PlainZIP

Bethesda, MD · standard

ZIP Code 20817

Montgomery County, Maryland - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

36,240
1,008/sq mi
$249,332
Median income
$1,183,600
Median home value
85.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Bethesda pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 1%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 1%
home value, US ZIPs
1,008
people per sq mi
81%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 20817 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 20817 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Bethesda, Montgomery County, Maryland, with 36,240 residents across 36.0 square miles, a density of 1,008 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 20817 skews affluent, with a median household income of $249,332 (118% above the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $127,135. The poverty rate stands at 4.0% and the unemployment rate at 3.7%. Housing costs here run $1,183,600 for a typical home value (165% above the state average), with rent averaging $3,185 a month; 81.4% of homes are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 85.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45.8, and the average commute is 29 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Montgomery County, letting you compare 20817 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 20817

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Bethesda, MD

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 20817.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 20817, Bethesda, MD · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

36,240

Population

36.0

Area (sq mi)

1,008

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 20817?

45.8

Median Age

48.5%

Male

51.5%

Female

28.6%

Foreign-Born

White 62.8%
African American 6.2%
Asian 16.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 12.0%
Hispanic or Latino 8.9%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$249,332

Median Household Income

+118% vs state

$127,135

Per Capita Income

4.0%

Poverty Rate

3.7%

Unemployment Rate

29.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 20817 ranks nationally

Bethesda, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$249,332 Top 1% higher than 99% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Below this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Below this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Below this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Below this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). This entry sits in this band. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 90.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 85.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

14,357

Total Housing Units

13,660

Occupied Units

697

Vacant Units

2.73

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 81.4%
Renter 18.6%

$1,183,600

Median Home Value

+165% vs state

$3,185

Median Rent

1969

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+7.4%

YoY Change (2024)

294

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+194%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 20817 have increased 7.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +194% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +0.0% 217
2021 +6.9% 233
2022 +9.2% 254
2023 +7.8% 274
2024 +7.4% 294

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 1,196 business establishments in ZIP 20817, employing approximately 28,442 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,685,341,000.

1,196

Businesses

28,442

Employees

$2.7B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 322 26.9%
Health care and social assistance 207 17.3%
Retail trade 142 11.9%
Finance and insurance 82 6.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 80 6.7%
Other services (except public administration) 65 5.4%
Construction 48 4.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 45 3.8%
Accommodation and food services 43 3.6%
Information 34 2.8%
Educational services 29 2.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 29 2.4%
Wholesale trade 28 2.3%
Management of companies and enterprises 25 2.1%
Transportation and warehousing 9 0.8%
Utilities 4 0.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 20817 vs 20812 →

ZIP 20817 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 20817 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 20817 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 20817 ranks #3 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
20812 Glen Echo, MD 255 2.2 mi
20818 Cabin John, MD 1,962 1.8 mi
20814 Bethesda, MD 27,642 2.5 mi
20816 Bethesda, MD 16,208 3.3 mi
22101 Mc Lean, VA 29,887 4.2 mi
20852 Rockville, MD 40,365 3.9 mi
20815 Chevy Chase, MD 29,082 3.9 mi
20896 Garrett Park, MD 906 4.0 mi
20895 Kensington, MD 19,054 4.3 mi
20851 Rockville, MD 14,191 5.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Montgomery County

20906 standard
Silver Spring, MD
Pop: 64,696
20878 standard
Gaithersburg, MD
Pop: 62,446
20874 standard
Germantown, MD
Pop: 57,367
20904 standard
Silver Spring, MD
Pop: 54,612
20854 standard
Potomac, MD
Pop: 49,611
20902 standard
Silver Spring, MD
Pop: 48,841

Related Areas

Montgomery County Bethesda, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 20817 in? ▼
ZIP code 20817 (Bethesda) is located in Montgomery County, Maryland. Montgomery County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/montgomery-md.
What is the population of ZIP code 20817? ▼
ZIP code 20817 in Bethesda, MD has a population of 36,240 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 20817? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 20817 is $249,332, which is 227% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 20817? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 20817 is $1,183,600, which is 326% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 20817? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 20817 is White at 62.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 20817? ▼
ZIP code 20817 has 1,196 business establishments employing approximately 28,442 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 20817? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 20817 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (322), Health care and social assistance (207), Retail trade (142). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 20817? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 20817 increased by 7.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 194%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 20817? ▼
In ZIP code 20817, 90.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 85.6% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 20817? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 20817 is 29.1 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 20817? ▼
In ZIP code 20817, approximately 81.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 18.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 20817? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 20817 is 4.0% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.