Gaithersburg, city, Montgomery County, central Maryland; platted 1769, incorporated 1878. Near Washington, D.C., it is the site of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The city is also the location of many biotechnology and information-technology firms. Manufactures include electrical and precision equipment. Gaithersburg is served by the Montgomery Airpark. The city is named for Benjamin Gaither, an early settler. The major population growth occurred in the 1970s and 1980s due to the many government and high-technology employers nearby. Population 26,424 (1980); 39,542 (1990); 52,613 (2000).
