Montgomery County, Maryland

Living in Bethesda, MD

Among Montgomery County's 16 largest communities, Bethesda has the highest home values ($1.17M) and the shortest average commute (28 minutes). With about 68,100 residents, it's Montgomery County's 4th-largest community. Below: prices, housing and getting around, and how Fred works here.

Get the Bethesda market report Plan a tour

Median home value: $1.17M; Census, 2020–2024
Median rent: $2,469; per month
Own their home: 64%; of households
Nearest Metro: 1.3 mi; Bethesda

At a glance

Homes, prices & getting around.

The median home in Bethesda is valued at $1.17M, above the Montgomery County median of $640K — the highest of the 16 Montgomery County communities compared on this site. Median rent is $2,469 a month (county: $2,068).

Housing here is mostly houses — 53% detached and 4% townhouses — with 43% in condo and apartment buildings. Most homes are owner-occupied (64%, in line with Montgomery County). The typical home was built in 1970, older than the Montgomery County median of 1980.

The nearest Metro station is Bethesda (Red Line), about 1.3 miles from the center of Bethesda. MARC commuter trains stop at Kensington, about 3.7 miles away. Of workers here, 10% take public transit (above the Montgomery County rate of 7%) and 38% work from home.

Homes by type of building

Detached houses 53%
Townhouses 4%
2–9 unit buildings 3%
10+ unit buildings 40%

Residents: 68,056; 2020 Census
Homes: 29,547; 2020 Census
Typical home built: 1970; median year
Avg. commute: 28 min; one way
Transit commuters: 10%; of workers
Work from home: 38%; of workers
Price-to-rent: 39; Montgomery County: 26

Straight-line distance to major job centers

Bethesda / NIH: 1 mi
Tysons: 8 mi
Downtown D.C.: 8 mi
Dulles Airport: 18 mi
Fort Meade: 22 mi
Downtown Baltimore: 34 mi

As the crow flies from the community's Census center point; drive times vary with traffic — Fred can map your real commute.

Questions

Living in Bethesda: common questions.

Is Bethesda a city? What county is it in?

No — Bethesda is an unincorporated community (a Census-designated place) in Montgomery County, Maryland. It has no city government of its own; Montgomery County provides local services, and the mailing-address “Bethesda” area can be larger than the Census boundary.

What is the median home value in Bethesda?

$1.17M, based on owners' own estimates in the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey, compared with $640K across Montgomery County. These figures trail today's prices — request a valuation or a current Bethesda market report for recent sales.

Do more people rent or own in Bethesda?

64% of households own their home and 36% rent (ACS 2020–2024), compared with 65% owners across Montgomery County. Fred can run the rent-versus-buy numbers for a specific Bethesda home.

How far is Bethesda from downtown D.C.?

Bethesda is about 7.8 miles from downtown D.C. and about 34 miles from downtown Baltimore in a straight line. The average one-way commute from here is 28 minutes.

Which schools serve Bethesda?

Public schools are assigned by home address. Bethesda is served by Montgomery County Public Schools; check the district's boundary tools for any specific address, and see school-level results on the Maryland Report Card.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bethesda?

A rough guide is the price-to-rent ratio — the median home value divided by a year of median rent. Here it's about 39 (Montgomery County: 26); the higher it is, the more renting tends to win on monthly cost. It's only a starting point — taxes, rates and how long you'll stay matter more. Fred runs the real numbers for specific homes.

Are there first-time buyer programs for Bethesda?

Yes: Maryland Mortgage Program — the state's down-payment assistance and first-time buyer loans; Montgomery County housing programs (DHCA) — including the county's Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit (MPDU) program. Eligibility and limits change, so confirm with a participating lender — Fred can introduce one.

Is Bethesda the same as North Bethesda?

No. Bethesda and North Bethesda are separate communities in the Census Bureau's records — see the North Bethesda page for its own numbers. Mailing addresses often cross these lines, so Fred checks the exact location of any home you're considering.

Can Fred help me buy or sell in Bethesda?

Yes. Fred Mohseni is a Realtor® licensed in Maryland, Virginia and D.C. with The ONE Street Company at Samson Properties. Call (202) 704-5931 or send a note.

How Fred helps

Your Bethesda real estate agent.

Whether you're buying, selling, investing or relocating in Bethesda, you work directly with Fred — a Realtor® licensed in Maryland, Virginia and D.C., with an accountant's eye for the numbers.

Buying

Tours, offers and negotiation in Bethesda, with a patient, jargon-free guide from pre-approval to closing day.

Selling

Pricing from recent Bethesda sales, then preparation and marketing for the strongest possible offer.

Investing

Rent-versus-own math, cash-flow analysis and neighborhood selection from an accounting and finance background.

Relocating

New to the area? Fred compares Bethesda with nearby towns and runs remote tours before you arrive.

Nearby

Bethesda and its neighbors.

The closest places on this site, across county and state lines. North Bethesda is about 3.4 miles away, Potomac is about 4.4 miles away, Glover Park & Cathedral Heights is about 4.6 miles away.

Community	Population	Median home value	Median rent	Own their home	Typical home	Avg. commute
Bethesda	68,056	$1.17M	$2,469	64%	Mostly houses	28 min
North Bethesda	50,094	$732K	$2,191	50%	Condos & apartments	30 min
Potomac	47,018	$1.16M	$2,887	85%	Single-family	30 min
Glover Park & Cathedral Heights, DC	20,942	$367K–$2M+	$1,798–$3,493	46%	Condos & apartments	27 min
McLean, VA	50,773	$1.41M	$3,422	86%	Single-family	28 min
Takoma & Brightwood, DC	24,032	$630K–$843K	$1,237–$2,249	50%	Condos & apartments	35 min
Silver Spring	81,015	$643K	$1,913	38%	Condos & apartments	34 min

ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates. * = wide margin of error. “Typical home” is the most common kind of building. On smaller screens some columns are hidden; open on a laptop for population, home type and commute.

Next step

Thinking about Bethesda?

Ask Fred for a current Bethesda market report — recent sales, what's listed and what it means for your budget. Or call (202) 704-5931.

Request the Bethesda market report Compare Montgomery County

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; D.C. Office of Planning neighborhood clusters and regional rail stations (D.C. GIS). Home values are owners' own estimates averaged over 2020–2024, so they trail today's prices. This product uses Census Bureau data but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau. Data updated November 2026.