Potomac

Potomac is a town of prestige and prosperity. In 2013, CNNMoney crowned Potomac the most affluent town in the United States based on median household income. The town's residents, known for their academic accomplishments, also earned the seventh-place spot on Forbes' top-educated American small towns. With a median income of over $240,000, Bloomberg Businessweek named Potomac as the twenty-ninth-richest zip code in the United States. In 2018, Potomac took the sixth-place position for wealthiest cities in the country, according to the American Community Survey. The Higley Elite 100 listed Potomac as home to four of the highest-income neighborhoods in the United States, with "Carderock-The Palisades" taking the top spot.

Potomac began as a small, rural community called Offutts Crossroads in the 18th century. By the time of the Civil War, it had grown to a community of 100 people with two general stores, a blacksmith shop, and a post office. In 1881, Irishman and Civil War veteran John McDonald petitioned for the name change to Potomac, as postal officials preferred brief names.

Potomac saw growth in the 20th century, with residential structures being built in the northern section of Falls Road in the 1920s and 1930s. The town's suburbanization began in the 1950s, and strip malls and modern office buildings replaced some of the original buildings in Potomac Village. However, many of the old farmhouses remain in the surrounding area, confined within suburban developments. The Perry Store, which was restored and moved 21 feet in 1986, still stands as part of a bank. Today, Potomac is a prosperous town that holds a rich history and continues to thrive.