This registry will make it possible for Maryland consumers to verify that moving companies carry insurance…” (see Maryland’s household goods mover registry announcement).

Permits, parking, and “don’t get ticketed on move day” rules

If the streets are small and the neighborhood is busy, the move might not work because the truck can’t legally park anywhere. This is one of the biggest problems that can be avoided when moving in the Rockville area.

There is an easy way to reserve curb space with the city. The Request Temporary No-Parking Signage page says that it can be used to reserve space for moving and other similar needs, and that requests must be made at least five business days in advance.

If you live in an area where parking permits are required, the city’s Apply for a Parking Permit page shows you where you can park, how many visitor permits you can get per household, and how much it costs to renew your permit.

Move-day checklist item most people miss: A common mistake people make on moving day is forgetting to ask their mover for a certificate of insurance (COI) if their building needs one. If they don’t, you could lose your elevator time slot.

Utilities and local services setup

Set up the “invisible” services early on to make the home liveable from the first day. These include trash rules, water and sewer bills, internet schedules, and parking rules.

Trash & recycling: The City of Rockville recycling/trash/yard waste page says that single-family homes and most townhouses within the city borders get weekly curbside service. It also has an official map that you can use to see if your address is in the city’s service area.

Water & sewer: The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) says that WSSC Water or municipalities, such as the City of Rockville, provide public water and sewer service. They also say that most properties in the city are served by City of Rockville systems, while some areas are served by WSSC. Start with the county page to find out “who provides service?” and then check with the utility company.

Transit setup: Set up your transit: If you want to take public transportation to get to work, start by looking at the city’s list of Metro stations and the straight links to WMATA and Ride On.

Moving checklist timeline