Welcome to Rockville, a friendly little community located in Montgomery County, home to some of Washington, DC’s most desirable suburbs. Let’s get started on your apartment hunt so you can call it home ASAP.
What to Expect
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Welcome to Rockville, a friendly little community located in Montgomery County, home to some of Washington, DC’s most desirable suburbs. Let’s get started on your apartment hunt so you can call it home ASAP.
What to Expect
On good days—that is the weekends—Rockville residents can get into downtown DC in about 40 minutes. Proximity to the city, as well as its own identity as home to some of the East Coast’s largest technology companies, has made Rockville a highly developed and desirable city.
In addition, Rockville has numerous malls and shopping centers that vary from upscale chain retail stores to independently owned boutiques. In fact, Rockville attracts a wide variety of shoppers from most cities in suburban Maryland to Washington DC itself. Great dining and upscale bars can also be found at Rockville’s many shopping centers.
The city of Rockville has a good mix of historical areas and new developments. Parts of town have large 100-year-old historical homes, while others are replete with mixed-use New Urbanist developments with every amenity a modern family could need.
The population is likewise mixed throughout town, so you won’t have a hard time finding single buddies to journey into DC for a night on the town, or young families for play dates in one of the city’s many parks.
All of this diversity and development comes with a pretty significant price tag. For DC-area suburbs, Rockville rentals generally fall squarely in the middle, between higher-priced areas like Bethesda and farther-flung towns like Gaithersburg.
Town Square
Beginning in the early part of the millennium, Rockville urban development projects engaged in a series of attempts to renovate the plighted downtown area. Over the past decade new condo and apartment complexes have gone up, as well as independent bars and restaurants and posh boutiques. The Rockville Town Square draws in a mix of singles and families, due to its proximity to the Rockville Metro station. Apartments in this area are some of the most expensive in town, with two bedrooms ranging from $2000-2500.
North Rockville
Apartment complexes and condos within large, planned communities dominate the north Rockville rental market. For instance, the King Farm development in this region has all types of real estate available, as well as a small commercial and shopping center within the development. Additionally, there are rental areas designated specifically for seniors, singles, and families. Many of the developments in North Rockville also provide free shuttle service to the downtown Metro station. Two bedrooms in this region generally range from $1650-1900.
Renters tout the pool and playground in their reviews of Scarborough Square Apartments. The family-friendly atmosphere and responsive staff gives renters a sense of belonging to a welcoming community.
West and South
West Rockville is home to several large historical houses, many of which are private single-family residences. There are, however, frequently small studio rentals in this area, as well as in smaller developments and complexes. South Rockville also has a number of desirable developments with the added benefit of being close to the Twinbrook Metro station. Two bedrooms in this area generally range from $1600-1850.
Residents are over the moon about the amenities at Westchester Rockville Station Apartments, as is clear in their reviews of the community. The pool table, resort-like pool, and roomy interiors keep the residents very happy to call this place home.
East Rockville
Most Rockville residents will tell you that the eastern portion of the city is generally considered the least desirable. In particular, directly east of Town Square there is a small area of undesirable property, where there is a higher crime rate than in other parts of the city. However, if you look hard enough, you can even find pretty decent rentals in this part of town that are reasonably safe and slightly cheaper. Two bedrooms on the east side range from $1550-1800 – a price tag that means some folks think East Rockville is plenty desirable – especially for Asian food and little pubs.
Because there is such a large and diverse rental market in Rockville, your apartment search can take on many different forms. If you’re eager to settle in one of the city’s many planned communities, rentals are operated through management companies and community boards. If you’d like to live outside of a planned community, your best bet will probably be to enlist the help of a real estate agent. Be prepared to shell out some fees of up to 10% your annual rent for this service.
Getting Around
Rockville is located on the I-270 corridor, which means that it’s easily accessible to other Maryland suburbs, as well as DC proper. Most people in Rockville commute into DC by car or the Metro. True to its reputation, DC area traffic during rush hour from Rockville can double or sometimes even triple your commute time into the city. Count your blessings if you’re commuting to a neighboring town in the opposite direction, like Gaithersburg or Germantown.
As previously mentioned, Rockville has two Metro stops on the Red Line, which will get you to Dupont Circle in about 30 minutes. Park-and-ride is available for a fee during the week and free on weekends. The city is also serviced by the Montgomery County Ride On bus system, which will get you around Rockville and into neighboring towns.
So welcome to Rockville! Despite its semi-high rental rates, you’ll be sure to find an apartment that suits your needs pretty much anywhere in town.
