Experience small town charm close to our Nation's Capital...

Only 9 miles from Gaithersburg but a world away!

Poolesville is a charming, friendly small town (population just over 5,000) surrounded by the 93,000 acre Agricultural Reserve in the western part of Montgomery County. (Click here to see a map of the agricultural reserve with Poolesville marked or here to buy a map.) 

Life in Poolesville takes you back to days gone by -  its one of those rare places where everyone you meet says hello, the people in the restaurants and stores know you, and neighbors and friends watch out for each other.  In the summer, you'll hear the sounds of concerts and movies in the center of town.  The early fall brings homecoming parades and the sounds of football games in the distance.

Located on the northwestern side of the county between the Potomac River to the west and farmland to the east, the town covers 2,375 acres. The rural roads and landscapes look much as they did a century ago, with historic sites, farms and antique stores dotting the rolling hills.

Poolesville is a welcome retreat from the hustle and bustle of Washington, D.C. It's conveniently located near Frederick, Gaithersburg, Germantown, and Rockville, Maryland. Westward out of town, take a short ride on historic Whites Ferry to nearby Leesburg, Virginia.

Click here to see a more detailed map showing Poolesville in relation to Washington, D.C., Leesburg, Virginia, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Rockville, Bethesda, Frederick and Baltimore.

Almost nowhere else in the country can you enjoy small town country living so close to major metropolitan areas!

According to a recent market study, the average household income in Poolesville this year is estimated to be $121,521, while the average for the United States as a whole is estimated to be $65,849.   For town residents age 25 or older, 29.2 percent had earned a Bachelor’s degree, compared to 15.7 percent of the U.S. population, and 15.6 percent had earned a master’s, professional or doctorate degree, compared to 8.9 percent of the U.S. population, according to the survey.

Raymond Hoewing, in his book "Poolesville - 250 Years - Indians to the Internet," put it this way: "In 1999, the Washingtonian Magazine published a cover story on 'The Best Small Towns,' profiling its picks for the 10 best small towns in the Washington, D.C. and Virginia/Maryland region. Poolesville made the list. Ask most of the residents what they think of their hometown and you will hear certain comments over and over. They will tell you that there is a real sense of community here; they will say that people care for each other; they feel that the mix of old line families and shiny new arrivers makes for a rich culture; and they -- almost without fail -- revel in the serenity and beauty of the surrounding countryside. It may sound trite, but to many Poolesville is not a place but a lifestyle second to none." (Click here to email Ray if you would like more information about this informative book.)

Ray Hoewing and his family have lived in or near Poolesville for the past forty years. They found this part of the world an ideal place in which to raise a family. Ray conceived of this book as a kind of payback: to provide a brief, substantive and readable history of this wonderful area. His book, as well as others covering the history of Poolesville and the surrounding countryside, can be purchased at Crafts-A-Plenty or the John Poole House -- shops right in the heart of Poolesville.

Poolesville was first settled by English and German families in the 1740s. John and Joseph Poole, Sr., from Anne Arundel County, bought a 160-acre tract of land from Charles Hoskinson in 1760. If you've driven through Poolesville, these names will sound familiar. Many of the streets and parks in town are named after our founding families and people who helped shape the community since. Poolesville still has several houses from the 17th and 18th centuries clustered along the town square. The town, which is on the Register of Historic Places, was incorporated into the state of Maryland in 1867.

Come see Poolesville today - you won't be disappointed. Call Laura on 301-785-5889 to schedule a tour of the town, including the elementary school, middle school and high school, the many parks, the stores and restaurants, and the neighborhoods.

Click here for a more in-depth history of the town.

For more information, check out the Poolesville Master Plan or the Poolesville Online site.

View additional demographic information at the Maryland State Archives, Wikipedia, and the Poolesville Profile.