Housing data for ZIP code 20817

ZIP code 20817 has an estimated 37,454 residents and 14,357 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Most of its land lies in Bethesda, Montgomery County.

18.6% of households rent.

The median gross rent is $3,185 (±$478) a month.

The median home value is $1,183,600 (±$25,688).

The median household income is $249,332 (±$9,996) a year.

Figures last updated on .

Residents
37,454 (±1,631)
Median gross rent
$3,185
Median home value
$1,183,600
Households that rent
18.6%

How ZIP code 20817 compares

Estimate (90% margin of error)
ZIP 20817BethesdaMontgomery CountyMarylandUnited States
Residents37,454 (±1,631)69,3971,065,9496,206,011334,922,499
Housing units14,357 (±505)30,095406,5312,560,784143,775,355
Households that rent18.6% (±2.2 points)36.0%34.7%32.4%34.8%
Median gross rent$3,185 (±$478)$2,469$2,068$1,705$1,413
Median home value$1,183,600 (±$25,688)$1,169,900$640,300$419,900$332,700
Median household income$249,332 (±$9,996)$192,237$132,450$103,678$80,734
Median real estate taxes (a year)$10,000 or more$10,000 or more$5,539$4,093$3,119
Renters paying 30% or more of income42.4% (±8.6 points)46.2%51.6%51.5%51.1%
Built before 198065.9% (±3.8 points)61.4%49.3%51.2%49.7%
Average commute29.1 minutes (±0.9)27.7 minutes31.9 minutes31.1 minutes26.4 minutes
Households with broadband97.1% (±1.0 points)97.0%95.7%92.4%91.0%
Median age of residents45.8 years (±0.8)42.8 years40.2 years39.4 years38.9 years

In ZIP 20817, median gross rent is higher than in Montgomery County ($2,068).

It is also higher than in Maryland ($1,705).

It is higher than the national figure ($1,413).

The median gross rent in ZIP code 20817 is higher than in Bethesda as a whole ($2,469).

Its median home value is not measurably different from Bethesda as a whole ($1,169,900).

Among the 37 ZIP codes in Montgomery County with a published estimate, ZIP 20817 ranks 3 from highest to lowest median gross rent.

Among the 44 ZIP codes in Montgomery County with a published estimate, ZIP 20817 ranks 4 from highest to lowest median home value.

Among the 44 ZIP codes in Montgomery County with a published estimate, ZIP 20817 ranks 4 from highest to lowest median household income.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

Rent in ZIP code 20817

Share of rented homes in each gross-rent range, 2020–2024
Monthly gross rentZIP 20817Montgomery CountyMarylandUnited States
Less than $5006.6% (±3.0 points)3.0%5.5%6.3%
$500 to $9995.2% (±3.8 points)3.1%9.2%20.2%
$1,000 to $1,4992.8% (±2.0 points)9.3%22.9%28.1%
$1,500 to $1,99912.4% (±5.7 points)31.1%30.1%21.1%
$2,000 to $2,49912.1% (±5.2 points)26.3%18.3%12.0%
$2,500 to $2,9997.8% (±3.7 points)12.7%7.7%5.5%
$3,000 or more53.1% (±7.7 points)14.6%6.2%6.8%

The most common range is $3,000 or more, paid by 53.1% of renting households.

Rent by bedrooms in ZIP code 20817

Census median gross rent beside HUD’s fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rent, dollars a month
BedroomsCensus medianHUD Small Area Fair Market Rent
Studio—$3,170
1 bedroom$1,882 (±$281)$3,310
2 bedrooms$1,800 (±$344)$3,660
3 bedrooms$3,354 (±$298)$4,660
4 bedrooms$3,500 or more$5,490

HUD’s fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in ZIP 20817 is $3,660 a month.

A Fair Market Rent is HUD’s estimate of the gross rent (shelter plus utilities) of a modest rental home in the area.

Rent burden in ZIP code 20817

Renting households by gross rent as a percentage of household income, 2020–2024
Share of income spent on rentZIP 20817Montgomery CountyMarylandUnited States
Less than 15%10.2% (±4.6 points)10.7%11.5%12.6%
15% to 19.9%11.0% (±5.4 points)12.3%12.0%12.2%
20% to 24.9%16.4% (±9.1 points)13.4%13.1%12.6%
25% to 29.9%19.9% (±5.5 points)12.0%11.9%11.5%
30% to 34.9%7.8% (±3.6 points)9.7%9.2%9.2%
35% or more34.6% (±7.8 points)41.9%42.3%41.9%

42.4% (±8.6 points) of renting households in ZIP code 20817 spend 30% or more of their income on gross rent.

Home values in ZIP code 20817

Owner-occupied homes by value, 2020–2024
ValueZIP 20817Montgomery CountyMarylandUnited States
Less than $50,0000.6% (±0.4 points)1.3%3.0%5.3%
$50,000 to $99,9990.1% (±0.2 points)0.7%2.0%6.1%
$100,000 to $149,9990.8% (±0.5 points)0.9%2.7%6.8%
$150,000 to $199,9990.5% (±0.5 points)1.6%4.8%9.0%
$200,000 to $299,9993.8% (±1.2 points)5.8%14.8%17.8%
$300,000 to $499,9994.0% (±1.2 points)23.2%37.1%26.9%
$500,000 to $999,99923.6% (±2.5 points)47.6%29.7%20.9%
$1,000,000 or more66.6% (±2.5 points)18.8%6.0%7.1%

Value is the owner’s own estimate of what the home and lot would sell for, not a sale price or an assessment.

The homes in ZIP code 20817

Housing units by units in structure, 2020–2024
Building typeZIP 20817Montgomery CountyMarylandUnited States
Single-family, detached77.1% (±2.1 points)46.6%51.2%61.3%
Single-family, attached (townhouse, rowhouse)7.1% (±1.5 points)17.8%21.3%6.2%
2 units0.1% (±0.2 points)0.7%1.5%3.4%
3 or 4 units0.7% (±0.7 points)1.4%2.1%4.3%
5 to 9 units1.0% (±0.7 points)4.9%5.2%4.5%
10 to 19 units0.5% (±0.3 points)8.2%7.3%4.3%
20 or more units12.8% (±1.4 points)20.2%10.2%10.3%
Mobile home0.7% (±0.7 points)0.2%1.3%5.6%
Boat, RV, van, etc.0.0% (±0.3 points)0.0%0.0%0.1%

When the homes in ZIP code 20817 were built

Housing units by year structure built, 2020–2024
Year builtZIP 20817Montgomery CountyMarylandUnited States
2020 or later2.4% (±1.0 points)1.3%1.4%2.0%
2010 to 20197.9% (±1.7 points)8.8%8.1%9.4%
2000 to 20099.0% (±1.5 points)10.7%11.5%13.6%
1990 to 19993.6% (±0.9 points)10.5%13.1%12.4%
1980 to 198911.2% (±1.8 points)19.2%14.8%12.9%
1970 to 197913.2% (±1.9 points)14.9%13.5%14.2%
1960 to 196920.3% (±1.9 points)14.3%11.5%9.9%
1950 to 195924.3% (±2.5 points)11.1%10.5%9.5%
1940 to 19495.1% (±0.9 points)4.8%5.0%4.4%
1939 or earlier3.0% (±0.7 points)4.2%10.7%11.7%

65.9% of the homes in ZIP code 20817 were built before 1980, so many fall under the federal lead-paint disclosure rules for homes built before 1978.

Heating fuel in ZIP code 20817

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used mostZIP 20817Montgomery CountyMarylandUnited States
Utility gas73.7% (±2.4 points)53.1%43.1%46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.1.1% (±0.5 points)2.4%6.6%3.9%
Electricity24.0% (±2.4 points)41.2%44.1%41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)0.8% (±0.4 points)1.8%3.8%4.9%
Wood0.1% (±0.2 points)0.1%1.0%1.4%
Solar energy0.1% (±0.1 points)0.4%0.4%0.3%
Coal or coke0.0% (±0.3 points)0.0%0.1%0.1%
Other fuel0.1% (±0.1 points)0.3%0.5%0.5%
No fuel used0.2% (±0.2 points)0.6%0.6%1.2%

How people in ZIP code 20817 get to work

Workers 16 and over by means of transportation to work, 2020–2024
Means of transportationZIP 20817Montgomery CountyMarylandUnited States
Drove alone47.8% (±2.8 points)52.8%64.7%68.8%
Carpooled3.9% (±1.1 points)7.6%7.7%8.5%
Public transportation4.5% (±1.0 points)7.5%4.2%3.2%
Walked2.1% (±0.6 points)1.7%2.0%2.4%
Other means (bicycle, taxi, motorcycle)3.0% (±0.8 points)2.1%2.0%2.0%
Worked from home38.7% (±2.9 points)28.3%19.3%15.1%

Workers who live in ZIP code 20817 take an average of 29.1 minutes to get to work.

Places in ZIP code 20817

Places whose land overlaps this ZIP code, with the share of the ZIP’s land in each
PlaceShare of the ZIP’s land in this placeMedian gross rentHouseholds that rent
Bethesda47%$2,46936.0%
Potomac41%$2,88715.2%
North Bethesda10%$2,19149.6%

A township or a New York town includes the villages inside it, so their shares can add up to more than the whole.

ZIP codes near 20817

Nearest ZIP codes with Census figures, by straight-line distance between their internal points
ZIP codeDistanceMedian gross rentMedian home valueMedian household incomeHouseholds that rent
208181.7 mi—$1,335,100$245,9824.7%
208122.1 mi—$1,163,500$213,7501.0%
208142.7 mi$2,333$989,600$150,99649.2%
208163.3 mi$2,674$1,217,200$232,65617.3%
208893.5 mi———100.0%
221014.0 mi$3,500 or more$1,449,900$250,000 or more16.2%
208154.0 mi$2,488$1,294,200$194,97133.7%
208964.0 mi$3,250$1,005,700$250,000 or more3.4%

Crime reported to police in Montgomery County

In 2025, the police departments that report for Montgomery County recorded 169 violent and 1,549 property crimes per 100,000 residents.

The FBI publishes crime by police department, not by ZIP code, so this is the figure for the county as a whole.

ZIP code 20817 is reported as ZIP Code Tabulation Area 20817: the Census Bureau’s area built from census blocks to match the ZIP code’s delivery area as closely as it can.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about ZIP 20817

What is the median rent in ZIP code 20817?

The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 20817 is $3,185 (±$478) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

What is the median home value in ZIP code 20817?

The median value of owner-occupied homes in ZIP code 20817 is $1,183,600 (±$25,688) (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

What is the median household income in ZIP code 20817?

The median household income in ZIP code 20817 is $249,332 (±$9,996) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

What town is ZIP code 20817 in?

Most of ZIP code 20817’s land lies in Bethesda; it also covers Potomac, North Bethesda.

What is the Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in ZIP 20817?

HUD’s fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in ZIP 20817 is $3,660 a month.

Sources

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 ZCTA5 20817 (zip code tabulation area:20817).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM

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 .

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