How much rent can you afford in Bethesda, MD?
Run your salary against Bethesda's current rent, or find the income you'd need for a target rent. Powered by live RentDataNow medians.
The 30% rent rule, in Bethesda
At a median rent of $2,971/mo, Bethesda is very affordable when measured against Bethesda median household income of $192,237/yr. Rent would consume roughly 19% of pre-tax income, and a salary of about $118,840 keeps rent at the recommended 30% threshold.
How Bethesda compares nearby
Median rent for the closest cities with data.
Frequently asked
How much rent can I afford in Bethesda?
On a $192,237 salary (the Bethesda median household income), the recommended ceiling is 30% of pre-tax income, or about $4,806/mo. Bethesda's median rent is $2,971/mo. Use the calculator on this page to run your own salary.
What salary do I need to live in Bethesda?
To keep Bethesda's $2,971/mo median rent under 30% of income, you'd need about $118,840/yr. Lower your target share (e.g. 25%) to need more, or raise it (e.g. 40%) to need less.
Is Bethesda affordable on the median Maryland income?
Bethesda is very affordable on a $192,237 income. Rent would take 19% of pre-tax pay, inside the recommended 30% threshold.
What's the 30% rent rule?
The 30% rule is a long-standing budgeting guideline that keeps rent at or below 30% of gross (pre-tax) income. It leaves enough room for utilities, transit, savings, and debt service. In high-cost markets, many renters exceed 30%, and the Census Bureau classifies households paying more than 30% of income on rent as "cost-burdened".