North Potomac is a census-designated place and unincorporated area in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States.

[3] The region's land was originally used for growing tobacco, which was replaced by wheat and dairy farming after the soil became depleted.

Today, the community benefits from its proximity to workplaces such as the Shady Grove Hospital area and the I-270 Technology Corridor.

Captain John Smith explored the Potomac River in 1608 and mapped the area, including land that would become Montgomery County.

[6] Originally, the land around present-day North Potomac was used by European settlers to grow tobacco and corn.

Wealthy individuals began buying property in the Potomac area as part of their search for land where they could ride horses and hunt.

Mortgage banker Frederick Harting established this training facility, for horses and riders, in the early 1960s.

[16] In 1970, the United States Census Bureau considered North Potomac an unincorporated place that was part of the Darnestown and Travilah areas.

[12] In late 1989, the United States Postal Service approved the North Potomac name for a region surrounded by the Montgomery County communities of Darnestown, Travilah, Gaithersburg and Rockville.

[22] Construction of the C&O Canal, which began in the 1830s and was completed in 1850, opened the region to important markets and lowered shipping costs.

[23] After DuFief established this mill and its access to the canal, more roads were constructed, which enabled him to serve farmers from as far away as Germantown and Damascus in addition to the local growers.

The Darnestown CDP along Jones Lane and Turkey Foot Road forms the western boundary.

[28] According to the United States Census Bureau, North Potomac has a total area of 6.6 square miles (17 km2), virtually all land.

[33] The United States Geological Survey lists two features in Montgomery County with North Potomac in all or part of their name.

[38] As of 2018 estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau, North Potomac has a population of 24,148 with a median household income of $159,232 and a poverty rate of 2.3 percent.

[43] In 2019, Money Inc. named North Potomac the best place to live in Maryland because of great schools, low crime, and a booming job market.

[54] Station 31 is located further west near Quince Orchard, and is a Rockville Fire Department that provides services for the county.

[55] The data based on the Census Bureau 2012 Survey of Business Owners lists 2,292 firms in North Potomac.

[56] North Potomac is close to major employers such as Shady Grove Hospital and the technology companies along Interstate 270.

[57] North Potomac residents who commute further distances to work typically use Interstate 270 or the Shady Grove subway station on the Washington Metro system, which serves the region.

[33] North Potomac residents have two shopping centers located within its 2010 census CDP boundaries and several others in the nearby area.

[60] Maryland Route 28, a state highway, connects North Potomac with Rockville and provides access to Interstate 270.

[67] The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection provides for curbside garbage, recycling, and yard waste collection and disposal.

[69] The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) provides water and wastewater treatment for North Potomac.

[70] Drinking water comes from the WSSC treatment facility on the Potomac River, while sewage is treated at a plant in the District of Columbia.

[71] The nearest general hospital is the Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville.

[75][Note 2] Wootton High School is located in Rockville, on the east side of the North Potomac CDP.

[33] In 2019, U.S. News & World Report ranked Wootton High School 2nd highest in Maryland and 125th in the nation.

Three Montgomery College campuses and online classes serve about 54,000 students offering associate degrees and courses that will transfer to other institutions.

[91] Nancy H. Dacek North Potomac Recreation Center is located on Travilah Road adjacent to the county's Big Pines Local Park.