Bethesda, Maryland

Bethesda, Maryland

Introduction to Bethesda, Maryland

Bethesda is an unincorporated municipality located in the southern part of Montgomery County, Maryland. Situated just outside of Washington, D.C., Bethesda is a wealthy and well-educated area, many of whose residents commute to Washington for work. The community derived its name from one of its long-standing landmarks, the Bethesda Presbyterian Church. Other notable landmarks in Bethesda include the National Naval Medical Center (also known as Bethesda Naval Hospital), one of the nation’s largest and most renowned military medical centers; the headquarters of Lockheed Martin Corporation, largest provider of information technology services to the U.S. Government; the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division; and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.

Arts and Entertainment in Bethesda

Venues for the performing arts in Bethesda include Imagination Stage, a family arts center that fosters youth participation in professional theatre and arts education experiences. Round House Theatre, one of the area's largest and most acclaimed professional theatre companies, produces hundreds of performances each season at its 400-seat Bethesda facility. Bethesda also boasts a number of parks and outdoor recreational sites. Among these is the Capital Crescent Trail, a shared-use (walking, jogging, biking, and roller blading) trail stretching from Georgetown to Silver Spring, which passes directly through the center of Bethesda.

Bethesda hosts a number of events and festivals throughout the year. Some of these include: the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival, a May weekend event featuring arts and crafts, live entertainment and food; the Bethesda Literary Festival, a 3-day event held in April; Imagination Bethesda, a June children's street festival; the Summer Concert Series, which takes place on Wednesday afternoons and Thursday evenings during May, June and July; October's Taste of Bethesda, a food and music festival featuring four stages of entertainment and samplings from 50 restaurants; and December's Winter Wonderland, featuring concerts, a live ice sculpting presentation, and a visit from Santa.

There are attractions galore in Washington, D.C., only minutes away. Included are the following:

• The White House
• The Lincoln Memorial
• The Washington Monument
• National Air & Space Museum
• United States Capitol
• Ford's Theatre
• JFK Center for the Performing Arts
• The Smithsonian Institution
• Library Of Congress
• The National Zoo
• The Washington Opera
• Fraser Gallery

Washington has plenty of pro sports teams too. Franchises which call Washington home include the Redskins of the National Football League, Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals, basketball's Wizards (NBA) and Mystics (WNBA), the National Hockey League's Washington Capitals, and Major League Soccer's DC United.

High Points

Bethesda strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Maryland):

Category	Trophy
Median Family Income (vs. Peers)	Top 1%
Well-Paid Single Men (vs. Peers)	Top 1%
College Educated Adults (vs. Peers)	Top 1%
Well-Paid Single Women (vs. Peers)	Top 1%
People in Middle Class or Better (vs. Peers)	Top 3%
Public Transportation Use (vs. Peers)	Top 5%
Walking and Biking to Work (vs. Peers)	Top 7%
Low Rate of Poverty (vs. Peers)	Top 10%

Comparative Profile of Bethesda, MD

Comparing Bethesda to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Maryland (State):

Ratings range from (lowest) to (highest).

The People

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Well-Paid Single Men
Well-Paid Single Women
Age of the Population
Female Share of the Population
Senior Citizens
Racial Diversity
Children Under 5 Years Old
Male Share of the Population

Families

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Portion of People Married
Average Household Size

Wealth

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
College Educated Adults
Median Family Income
People in Middle Class or Better
People Above Poverty

Commute & Sprawl

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Working at Home
Public Transportation Use
Walking and Biking to Work
Short Commute Times

Housing

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Seasonal and Vacation Housing
People Living Alone
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals
Housing Recently Built
Affordability of Property Taxes
Affordability of Rents

Bethesda Almanac

Bethesda Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

• Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
• Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

Bethesda Population (2000)

(From 2000 Census, as reported by individuals)

Political Contributions (2004)

Money donated by Bethesda residents to parties and candidates for the 2004 elections.

by Political Party

by Presidential Candidate

Neighborhood and Nearby Area Names

According to the US Postal Service, Bethesda, its neighborhoods, and/or surrounding areas are also referred to as:

Note that not all alternate names are acceptable for use in US Post Office addresses.

Nearby Cities and Towns

Bethesda Hospitals

SUBURBAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
(Voluntary non-profit - Private)
8600 OLD GEORGETOWN RD
(301) 896-3100
Emergency Service: Yes

Starbucks in Bethesda

Bethesda High Schools (2004)

WALTER JOHNSON HIGH
6400 ROCK SPRING DR
301-571-6900
Serves 1,878 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 17.5

WALT WHITMAN HIGH
7100 WHITTIER BLVD
301-320-6600
Serves 1,876 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 17.6

BETHESDA-CHEVY CHASE HIGH
4301 EAST-WEST HWY
240-497-6300
Serves 1,608 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 18.1

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