Bethesda, MD vs Potomac, MD

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricBethesda, MDPotomac, MD
Population69,39745,902
Median Household Income$192,237$236,675
Median Rent$2,469/mo$2,887/mo
Median Home Value$1,169,900$1,157,000
Cost of Living (US = 100)109109
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income43.8%39.3%
Poverty Rate4.3%3.9%
Unemployment Rate3.7% (county)3.7% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k167*167*
Property Crime Rate /100k1,571*1,571*
Median AQI3939
Good AQI Days /yr299299
Summer Highs86°F85°F
Winter Lows27°F29°F
Snowfall6 in/yr6 in/yr
Avg Commute27.7 min29.7 min
Hospitals2—
Avg Hospital Rating4.0 / 5—
Students per Teacher16.816.4
College Degree Rate87.1%84.9%
Foreign-Born %26.2%28.8%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+6.7%+0.6%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.
* Rate of the agency that polices both cities (the city has no police department of its own), so it isn’t scored.