Housing data for Bethesda, MD
Bethesda, MD has an estimated 69,397 residents and 30,095 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is an unincorporated community in Montgomery County.
36.0% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $2,469 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+9.8%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 69,397 (±2,523)
- Housing units
- 30,095 (±689)
- Households that rent
- 36.0%
- Median gross rent
- $2,469
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +9.8%
What stands out in Bethesda
Median home value: $1,169,900 (±$23,157) in Bethesda, higher than in Montgomery County ($640,300).
Median household income: $192,237 (±$6,260) in Bethesda, higher than in Montgomery County ($132,450).
Working from home: 38.0% (±2.0 points) in Bethesda, higher than in Montgomery County (28.3%).
Median gross rent: $2,469 (±$92) in Bethesda, higher than in Montgomery County ($2,068).
- Home values in Bethesda
- Income and affordability in Bethesda
- Commute and cars in Bethesda
- Median rent in Bethesda
Housing in Bethesda at a glance
- Median rent: $2,469 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $2,676 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 46.2% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 36.0% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $192,237 median household income
- Home values: $1,169,900 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $4,000 or more median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $10,000 or more median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 41.6% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 56.3% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 61.4% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 5.9% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 61.6% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 27.7 minutes average trip to work
- Growth: +9.8% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 30.3% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 1.4% of homes have more than 1 person per room
- Fair Market Rent: $2,980 Small Area FMR, 2 bedrooms (ZIP 20889)
Bethesda against Montgomery County, its state and the nation
| Bethesda | Montgomery County | Maryland | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 69,397 (±2,523) | 1,065,949 (exact) | 6,206,011 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 30,095 (±689) | 406,531 (±227) | 2,560,784 (±424) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 36.0% (±1.6 points) | 34.7% (±0.6 points) | 32.4% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $2,469 (±$92) | $2,068 (±$20) | $1,705 (±$8) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $192,237 (±$6,260) | $132,450 (±$2,073) | $103,678 (±$597) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $1,169,900 (±$23,157) | $640,300 (±$5,098) | $419,900 (±$1,385) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $10,000 or more | $5,539 (±$62) | $4,093 (±$21) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 61.4% (±2.8 points) | 49.3% (±0.7 points) | 51.2% (±0.4 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 27.7 minutes (±0.9) | 31.9 minutes (±0.4) | 31.1 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 97.0% (±0.8 points) | 95.7% (±0.3 points) | 92.4% (±0.2 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 42.8 years (±1.0) | 40.2 years (±0.2) | 39.4 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
Bethesda covers 13.3 square miles of land, about 5,233 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Bethesda has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 63,195 (±962) | 69,397 (±2,523) | +9.8% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 27,809 (±282) | 30,095 (±689) | +8.2% | Measurable increase |
| Median gross rent | $2,026 (±$74) | $2,469 (±$92) | +21.9% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $911,000 (±$15,077) | $1,169,900 (±$23,157) | +28.4% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $164,142 (±$6,296) | $192,237 (±$6,260) | +17.1% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 33.9% (±1.5 points) | 36.0% (±1.6 points) | +2.1 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.5% (±1.6 points) | 5.9% (±1.8 points) | +1.4 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Montgomery County
Bethesda has no police department of its own in the FBI’s figures, so this is the figure for Montgomery County as a whole.
In 2025, the police departments that report for Montgomery County recorded 169 violent and 1,549 property crimes per 100,000 residents.
A county-wide figure describes the whole county, not this place; crime varies from one community to the next.
ZIP codes in Bethesda
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20889 | 100% | 584 | — | — | — |
| 20892 | 100% | 0 | — | — | — |
| 20894 | 100% | 0 | — | — | — |
| 20816 | 64% | 18,140 | $2,674 | $1,217,200 | $232,656 |
| 20814 | 63% | 32,795 | $2,333 | $989,600 | $150,996 |
| 20817 | 47% | 37,454 | $3,185 | $1,183,600 | $249,332 |
| 20815 | 17% | 30,505 | $2,488 | $1,294,200 | $194,971 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Bethesda
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glen Echo | 1.8 mi | — | $1,163,500 | 1.0% |
| Somerset | 1.9 mi | $3,500 or more | $1,775,000 | 12.2% |
| Chevy Chase | 1.9 mi | $3,500 or more | $1,670,600 | 6.3% |
| Friendship Heights Village | 2.3 mi | $2,289 | $484,300 | 61.4% |
| Chevy Chase (community) | 2.4 mi | $3,500 or more | $1,245,000 | 24.1% |
| Brookmont | 2.4 mi | $2,878 | $1,361,100 | 20.3% |
| Chevy Chase Section Five | 2.4 mi | $3,500 or more | $1,643,100 | 10.6% |
| Chevy Chase Village | 2.4 mi | $3,500 or more | $2,000,000 or more | 3.7% |
Places in Maryland most like Bethesda
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kensington | $2,076 | $943,500 | $152,284 | 49.5% |
| Rockville | $2,274 | $682,300 | $128,649 | 47.4% |
| Potomac | $2,887 | $1,157,000 | $236,675 | 15.2% |
| North Bethesda | $2,191 | $731,800 | $129,092 | 49.6% |
| Brookmont | $2,878 | $1,361,100 | $247,150 | 20.3% |
| Ellicott City | $2,061 | $661,700 | $156,964 | 28.0% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Maryland.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Bethesda, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,111 | $2,204 | $2,438 | $3,107 | $3,658 |
HUD also publishes a Small Area Fair Market Rent for each ZIP code in the area; the Fair Market Rent page for this place lists its ZIP codes.
HUD income limits for Bethesda, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $34,900 | $58,150 | $74,800 |
| 2 people | $39,900 | $66,450 | $85,450 |
| 3 people | $44,900 | $74,750 | $96,150 |
| 4 people | $49,850 | $83,050 | $106,800 |
| 5 people | $53,850 | $89,700 | $115,350 |
| 6 people | $57,850 | $96,350 | $123,900 |
| 7 people | $61,850 | $103,000 | $132,450 |
| 8 people | $65,850 | $109,650 | $141,000 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $166,100.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Bethesda is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for statistics, with no municipal government of its own.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Bethesda
What is the average rent in Bethesda, MD?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Bethesda is $2,469 (±$92) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Bethesda?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Bethesda, MD is $2,207 (±$74) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in Bethesda rent-burdened?
46.2% of renting households in Bethesda pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Bethesda?
Bethesda has an estimated 10,069 (±569) renting households, 36.0% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Bethesda?
The median household income in Bethesda is $192,237 (±$6,260) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Bethesda, MD?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $1,169,900 (±$23,157) for owner-occupied homes in Bethesda (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Bethesda growing?
In Bethesda, the number of residents went from 63,195 in 2015–2019 to 69,397 in 2020–2024 (+9.8%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in Bethesda?
The ZIP codes that cover Bethesda are 20889, 20892, 20894, 20816, 20814, 20817, 20815.
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Bethesda CDP, Maryland
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Bethesda CDP, Maryland
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Bethesda CDP, Maryland
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Bethesda CDP, Maryland
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Bethesda CDP, Maryland
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Bethesda CDP, Maryland
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Bethesda CDP, Maryland
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Bethesda CDP, Maryland (place:07125, in state:24).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .