Bethesda, MD vs Silver Spring, MD

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

MetricBethesda, MDSilver Spring, MD
Population69,39781,462
Median Household Income$192,237$99,860
Median Rent$2,469/mo$1,913/mo
Median Home Value$1,169,900$643,300
Cost of Living (US = 100)109109
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income43.8%51.6%
Poverty Rate4.3%10.6%
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°F27°F
Snowfall6 in/yr16 in/yr
Avg Commute27.7 min34 min
Hospitals22
Avg Hospital Rating4.0 / 52.5 / 5
Students per Teacher16.812.7
College Degree Rate87.1%60.6%
Foreign-Born %26.2%33.9%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+6.7%+0.4%

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.