Silver Spring vs Bethesda
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $643,300 in Silver Spring and $1,169,900 in Bethesda.
- Households earn more in Bethesda ($192,237 vs $99,860 median).
- Commutes are shorter in Bethesda (28 vs 34 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Silver Spring, MD | Bethesda, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 81,462 | 69,397 |
| Growth since 2020 | n/a | n/a |
| People per square mile | 10,334 | 5,233 |
| Median age | 35.6 | 42.8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61% | 87% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $99,860 | $192,237 |
| Median home value | $643,300 | $1,169,900 |
| Home value to income | 6.4× | 6.1× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,913 | $2,469 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 108.9 | 108.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 151.1 | 151.1 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $81,700 | $81,700 |
| Homeowners | 38% | 64% |
| Top state income tax | 6.5% | 6.5% |
| Combined sales tax | 6% | 6% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 34.0 | 27.7 |
| Work from home | 27% | 38% |
| Take public transit | 14% | 10% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.4% | 3.1% |
| Poverty rate | 10.6% | 4.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 45° / 30° | 45° / 30° |
| July high / low | 90° / 72° | 90° / 72° |
| Precipitation per year | 42 in | 42 in |
| Snowfall per year | 14 in | 14 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 40 | 40 |
| Nights below freezing | 60 | 60 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 91.7 | 91.7 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 59% | 59% |
| Home prices, past year | +1.3% | +1.3% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +29.4% | +29.4% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Silver Spring: April to June and September to October. Bethesda: April to June and September to October.
Full monthly tables: Silver Spring weather by month and Bethesda weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $81,700 in Silver Spring and $81,700 in Bethesda. Moving from Silver Spring to Bethesda, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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