Rent by ZIP code in Bethesda
| ZIP code | County | Typical rent | vs city median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20816 | Montgomery County | $4,353 | +17% |
| 20817 | Montgomery County | $3,712 | 0% |
| 20814 | Montgomery County | $2,822 | -24% |
Rent by bedroom count in Bethesda
Zillow's index above blends every unit size into one number. For a bedroom level view, these are HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Montgomery County. They include utilities and sit near the 40th percentile of the market, so treat them as the low side of what a typical unit lists for. Montgomery County uses Small Area FMRs, and the two bedroom figure runs from $3,020 to $3,660 depending on the Bethesda ZIP code.
| Unit size | FY2027 Fair Market Rent | Change from FY2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,111 | +8.1% |
| 1 bedroom | $2,204 | +9.4% |
| 2 bedroom | $2,438 | +8.5% |
| 3 bedroom | $3,107 | +9.6% |
| 4 bedroom | $3,658 | +9.8% |
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Updates when HUD publishes a new fiscal year.
Is rent going up or down in Bethesda?
Typical rent across Montgomery County is $2,295 as of August 2026. That is about level with a year earlier and up 17.8% over five years.
| Year | Typical rent, Montgomery County | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $2,028 | +10.7% |
| 2022 | $2,113 | +4.2% |
| 2023 | $2,220 | +5.0% |
| 2024 | $2,272 | +2.4% |
| 2025 | $2,292 | +0.9% |
| 2026 (through August) | $2,295 | +0.1% |
Zillow Observed Rent Index for the county, all home types, last published month of each year. Each row is compared with the end of the year before it.
Bethesda rent questions
- What is the average rent in Bethesda, MD?
- Typical asking rent in Bethesda is $3,712 a month as of July 2026, across 3 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $2,822 to $4,353.
- How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Bethesda?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Montgomery County is $2,438 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $2,204 and a three bedroom is $3,107. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
- Is rent going up or down in Bethesda?
- Rent is flat. Typical rent in Montgomery County is $2,295 as of August 2026, within half a percent of a year earlier.
- What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Bethesda?
- ZIP 20814 has the lowest typical asking rent in Bethesda at $2,822 a month, compared with $3,712 for the city overall.
- How much income do you need to rent in Bethesda?
- Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Bethesda rent of $3,712, that is about $11,136 a month, or $133,632 a year. This is a common screening rule of thumb, and individual landlords set their own.
How to use these numbers
These are Zillow Observed Rent Index values, a smoothed measure of typical asking rent for single family homes, condos, and apartments in each ZIP code. They describe what units are listed for, not what any specific unit will get. Condition, bedroom count, and the exact block all move the number.
If you are underwriting a purchase, use the ZIP figure rather than the city median, and then verify against live listings for the same bedroom count before you commit. Bethesda sits in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area.