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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Bethesda

Maryland · 62,936 residents · 13.3 sq mi
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The short version

Bethesda is home to 62,936 people in Maryland. 68% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 20% nationally. Median home value sits at $325,900. Households take in $65,889 a year at the median, 119% more than the country as a whole. Households here earn about 67% more than in Maryland as a whole. At a median age of 41.4, this is an older place than the country as a whole.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Older
median age 41.4
US median: 33.0
More educated
68% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
62,936
+14%vs 2000
vs 55,277 in 2000
1990 – 2024
Median age
41.4
Unchangedvs 2000
vs 41.4 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
13.3 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
54K58K62K67K71K19902000201020202024Bethesda
202469K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 55%(3,124)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 94.9%(3,066)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 144.4%(2,740)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 194.7%(2,958)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 245.8%(3,654)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3415%(9,461)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4416%(10,086)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5414.1%(8,873)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 6411.6%(7,309)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 7411%(6,935)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 845.9%(3,707)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.6%(1,023)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$65,889
−12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $99,102 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$38,976
−33%vs 2000
vs $58,479 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
3.5%
+0.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 3.3% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$325,900
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $374,400 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$852
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $1,013 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
66.7%
−2.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 69.1% in 2000
33.3% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic81.8%(45,210)
Black2.6%(1,432)
Hispanic / Latino5.4%(3,000)
Asian7.9%(4,357)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic89.4%(56,267)
Black2.8%(1,782)
Hispanic / Latino5.8%(3,666)
Asian6.7%(4,234)
Other1%(653)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
South American3.6%(2,489)
Mexican1.5%(1,060)
Central American1.5%(1,008)
Argentine1%(703)
Peruvian0.9%(643)
Spaniard0.7%(517)
Colombian0.7%(511)
Cuban0.7%(490)
Puerto Rican0.7%(489)
Honduran0.5%(369)
Salvadoran0.3%(218)
Costa Rican0.3%(198)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Venezuelan0.2%(147)
Ecuadorian0.2%(139)
Bolivian0.1%(98)
Dominican0.1%(88)
Panamanian0.1%(87)
Guatemalan0.1%(85)
Paraguayan0.1%(55)
Nicaraguan0.1%(51)
Uruguayan0%(12)
Asian origin
Asian Indian3.4%(2,370)
Chinese3.2%(2,215)
Korean1.2%(851)
Japanese1.1%(739)
Vietnamese0.9%(623)
Filipino0.7%(491)
Kazakh0.4%(310)
Sri Lankan0.4%(294)
Pakistani0.3%(201)
Indonesian0.3%(174)
Taiwanese0.1%(104)
Burmese0.1%(102)
+ 5 more asian origin groups with data
Nepalese0%(19)
Malaysian0%(14)
Thai0%(14)
Cambodian0%(11)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(53)
Samoan0%(9)
Ancestry
English10.6%(7,389)
German10.6%(7,377)
Irish10.6%(7,371)
Italian6.9%(4,769)
Russian4.7%(3,269)
American4%(2,765)
Polish3.6%(2,468)
French3.4%(2,391)
Arab2.4%(1,633)
Scottish1.9%(1,325)
Iranian1.6%(1,120)
+ 48 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish1.3%(930)
Ukrainian1.2%(850)
Lebanese1.1%(786)
Dutch1%(683)
Norwegian0.9%(597)
Hungarian0.8%(529)
Ethiopian0.7%(518)
West Indian0.7%(484)
British0.7%(477)
Armenian0.6%(450)
Greek0.6%(448)
Welsh0.6%(442)
Lithuanian0.6%(419)
Scotch-Irish0.6%(409)
Austrian0.6%(390)
Egyptian0.5%(337)
Turkish0.5%(330)
Portuguese0.5%(320)
Jamaican0.5%(319)
Slovak0.4%(266)
Romanian0.4%(263)
Brazilian0.4%(258)
Swiss0.4%(251)
Slovene0.4%(247)
Australian0.3%(234)
Danish0.3%(219)
Czech0.3%(199)
Finnish0.3%(181)
Belgian0.2%(144)
Canadian0.2%(131)
Serbian0.2%(114)
Ghanaian0.2%(114)
Nigerian0.2%(109)
Syrian0.2%(106)
Bulgarian0.1%(104)
Israeli0.1%(66)
Moroccan0.1%(60)
Croatian0.1%(55)
Latvian0.1%(44)
Palestinian0.1%(42)
Haitian0.1%(35)
Guyanese0%(18)
Iraqi0%(11)
Jordanian0%(10)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
67.9%
−11.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 78.9% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
95.8%
−1.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 97.0% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
38.9%
−10.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 48.8% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
27.7 min
+50%vs 2000
vs 18.5 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married29.1%(7,582)
Married64%(16,701)
Widowed2.1%(547)
Divorced4.8%(1,259)
Women 15+
Never married29%(8,734)
Married56.3%(16,938)
Widowed6%(1,807)
Divorced8.6%(2,597)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
2.1%
−1.4 ptssince 2013
from 3.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
79.2%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 79.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.7%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 14.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
18.0%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 17.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
5.3%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 4.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
0.6%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 0.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
90.7%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 91.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
22.0%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 21.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)42.7%(1,035)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)15%(363)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era26.9%(651)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War10.4%(253)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1%(25)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,423 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Bethesda to nearby cities

BETHESDA VS
Chevy Chase
Income$211,765+221%
Home value$1,245,000+282%
Population9,445−86%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BETHESDA VS
North Bethesda
Income$129,092+96%
Home value$731,800+125%
Population49,677−28%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BETHESDA VS
South Kensington
Income$210,953+220%
Home value$919,800+182%
Population8,148−88%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BETHESDA VS
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Income$135,040+105%
Home value$576,700+77%
Population8,954−87%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Bethesda, Maryland?

Bethesda, Maryland has about 62,936 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Bethesda, Maryland?

The typical household in Bethesda, Maryland earns about $65,889 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Bethesda, Maryland expensive?

In Bethesda, Maryland, the median home is worth about $325,900, and the typical rent is about $852 a month.

How educated are people in Bethesda, Maryland?

About 67.9% of adults age 25 and over in Bethesda, Maryland hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Bethesda, Maryland?

About 3.5% of people in Bethesda, Maryland live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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