ZIP Code 20817 — Bethesda CDP, MD Demographics & Data

ZIP code 20817 covers Bethesda, MD in Montgomery County with a population of about 37,738.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 45.5 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area codes 227, 240, 301; U.S. House district MD-8; the WASHINGTON, DC (HAGRSTWN) media market.

Bethesda, MD aligns with a tech / corporate-campus profile (high remote-work / education / income profile or known campus context). Broadband quality, remote-work share, and nearby employer campuses often matter as much as classic residential stats.

Median household income in ZIP 20817 is about $240,104 — about 220% above the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 4.2%; unemployment rate near 3.7%; 85.3% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 51.6 points above the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Professional services, Public administration, and Healthcare; about 35.9% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 20.7 points above the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Median home value is about $1,142,300 — about 228% above the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $3,022 (about 160% above the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 82.3% (about 16.9 points above the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 20817 in Bethesda, MD, a household would need roughly $314,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $7,338. That is about 31% above the local median household income ($240,104), so the median earner would likely stretch or need a larger down payment. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates natural-hazard risk for Bethesda CDP, MD as Relatively Moderate (composite score 91.7), which is among the highest nationally. The strongest component scores on US5 are flood (93.7) and hurricane (91.8). These scores are county-linked NRI values published for planning context — all ZIP codes in the same county share the same composite score on US5. Useful when comparing insurance and disaster exposure across areas, not a substitute for a parcel-level flood or fire determination.

Climate normals for Bethesda CDP, MD show little to no average snow and around 48.5 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 2,217 for ZIP 20817 (Bethesda CDP, MD) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.