My Honest Review On Bethesda Maryland - 4/18/2022

Bethesda is awesome if you want to live near DC and in a relatively safe city that has few parking issues. Montgomery county has parking lots in downtown Bethesda and these are not too busy. Residents use the Capital Crescent Trail, which is really practical to get around. The public schools really don’t have a huge difference compared to expensive private schools. Bethesda is pretty safe, so you can walk alone at night, at least for the most part. There is a bit of theft but really minor stuff, like bicycles and car entries. The police is fairly responsive and serious. There are many bars and restaurants open at night. If you are living in Downtown Bethesda, it’s not really family friendly but there are some wonderful parts, like Westgate. It is not rare to see kids on the street. Many families with kids live here. Bethesda is definitely not an affordable place for US standards. There are many homes that sell for $1M and above. People tend to know each other in their communities, but Bethesda is huge so it depends on where you live. Neighbors do get super nosy in my part of Bethesda near the DC border, but that’s really not unexpected for such a wealthy area. Bethesda is fairly diverse with many diplomats from different countries living here, however the majority of residents are white. Politically, residents tend to be Liberal. The metro is accessible and people actually bike to work sometimes. I love Bethesda and would rate it a 4.5 but there is no such option. I highly recommend visiting!

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Bethesda expensive place to liove - 8/17/2015

Amenities are plentiful, but costs continue to rise as do local and state taxes. Overall not a friendly place to live.

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Great schools, good eating, nice blend of burbs an - 1/29/2008

Essentially an upscale suburb of Washington DC. Public transport is easy, there's plenty to do (though with none of the edginess of living closer in DC) and it's minutes from all the nation's capital has to offer. Many areas are typical 1950s center hall colonials updated by Bethesda's upper middle class residents.

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Real Cost of LIving in Bethesda - 8/26/2007

We are a couple with no children about to move to Bethesda and seem to only find data on cost of living index comparisons between Bethesda and other cities. We are wondering what is the real dollar-based cost of living in Bethesda in a 2 bedroom apartment and commuting to DC?

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Recreation in Bethesda - 8/16/2007

There's a great bike/walk/jog path through Bethesda which is a continuous path from DC and extends through other neighboring communities.

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Bethesda Review - 8/4/2007

Great location and amenities. Real estate prices high. One of Washington, DC's 1st suburbs, Bethesda is adjacent to the District and has nice old neighborhoods w/ mature trees and traditional homes. Downtown Bethesda is a lively destination for area residents. It offers live theatre, a great cinema, art galleries and outdoor sculptures, oodles of restaurants, shopping, and public parking garages. The Capital Crescent hike/bike trail runs through it. Downtown DC is a 20-25 minute MetroRail ride away (a huge benefit). In recent years, soaring housing costs in metro DC have been acute in desirable, close-in areas like Bethesda, making it unaffordable for many/most people. Builders buy modest sized homes to tear down for McMansions. Popularization of urban lifestyle is bringing new life to downtown Bethesda but new condos can be $800+/SF. The climate is wonderful: 4 seasons w/o extremes. Bethesda's central location is good for reaching the entire metro area. Traffic within Bethesda isn't bad, but the metro area overall is terrible (check national rankings). Montgomery County government and school system are excellent. Life in Bethesda is very good indeed.

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Quality of Life - 5/23/2007

If you are considering moving to Bethesda, get ready for some astronomical housing prices as well as consderable growth in the area. We bought our house for $300k in 1998 and we can get over $900k for it now. However, it's impossible to upgrade as all houses in the area have appreciated the same. It's afairly liberal area, with lots to do. But the pace is tough; people are workaholics and, being a suburb of DC, way too serious. We like it here, but are considering moving to be able to enjoy life a bit more and not always worry about work and the fast pace.

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housing cost - 5/5/2007

Although the area has lots of culture, great restuarants and is beutiful, the housing cost is sky high!

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Beautiful Trails - 4/23/2007

I agree. Bethesda has it all. Great restaurants, shops, independent movie house, playhouse, etc...But one of the best perks is the Capital Cresent Trail runs right through Bethesda. Once you are on the trail you can access, Georgetown, C&0 Canel, Silver Springs and Rock Creek Park. Being on this trail you would never know you are in a crowded urban environment. It's a great place to bike ride, walk or run and relieve stress after a hectic workday.

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Bethesda has it all - 2/2/2007

A real downtown with street life and people watching. Restaurants of every variety. Interesting, unique shops. Plus easy access to the whole DC metro area.

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possibly relocating to Raleigh - 6/19/2006

Hi! I'm thinking of moving to Raleigh from the Washington, DC area. I read some of the comments and I don't know what to think. What's Raleigh (the job market, cost of living, lifestyle, etc.) really like? Your honest feedback would really help. Thanks, Nicole

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great place to live - 4/27/2006

Bethesda offers easy access to DC

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