Signals
Wheaton
Bethesda
Climate
72 · Top 42%
vs72 · Top 42%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 17%
vs85 · Top 17%
Housing affordability
71 · Bottom 35%
vs71 · Bottom 36%
Schools
62 · Top 36%
vs86 · Top 7%
Access
89 · Bottom 39%
vs91 · Bottom 48%
Economic stability
67 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Wheaton | Bethesda | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 52,926 | 69,397 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $111,478 | $192,237 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,480 | $120,363 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,673/sq mi | 5,233/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $501,200 | $1,169,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,163 | $2,469 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.6% | 64.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.7% | 87.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.1% | 4.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.8" | 41.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 23 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.6 min | 30.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.7 | 42.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.74 | 16.97 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 14.1% | 41.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 24.2% | 59.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 54.1% | 14.4% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Wheaton, MD · Bethesda, MD · How this is calculated: methodology