Aspen Hill, Maryland

Aspen Hill, Maryland
census-designated place
Location of Aspen Hill, Maryland
Country	United States of America
State	Maryland
County	Montgomery
Area
• Total	10.5 sq mi (27.3 km2)
• Land	10.5 sq mi (27.1 km2)
• Water	0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2)
Elevation	328 ft (100 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	48,759
• Density	4,799.2/sq mi (1,853.0/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	20853, 20906, 20916
Area code	301
FIPS code	24-02825
GNIS feature ID	0589663

Aspen Hill is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Montgomery County, Maryland. It got its name from aspen trees that once were found near the first post office in the area. The post office was located in a general store on what was then known as the Washington-Brookeville Pike (now the intersection of Connecticut and Georgia Avenues) and opened around 1864.

Aspen Hill was one of the locations in which a fatal shooting took place in October 2002 as part of the Beltway sniper attacks.

Geography

As an unincorporated area, Aspen Hill's boundaries are not officially defined. The United States Postal Service does not even use the name Aspen Hill (except as a station name in the Silver Spring Post Office), preferring to divide it between Rockville, Silver Spring, and Wheaton.

Some addresses are referenced as Wheaton (20906), notably in the Aspen Hill Shopping Center, while immediately across Aspen Hill Road at the Northgate Plaza Shopping Center, the addresses are in Silver Spring (20906). Immediately to the west across Connecticut Avenue, addresses are given as being in Rockville (20853). As a result, statistics such as crime statistics which are reasonably considered as belonging to Aspen Hill are buried in the statistics of three different areas. Aspen Hill straddles a corner where three statistical areas meet in what locals consider the commercial heart of Aspen Hill.

The United States Census Bureau, defines Aspen Hill as a census-designated place located at 39°6' North, 77°5' West. In the 2000 Census Bureau Gazetteer, Aspen Hill was located at 39°5′19″N 77°4′49″W (39.088525, -77.080267).

The United States Geological Survey definition of Aspen Hill is centered at 39°4′46″N 77°4′24″W, somewhat different from either of the Census Bureau's definitions.

Other organizations, such as the Aspen Hill Civic Association, Inc., have their own definitions. The organizational membership bounds of the Civic Association do not include any areas to the east of Georgia Avenue. Other local resources such as the Montgomery Gazette and the Washington Post use a more broad definition. Generally speaking, if it is not a part of Manor Country Club or Leisure World, and is south of Norbeck Road and north of Veirs Mill Road, east of Rock Creek and west of Bel Pre Creek or Matthew Henson State Park or Matthew Henson Greenway, the local media consider it to be Aspen Hill.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the community has a total area of 10.5 square miles (27 km²), of which, 10.5 square miles (27 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²) of it (0.57%) is water.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1970	16,887		—
1980	47,455		181.0%
1990	45,494		−4.1%
2000	50,228		10.4%
2010	48,759		−2.9%
source:

As of the census of 2000, there were 50,228 people, 18,187 households, and 13,076 families residing in the community. The population density was 4,799.2 people per square mile (1,852.3/km²). There were 18,565 housing units at an average density of 1,773.9 per square mile (684.6/km²). The racial makeup of the area was 55.60% White, 20.98% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 11.51% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 7.48% from other races, and 4.04% from two or more races. 15.44% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 18,187 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 21.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the area the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.7 males.

The median income for a household in the area was $63,340, and the median income for a family was $73,736 (these figures had risen to $75,014 and $81,474 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $44,341 versus $36,739 for females. The per capita income for the area was $27,905. About 4.6% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.