Median Income
$185,546
household / year
Median Home Value
$1,088,000
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$2,312
gross / month
Cost of Living
109
national avg = 100

Is Bethesda, MD a Good Place to Live?

Bethesda is a mid-sized city of 66,316 in Maryland, with a median household income of $185,546 and a 3.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 109 (US average = 100), which is 9% above the national average.

Strengths: Bethesda stands out for solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Bethesda is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Bethesda city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 108.6

Bethesda's overall cost of living index is 108.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Bethesda costs roughly 9% more than the average American city.

Metric Bethesda, MD National Avg
Median Home Value $1,088,000 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $2,312 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 65.1% 65.9%
Median Household Income $185,546 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Crime data for Bethesda is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.

Schools & Education

Bethesda is served primarily by Montgomery County Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.8:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Bethesda, MD National Avg
School District Montgomery County Public Schools —
Elementary Schools 138 —
Middle Schools 40 —
High Schools 29 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 13.8:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 87.7% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 97.7% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Bethesda sees average highs of 42.9°F in January and 88.2°F in July, with 48.5 inches of annual precipitation and 5.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricBethesda, MD
Average High — January42.9°F
Average High — July88.2°F
Annual Precipitation48.5"
Annual Snowfall5.8"

Demographics

MetricBethesda, MDNational Avg
Population66,316—
Median Age43.538.9
Unemployment Rate3.2%3.7%
Avg Commute Time29.2 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)73.4%59.3%
Black or African American4.9%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino6.2%18.9%
Asian11.7%6.3%
Under 1822.9%22.2%
65 and over18.7%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Glen Echo, MD 2 mi Somerset, MD 2 mi Chevy Chase, MD 2 mi Friendship Heights Village, MD 2 mi Chevy Chase, MD 2 mi

ZIP Codes in Bethesda

Bethesda, MD is covered by 6 ZIP codes:

20817 20814 20816 20889 20894 20892

Bethesda vs Other Cities

Bethesda, MD vs Glen Echo, MD Bethesda, MD vs Somerset, MD Bethesda, MD vs Chevy Chase, MD Bethesda, MD vs Friendship Heights Village, MD Bethesda, MD vs Chevy Chase, MD

Frequently Asked Questions

Bethesda's cost of living index is 109, where 100 is the national average. That puts Bethesda roughly 9% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $1,088,000 and median rent is $2,312/month.
Crime data for Bethesda is not available in the current FBI UCR reporting year. Not all jurisdictions submit data annually.
Public schools in Bethesda are operated by Montgomery County Public Schools. The district has 138 elementary, 40 middle, and 29 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.8:1. 87.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Bethesda, MD has a population of 66,316, a median household income of $185,546, and an unemployment rate of 3.2%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Bethesda averages 42.9°F in January and 88.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 48.5 inches with about 5.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Bethesda, MD is covered by 6 ZIP codes: 20817, 20814, 20816, 20889, 20894, 20892.
The population of Bethesda, Maryland is 66,316 with a median age of 43.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Bethesda: cost of living index 109 (100 = US average), median home $1,088,000, median household income $185,546, schools rated A. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Bethesda side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.