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Living in Olney

A suburban community about 13 miles north of Washington DC, built around the crossroads of Georgia Avenue and Route 108. Detached houses and townhomes from the 1970s through the 1990s surround a town center of shops, a hospital and Olney Theatre Center.
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Living in Olney

An overview of Olney’s town center, its subdivisions and parks, and how the housing market behaves.
Olney is an unincorporated community in northern Montgomery County, about 13 miles north of Washington DC. Its center is the crossroads of Georgia Avenue, which is Maryland Route 97, and Olney-Laytonsville Road, Route 108. This guide follows the Olney census-designated place, which runs from the Norbeck Road area in the south to the edge of Brookeville in the north. Some homes inside it carry Rockville, Silver Spring or Brookeville mailing addresses. Most of the housing was built between the 1970s and the 1990s, with the 1980s the largest decade by a wide margin. Detached houses on subdivision lots account for a little over half of recent sales, in communities such as James Creek, Hallowell, Cherrywood and Olney Oaks. Townhomes make up roughly a third, with Williamsburg Village and Homeland Village among the most active. A smaller group of garden-style condominiums provides the lowest price point. Daily errands concentrate at the crossroads, where several shopping centers hold grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants and services. MedStar Montgomery Medical Center is a short distance east of the crossroads. Olney Theatre Center, founded in 1938 and one of two state theaters of Maryland, is east on Route 108. Olney Manor Park, home of the Olney Swim Center, is on Georgia Avenue, and the area also includes Longwood, Cherrywood, Bowie Mill and Southeast Olney parks. There is no Metrorail station in Olney. Glenmont, the northern end of the Red Line, is several miles south on Georgia Avenue. Metrobus M22 runs between MedStar Montgomery Medical Center and Bethesda station, and the Georgia Avenue park-and-ride at the Intercounty Connector has weekday M20 service to Silver Spring. By car, the Intercounty Connector, Route 200, crosses Georgia Avenue at the south end of Olney and links to Interstate 270 and Interstate 95. I’m glad to compare subdivisions, walk through recent sales, or explain how homeowner association fees differ across Olney.

Key Highlights:

  • Housing character — Detached houses and townhomes built mostly from the 1970s through the 1990s, with a smaller condominium segment
  • Green space — Olney Manor Park with the Olney Swim Center, plus Longwood, Cherrywood, Bowie Mill and Southeast Olney parks
  • Daily essentials — Several shopping centers with grocery stores at Georgia Avenue and Route 108; MedStar Montgomery Medical Center nearby
  • Transit — No Metrorail; Metrobus M22 to Bethesda station, Glenmont Red Line station to the south, and the Intercounty Connector for drivers
  • Schools — Montgomery County Public Schools; Sherwood, Magruder and Blake high schools serve parts of Olney, confirm any address with the district's school assignment tool
  • Market character — About 286 sales a year at a median near $647,500, with a median of seven days to contract
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Olney Real Estate FAQs

Insight into the nuances of buying and selling in one of the country’s most complex urban markets.

Olney is known for its town center at Georgia Avenue and Route 108, Olney Theatre Center, founded in 1938, and its subdivisions of detached houses and townhomes surrounded by county parkland.
Olney is in northern Montgomery County, about 13 miles north of Washington DC. It lies north of Norbeck Road and the Intercounty Connector, south of Brookeville and west of Sandy Spring.
No. The nearest Red Line station is Glenmont, several miles south on Georgia Avenue. Metrobus M22 connects MedStar Montgomery Medical Center with Bethesda station, and M20 runs from the Georgia Avenue park-and-ride at the Intercounty Connector on weekdays.
Detached houses made up 156 of 286 recent sales, townhomes and semi-detached homes about 100, and condominiums 30. Most were built between the 1970s and the 1990s.
The overall median sale price was about $647,500. By type, medians were roughly $818,000 for detached houses, $518,500 for townhomes and $297,500 for condominiums.
The median time to contract was seven days, and sellers received about 99 percent of original list price on average. A little over half of sales closed at or above the original list price.
Shopping centers at the Georgia Avenue and Route 108 crossroads hold grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants and everyday services. Larger regional retail is south toward Aspen Hill, Wheaton and Rockville.
Olney is in Montgomery County Public Schools. Elementary schools include Olney, Brooke Grove, Belmont, Cashell and Sherwood; middle schools are Rosa Parks and William H. Farquhar; and high schools include Sherwood, Magruder and Blake depending on address. Confirm with the district’s school assignment tool.

Location & Neighborhood

Northern Montgomery County, centered on Georgia Avenue and Route 108, about 13 miles north of Washington DC.

This page follows the Olney census-designated place. Its southern edge is near Norbeck Road and the Intercounty Connector, the western edge runs along the stream valley parkland toward Bowie Mill Road, the northern edge meets Brookeville, and the eastern edge approaches Sandy Spring. Georgia Avenue runs north to south through the middle and Route 108 crosses it at the town center, where the shopping centers and the hospital are. The subdivisions of detached houses and townhomes fill the four quadrants around that crossroads, with Olney Manor Park on Georgia Avenue to the south.

A Crossroads With Highway Access

Georgia Avenue is the main route south to Glenmont, Wheaton and Silver Spring, and Route 108 runs west toward Laytonsville and east toward Sandy Spring and Ashton. The Intercounty Connector, a toll road, crosses Georgia Avenue at the south end of Olney and reaches Interstate 270 to the west and Interstate 95 to the east. Metrobus M22 runs from the hospital down Georgia Avenue and Connecticut Avenue to Bethesda station.

Nearly all errands can be done at the crossroads: grocery stores, pharmacies, banks, restaurants and medical offices are spread across several adjoining shopping centers. MedStar Montgomery Medical Center provides hospital and emergency care in the community. The Olney Library is near the crossroads, and the Olney Swim Center is at Olney Manor Park on Georgia Avenue.

Neighboring Area:

  • Brookeville — north, the small historic town on Georgia Avenue
  • Sandy Spring — east, along Route 108
  • Aspen Hill — south, below Norbeck Road on Georgia Avenue
  • Derwood — southwest, toward Shady Grove and the Red Line
  • Laytonsville — northwest, along Route 108

A Day In The Life - Snapshot

The quick details buyers ask about most.

Metro Access
No Metrorail in Olney. Glenmont on the Red Line is several miles south on Georgia Avenue; Metrobus M22 runs from MedStar Montgomery Medical Center to Bethesda station.
Walkability
Sidewalks and paths link many subdivisions to the town center, and homes near the crossroads can walk to shops. Most of Olney is laid out for driving.
Typical Home Types
Detached colonials and split-levels on subdivision lots, townhomes in planned communities, and garden-style condominiums, most built from the 1970s through the 1990s.
Parking
Driveways and garages are common with detached houses. Townhome and condominium communities typically use assigned or shared surface lots, and the shopping centers have free parking.
Vibe
Curving subdivision streets and cul-de-sacs with mature trees, a low-rise commercial center at the crossroads, and steady traffic on Georgia Avenue at commuting hours.
Best For
Buyers who want a detached house or townhome with a yard or garage near a full-service town center, and who accept a drive or bus ride to Metrorail.

Olney Market Snapshot

A high-level look at current pricing, demand, and sales activity in the Olney real estate market.
$647,500

Median Sales Price

$280

Median Price Per Sq Ft

7

Median Days On Market

286

Annual Closed Sales

-4.1%

YoY Median Price Change

Olney is primarily a detached-house market with a large townhome segment, about a third of sales, and a smaller group of condominiums. The snapshot covers every closed sale inside the Census-defined Olney boundary over the trailing twelve months through September 2026 — 156 detached houses, 100 townhouses and semi-detached homes, and 30 condominiums. Price per square foot uses interior living area.

Across all home types the median sale was $647,500 at about $280 per square foot, with a median of 7 days on market and sales averaging 99% of original list price. The median fell about 4% from the prior twelve months. Within segments, the detached median rose about 2% to $818,000 and the townhouse median rose about 3% to $518,000.

Market data reflects recent 12-month activity. Individual buildings may vary.

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Homes for Sale in Olney

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Recently Sold

Recently Sold in Olney

Closed sales from the past 12 months — the comps that set today’s pricing.

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In-Depth Market Analysis

Olney Market Insights

How pricing trends, absorption rates, and inventory levels are shaping buying and selling

Inventory & Absorption

Olney recorded 286 closed sales in the past twelve months, slightly below 298 the year before. Detached houses accounted for 156, townhomes and semi-detached homes for 100, and condominiums for 30. Homes moved quickly across all three types, with a median of seven days to contract, about the same pace as a year earlier. Inventory turns over fast and choice at any moment is limited.

Pricing Dynamics

The overall median of about $647,500 was roughly 4 percent below the prior year’s $675,000, but that reflects the mix of homes sold. Detached medians rose to about $818,000 from $800,000 and townhome medians to $518,500 from $503,000. The median price per square foot held at $280. Sellers received about 99 percent of original list price on average.

Buyer Profile

Demand is broad. Detached houses and townhomes both went under contract in about a week, and 152 of 286 sales closed at or above the original list price. Townhomes between roughly $450,000 and $600,000 and detached houses around $700,000 to $950,000 made up the bulk of activity. Condominiums, with a median near $297,500, averaged about 97 percent of original list price.

Strategic Outlook

Prices by home type edged up while price per square foot stayed flat and fewer sales closed at or above the original list price than a year earlier, 152 against 198. That suggests a market that remains fast but is a little less heated. Homes that are well prepared and priced to recent sales should continue to sell quickly; overpriced listings have less room than before.

Market Position Overview:

Inventory Level: Balanced with selective competition

Negotiation Environment: Moderate flexibility

Typical Days on Market: 25-45 (well-priced units)

Rental Demand: Consistent due to transit proximity

Long- Term Outlook: Stable, walkability-driven value

Olney Housing & Architecture

Subdivisions of detached houses and townhomes from the 1970s through the 1990s around a crossroads town center.
1970s and 1980s Detached Houses
Colonials, split-levels and split-foyers on subdivision lots are the core of Olney’s housing. The 1980s were the largest building decade among recent sales, followed by the 1990s and 1970s. Detached houses sold at a median near $818,000.
Townhome Communities
Townhomes account for about a third of sales, at a median near $518,500. Williamsburg Village had the most sales of any named community in the past twelve months, and Homeland Village and Camelback Village were also active.
James Creek and Hallowell
James Creek and Hallowell were among the most active communities for recent sales, with 23 and 15 closings. Both are planned subdivisions from the main building decades here; association fees and what they cover differ by community, so compare them before choosing.
Garden-Style Condominiums
Thirty condominiums sold in the past twelve months at a median near $297,500, the lowest price point in Olney. They are low-rise buildings with surface parking; monthly fees vary by community and deserve a close look.
Newer Infill Construction
A smaller number of homes date from the 2010s and 2020s, built on the remaining infill sites. Twenty-five recent sales came from these two decades, offering more recent systems and floor plans than the 1970s and 1980s houses around them.
Older Houses and Larger Lots
A handful of houses from the 1930s through the 1960s remain along the older roads, often on larger or irregular lots. They predate the subdivisions and vary widely in size, condition and updates.

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