2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Bethesda, MD vs Lake Forest, CA

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Highlights
Are people in Lake Forest older or younger than people in Bethesda?
- The Median Age in Lake Forest is 2.9 years younger than in Bethesda.

Are housing costs cheaper in Lake Forest or Bethesda?
- Lake Forest housing costs are 12.6% less expensive than Bethesda housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Lake Forest or Bethesda?
- The average commute for residents of Lake Forest is 3.3 minutes shorter than it is for residents of Bethesda.

Things to do in Bethesda?
Bethesda, Maryland is an incredible city located just northwest of Washington D.C. This beautiful city offers plenty for visitors to explore such as the stunning Glen Echo Park or the charming Cabin John Regional Park. Residents here also take advantage of all the outdoor activities available at Acorn Urban Park, Little Falls Creek Stream Valley, and Capital Crescent Trail. With its excellent school systems, thriving businesses, and numerous recreational opportunities, it's no wonder why so many people choose to make Bethesda their home.

Things to do in Lake Forest?
Lake Forest, California markets itself as the ultimate Southern California lifestyle with numerous parks, shopping centers, and miles of trails giving visitors plenty of options for an active lifestyle.

 Bethesda, MDLake Forest, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock85,516329,725,481
 Median Income$178,370  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock40.138.4
 Avg. Home Price$1,072,100  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock5.6%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time29.3  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Bethesda    12 Reviews

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  More

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

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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  More

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Reviews for Lake Forest    16 Reviews

I've lived in Lake Forest for over a decade, before that elsewhere in OC and also up in LA. Lake Forest isn't perfect but it's really improved over the past decade,  More

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As a retired senior who has lived in Lake Forest (formerly El Toro) since 1977 I think LF is a great place if you can afford it. When we moved here in June '77 homes  More

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I’ve lived here for 2 years. Ok, it’s more like a 4 but there are so many idiots downplaying what it’s like here and giving Lake Forest ones and twos. There are a lot of  More

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