Cost of living in North Bethesda research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means North Bethesda is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Maryland, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in North Bethesda is 158, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in North Bethesda is 1.6x higher than the national average.
North Bethesda ranks as the #180 cheapest in Maryland out of 194.
North Bethesda ranks as the #5,857 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in North Bethesda is $765,688.
The median income in North Bethesda is $128,970.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, North Bethesda has an overall cost of living index of 158, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Maryland, North Bethesda has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than Maryland's index of 121.
The standard of living in North Bethesda ranks as #180 most affordable out of the 194 places we measured in Maryland. By definition, that implies North Bethesda ranks as the #14 most expensive place in the Old Line State.
For more reading on life in North Bethesda, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in North Bethesda. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in North Bethesda is 110.
The Groceries index in North Bethesda is 107.
The Health index in North Bethesda is 98.
The Housing index in North Bethesda is 287.
The Transportation index in North Bethesda is 93.
The Utilities index in North Bethesda is 110.
| Living Expense | North Bethesda | Maryland | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 158 | 121 | 100 | |
| Services | 110 | 105 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 107 | 107 | 100 | |
| Health | 98 | 96 | 100 | |
| Housing | 287 | 150 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 93 | 99 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 110 | 113 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Maryland, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in North Bethesda is $765,688.
The Median Rent in North Bethesda is $2,161.
The Median Income in North Bethesda is $128,970.
The Home Value To Income in North Bethesda is 5.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in North Bethesda is 0.2x.
| Statistic | North Bethesda | Maryland | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $765,688 | $427,628 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,161 | $1,662 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $128,970 | $101,652 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.9x | 4.2x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.2x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | North Bethesda | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.51 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $15.69 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $24.83 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.11 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $70.08 | $45.56 |
| Item | North Bethesda | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.24 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.4 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.78 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.49 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.56 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.1 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.81 | $3.7 |
| Item | North Bethesda | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $92.0 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $135.03 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $117.67 | $113.29 |
| Item | North Bethesda | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.25 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $59.0 | $59.92 |
| Item | North Bethesda | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $222.47 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $197.37 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around North Bethesda. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Bethesda, MD has a cost of living index of 202, 1.3x North Bethesda.
Rockville, MD has a cost of living index of 155, 1.0x North Bethesda.
Wheaton, MD has a cost of living index of 134, 0.8x North Bethesda.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. North Bethesda |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bethesda, MD | 67,403 | 202 | 1.3x |
| Rockville, MD | 67,218 | 155 | 1.0x |
| Wheaton, MD | 52,172 | 134 | 0.8x |
| Olney, MD | 36,000 | 153 | 1.0x |
| Clarksburg, MD | 29,246 | 152 | 1.0x |
| North Laurel, MD | 25,201 | 132 | 0.8x |
| North Potomac, MD | 23,994 | 172 | 1.1x |
| Kemp Mill, MD | 14,437 | 145 | 0.9x |
| Colesville, MD | 14,075 | 140 | 0.9x |
| Chevy Chase, MD | 9,484 | 257 | 1.6x |