Who moves to Bethesda, and where they go
Every year the IRS counts how many people move between counties, based on the addresses on their tax returns. Here is what that shows for Montgomery County, MD, home of Bethesda, between the 2022 and 2023 tax years.
- Moved in
- 41,338from other US counties
- Moved out
- 50,273to other US counties
- Net
- −8,935more departures than arrivals
- From abroad
- 1,066tax filers and dependents only
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Where newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Prince George's County, MD | 6,486 |
| District of Columbia, DC (Washington) | 5,079 |
| Fairfax County, VA (Reston) | 1,651 |
| Frederick County, MD (Frederick) | 1,492 |
| Howard County, MD (Columbia) | 1,342 |
| Anne Arundel County, MD (Annapolis) | 928 |
| Arlington County, VA (Arlington) | 870 |
| Baltimore County, MD | 854 |
| Baltimore city, MD (Baltimore) | 720 |
| Alexandria city, VA (Alexandria) | 474 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 471 |
| New York County, NY | 418 |
Where people go when they leave
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Prince George's County, MD | 6,334 |
| Frederick County, MD (Frederick) | 4,543 |
| District of Columbia, DC (Washington) | 3,096 |
| Howard County, MD (Columbia) | 2,311 |
| Fairfax County, VA (Reston) | 2,168 |
| Anne Arundel County, MD (Annapolis) | 1,671 |
| Baltimore County, MD | 978 |
| Baltimore city, MD (Baltimore) | 909 |
| Arlington County, VA (Arlington) | 864 |
| Washington County, MD | 836 |
| New York County, NY | 703 |
| Loudoun County, VA | 644 |
Most moves are short hops within the same metro area. 13,149 of the newcomers came from elsewhere in Maryland and 28,189 from other states. Here are the long-distance moves only, more than 100 miles:
Long-distance newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 471 |
| New York County, NY | 418 |
| Kings County, NY | 325 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 314 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 309 |
| Miami-Dade County, FL (Miami) | 291 |
| Middlesex County, MA (Cambridge) | 289 |
| Philadelphia County, PA (Philadelphia) | 271 |
Long-distance movers go to
| County | People |
|---|---|
| New York County, NY | 703 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 532 |
| Sussex County, DE | 448 |
| Palm Beach County, FL (West Palm Beach) | 384 |
| Harris County, TX (Houston) | 367 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 343 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 329 |
| Middlesex County, MA (Cambridge) | 327 |
Frequently asked questions
Where do people moving to Bethesda come from?
Most people moving into Montgomery County, MD come from nearby counties, led by Prince George's County, MD (6,486 people). The biggest source more than 100 miles away is Los Angeles County, CA.
Where do people leaving Bethesda move to?
The top destination is Prince George's County, MD (6,334 people). Farther away, the most popular is New York County, NY.
Are more people moving to Bethesda or leaving?
Between the 2022 and 2023 tax years, 41,338 people moved into Montgomery County, MD from elsewhere in the US and 50,273 moved out, a net loss of 8,935 (IRS data, not counting moves from abroad).
Thinking about the move yourself? Compare Bethesda with any city it trades people with, like Bethesda vs Los Angeles, Bethesda vs San Diego, Bethesda vs Chicago, Bethesda vs Miami.
Source: IRS Statistics of Income, county-to-county migration data for filing years 2022 to 2023, the latest available. Counts are people (the number of personal exemptions, which the IRS uses to approximate individuals): tax filers plus dependents whose address moved to a different county between the two filing years. People who do not file returns are not counted, and the IRS hides very small flows to protect privacy. Figures are for the whole county, not just the city of Bethesda.