Best Places to Live and Launch 2008: No. 5, Bethesda, Md.
From Chris, Bethesda, MD Bethesda is a nice, clean town. It has many restaurants, some shopping, and theatres blocks away from each other. But that's all Bethesda has. As a young adult whose grown up in Bethesda, I can tell you that their is nothing for young teens or adults to do in this town. Dinner and a movie is the best plan for an evening out in Bethesda. There are few bars scattered around the town and the pricing is a little outrageous for young adults trying to grab a quick drink without worrying about the bill. If you're middle-aged, then this might be a nice place for an outting with your husband/wife; boyfriend/girlfriend. Otherwise, the atmosphere isn't meant for socialization amongst the younger generations.
From Mark G. Silver Spring, MD There is plenty out there now! In fact I think there is way too much. It's growth has been phenomenal but it has cost Bethesda it's unique socio-economic blend mixing the small town feeling of it's neighborhoods with the vigor of nearby Washington DC. It was not unusual to see Senators and Congressmen sitting elbow to elbow with blue collar workers in the authentic atmosphere of McDonald's Raw Bar or O'Donnel's Seafood Rest. (see a trend here?)
But…"It aint what it used to be" then again I guess that was the idea behind all that growth… and big money
From Fernanda, London UK When I was 5 I moved to Bethesda from Buenos Aires, Argentina. There was nothing there 20 years ago. I moved out 2 years ago to go to univeristy and I really miss it. It was a great place to grow up, fun, full of places to eat and its got some lovely streets. If you want busy city life its just around the corner and I would have stayed if the whole DC area and its surroundings had a bigger culture in underground art and film. Yes there's a lot of snobby rich people but there's loads of decent people as well. Its easy to stereotype but if you only know snobby people then you're hanging out with the wrong people. Yes it has gotten really expensive but if you can afford it, then its a great place to live, if you cant then go out to dinner around there and you'll love it.
From John Willoughby,Bethesda,MD First of all, The education level of Bethesda is 90% from all the foreign scientits at NIH! The rest are not that high! Having lived here now for over 30 yrs, I can say Bethesda lacks people of culture, good manners, civility, or in plain English, CLASS!Ask anyone who works in retail and all will say that the people here are the most horrible. Bethesda lost its charm when it went on a building boom. Now it's the Arlington of Maryland. I regret moving here. The Spring Valley area of Washington, D.C. is a much better place.
From Lynne, Dacula, GA I lived in Maryland for 19 years and loved it. Bethesda is a very expensive, close-in suburb where you can qualify to live if you are a well-paid executive, new in town diplomat, or very old Washington family, and you like to name drop about where you live. It's not for your regular middle class earner, unless you feel like living in a shoe box for $1500 a month. Downtown Silver Spring is revitalizing, and my son just moved there for his first job out of college. It's still a bit pricey, but way more accessible than Bethesda.
From Richard Sorry but you are absolutely wrong Harlem is now very expensive with beautiful architectural naboiorhoods,
That has always been there but has resurged to it's glory within the last 10 years and as far as Bethesda is concerned it is my hometown and I still love it….expensive, congested as it is love that town.
From Bethesda, MD I love living in Bethesda!! It's the best life ever.
From Emily, Chevy Chase, MD you should check out silver spring, rockville, kensington and takoma park
From Sarah Mahany, Bethesda MD I grew up in Bethesda, and have lived nearby for all of my life. I hate it. HATE IT! Snotty, arrogant, very self-important people have made this area unpleasant. Bethesda used to be a charming, friendly place – over the weekend, a complete stranger actually helped me at a local gas station..that was a shock! The Bethesda Farm Womans' Market isn't even that – a market – it's just a place for people to sell cheap jewelry, etc..hardly a market.
And the cost of living here? Don't even start. What a nasty place this has become. The cost of living here has made it very difficult for people that make less than 50k to even survive. It is definitely not a 'great place to live'.
You can have it.
From Meagan, Silver Spring Great Place to live, and great place to be! Yes the cost of living is very high, but you can access anything in the DC metropolitian area! there are plenty of apartment buildings near the metro. take your pick. ps i love the blackfinn bar!
From Rockville, MD you have to have a salary around $150K to be able to enjoy Bethesda.
From Scott, Baltimore, MD I have been offered a job in Bethesda but know it is very expensive. Is there a location nearby or a few metro stops away that is nice to live? Cheaper? Access to outdoor activities? Thank you.
From N. Taxman, Austin, TX As a Navy vet, I'm quite familiar with Bethesda; one of my progeny was born at the National Naval Medical Center. But the cost of living there is horrendous. Better to live in Howard County, about 15-20 miles north of the Beltway.
From elizabeth baci bethesda, md so glad you like Bethesda! Having only lived here for 4 years, I agree! Its a great place for kids, families, singles, the young and the old!
We have great green space, so close to DC, great arts, restaurants, great facilities, and the public schools are the top!
From Emily, Chevy Chase, MD The funniest things about all these comments are that the insulting ones all come from people who don't actually live in Bethesda. I live five minutes away from Bethesda and havn't found much wrng with it or the people that live there. It's not perfect, but no city is. The traffic may be bad but no worse then other cities.
From Rockville, MD If Bethesda is number five then that's bad news for everybody not in the top four. First of all, Maryland, in general, is not business friendly. Montgomery County is one of the least business friendly counties in Maryland. They may offer some incentives to tech companies, but the benefits far from outweigh the costs. The traffic and business congestion in Bethesda and the surrounding areas are terrible.
There is an educated work force in Bethesda, but you'll pay for it. And if you were to set up shop ten miles south (in Northern Virginia) then you would have a lot less problems with labor unions.
I would recommend not trying to set up shop in Bethesda.
From Bill, Gainesville, va I lived in DC area all my life. DC is very upper class and image city, if you are blue collar or uneduated immigrant, I would not come to the DC area. You have many upper class blacks, but they live in Prince George's County. DC suburbs are very WASP do not get fool by this international city, the intrenational residents are rich and are dips, they are more American than Joe the Plumber. DC is hard city to live because of traffic, but DC area is very rich area, with very few poor communities, the areas they ghettos like in Washington, DC would be consider middle class communities in New York City. DC is too rich, too snobby, too WASP.
From beatrix rivera Lived in Bethesda in 1994-1996 and absolutely hated it. Couldn't wait to get back to the wide west states. Yuck!
From Susan, Dallas, Texas Bethesda is a slice of the underworld. Think DC but worse. If New York City took down the planet financially – Bethesda was its backbone.
From Ryan Silver Spring, MD Bethesda is extremely congested business-wise, plus the people's republic of Maryland is about as business un-friendly as you can get.
From Anonymous Are you all kidding me!! Bethesda is the best.. those of you that dont like.. are either poor, stupid, ignorant, uneducated , and don't deserve to live in Bethesda. you guys should go live in Harlem if you want cheap living… fricken sore loosers
From Pat, Silver Spring MD Bethesda is very 10 years ago. The startup companies, the incubators mentioned in the article(!), the young people, and the creative workers are in Downtown Silver Spring and Downtown Rockville. Bethesda has real estate agents, mortgage firms, and old money.
From JS Atlanta, GA To start a business maybe, but not to live. I lived in the DC area for 7 yrs and Bethesda is VERY costly.
From jim, bethesda, md Bethesda is a great place to meet thousands of illegal immigrants.
From Tristan Bethesda is a great area if you don't have to drive – i.e. if you're willing to walk and take metro. I feel it is more "civilized" then Virginia. However, it is extremely expensive, not just in the housing, but the costs of most goods and services. For example, we found child care much more expensive here than in DC.
From Jeff Victor, North Bethesda, Maryland Housing prices are astronomical! Most homes for $700k would be tear downs in any other city on your list. Anything approaching acceptability is about $1.5 million. For what?! Bethesda has some charm, but as a resident of four years originally from Michigan, it's OVER-rated! Ann Arbor, Michigan is a far better place. Bethesda residents tend to be snooty and they drive like maniacs with no regard for kids or pedestrians. Restaurants are the chain variety and very AVERAGE and expensive. I have since moved to North Bethesda where you get double the apartment space for less money. Downtown Rockville is also more laid-back. As for Maryland: Try renewing your driver's license at the state MVA: it takes ALL DAY! Bethesda is a southern town that got big but never really grew in its services sophistication. Bethesda can keep its million dollar ugly ramblers, I suggest folks take their money and energy elsewhere!
From Art Marks, Potomac, MD I live very close to Bethesda and have invested in companies in and around Bethesda. It has many great restaurants, but the tax burden in Montgomery County is outrageous. The county adds a kicker of 50% to the state's tax. They put obstacles into company formation, hiring, firing and living that no other county or state around here imposes.
Finally, the parking situation is awful but the ticketing for unpaid meters is near instantaneour.
From Kohler,Bethesda,MD Bethesda is in one of the most desired cities in the USA, a new renovation has the attractive art deco design with beige , green , rose tones.
Large maple trees, and beautiful landscaping, with an ever changing array of flowers. The district is spot less. NIH, Navy Medical, Metro.
Bethesda has many parks such as , Norwood Park, which has public tennis courts, a basket ball court, 3 baseball diamonds, a soccer field, 3 children’s play grounds, and a beautiful walking trail through beautiful trees. This walking trail connects to the C and O canal trail which runs all the way to Georgetown, DC.
Three blocks away there is a great outdoor pool.
With-in 2 miles ,or one stop on the redline metro is Saks, Tiffany’s, Steinmart, Felines’ basement, Cheesecake Factory, Niemen Marcus, and Macys.
Cultural events for free, Art feast, A taste of Bethesda, we have 239 restaurants, 2 movie theaters, live theater @ Round House Theater, Strathmore Concert Hall, The Kennedy Center has a shuttle from the metro.
You can walk everywhere, with Metro redline you don't even need a car. You could rent a car once or twice a year if going out of town. A CVS across the street, Safeway, Giant, US Post Office, hardware store, library, Barnes and Noble, and Bruce’s Variety store ;it's like a old fashion dime store, The Women’s Farmers Market carries, fresh vegetables, fruits, flowers, jams and is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays. A flea market is there on those days along with Sundays. All within 2 to 3 short blocks. There is a Whole Foods about 1 mile away.
The Montgomery County Public School system is the best Public school system in the country. Diversity and Special needs were addressed hear since 1976. The education is above and beyond
because of the rigorous standards, advanced placement classes.
We have the world renowned Montgomery College,157 different countries are attending the 3 campus's. They have teachers whom also teach at Maryland, Georgetown, George Washington U, Trinity. Same syllabus, textbooks. And this is about 30% of what the area offers. Metro takes you to the Zoo, Smithsonian, Library of Congress, and the Kennedy Center has a shuttle from the metro stop to the Kennedy Center.


From Kathryn Chevy Chase, MD 14 years ago the renovation began with a 200 k Japenese sculpture of a little Apple, hanging over the Metro. That is exactly what it has become pure choas. I went to BCC High School in 1979. Every quant wonderful thing has been
torn down and iradicated.
I am a bit possesive considering,my great grandfather, grandfather, and father built From Hyattsville Md., Takoma Park,Silver Spring, Chevy Chase, and Bethesda. The concept was one of Villages, a grocer, a pharmacy, a library, and a post office. With huge maple trees and many parks and open spaces brick houses for those family's who wanted a home and yard for their kids to play in. The Vision was helping familys attain their dream on a tight budget. It was seen as a service to the community, and the moral thing to do. My father always said 30% profit was fair, anything more and your corrupt and a thief. My Dad in the 60's built small ramblers for 12 K, andafter every settlement we went to Anchor Inn for seafood.
Now 2008 only 3% of Bethesda residents were even born in Montgomery County, Maryland. The migration from NY has been increadable. 93% of homeowners are Lawyers. Lot's of lidigation,no one cares about rules, layouts, or the heritage of this wonderful place. No I liked it before people run you over in the cross walk as if you are in NY City. What was brought with them is 157 restraunts, pedestrian deaths,
the change in ethics, and values is astounding, and demanding I want it yesterday beratement.Of all people from the Post Office to the CVS. That was the whole point of living here for over 100 years, to live in a friendly, kinder envirement. For the first time ever etiquette is being taught here in Bethesda. Obviously having a 2 million dollor home and money does not eqaute with having any class.sp.
From John Miers I have lived, played, worked, and eaten and educated children in Bethesda for nearly 40 years.
I love it.
From abremod Bethesda is great, but why does Georgetown, Texas get hit with a "high housing cost" label when Bethesda doesn't. Bethesda is almost as expensive as New York.
David
From Mark Smith Rockville, MD I live in Rockville, the next town up the road from Bethesda, and although not very less expensive than B'town, it's got a new town center, and an old town section full of Victorian era houses that give it a charm that Bethesda lacks.
From Todd, Tysons corner, VA Maryland should be renamed the Peoples Republic of Maryland. It's like a communist country up here. I commute everyday from Tysons Corner Virginia and it is HELL. I cannot wait to get a new job in Virginia or DC.
From Sarah, Star, ID I lived in the DC area for six years and went to Bethesda often. It is a great place to go for dinner, shopping, the movies, outdoor festivals, etc. The parking is free on Sundays so that is a great day to go. However, to start a business there you would have to be a millionaire. It is VERY expensive and if you are middle-class there is no way in hell you could afford to live near your business or job in Bethesda. You would drive an hour or two just to get to work. I wanted to buy a small condo there but the condo fees alone are $700-$1,000 a month and that's not even counting the mortgage. One-bedroom condos are $500,000 and up.
From Jerry, North Potomac, MD I grew up in Bethesda. Years ago, Bethesda was one of the best kept secrets of the Washington DC area. Now its just too expensive, too crowded and just plain too snobby. Whether living there or starting up a new business there are better places to live, work and play for the money.
From Teresa Weller, Germantown, MD Bethesda…I don't think so. Housing cost through the roof, traffic…unless you like sitting in it, not a good place for you. I've lived here all my life and I'm 42 I've worked in Bethesda and there are more cons than pros. Think again before moveing there.
From brucerealtor, Bethesda/DC Personally, I like Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County, Maryland and as a Realtor, I service both [not to mention Northern Va. as well.]
Nevertheless, while I like Bethesda, Montgomery County generally returns some of the lowest verdicts in civil actions in Maryland and in Medical Malpractice cases, defense verdicts are commonplace — not so in Washington, D.C.
From Bethesda, MD I work in Betheda and love it. But it is VERY expensive and I cannot imagine wanting to start a new business here. There is an educated group of people here – but there is an element of snobbery and disregard for one another that comes with that. Location is good and the economic ups and downs are neutralized here. I love it – but cannot figure out how in the world it got on this list (apparently there is some new tax on businesses and I hear many ARE, in fact, moving to NOVA.
From Nick, Washington DC Don't forget one advantage of Bethesda (and one reason rents and such are so high) is the usual economic ups and downs don't apply as much. Many people are federal works or have jobs dependent on the federal government (consulting, etc). This is one of the reasons living costs are so high, owners know most people have decent stable incomes. On the other hand it also means your potential customers have decent stable incomes. Whether this outweighs the negatives I don't know, just thought I would point out that its probably the one city on this list least affected by economic downturns. A business here could thrive even in an economic recession.
From Beth, Charlotte NC Easy access??? You must be kidding. The only thing Bethesda has easy access to is Bethesda. Because everything else requires that you get on the road. And that variable is completely unpredictable no matter what time of the day you're traveling.
From Woman in DC Stay away from the entire DC area. It's very expensive and very hard living. I make a decent income and it's still hard to get by.
From John Frost Bethesda, like Maryland, is not a good place to start a company or launch a career. The past county executive, Doug Duncan, mismanaged the local government resources. Maryland's Department of Economic Development is very disorganized and does nothing to help companies get started, which is why Virginia has more companies that Maryland. Add to this recipe that Bethesda has horrible traffic, poor roads, incompetent local police and is awash with federal government employees taking 2 hour lunches a day and the end result is that you are broke and very frustrated.
From tuma silver spring md If you move into Bethesda then you should bring a piggy bank…'cause that's what you would need..'cause all that you would be left with is cents and dimes..good luck..
From Dianne Silver Spring MD If you love high taxes, illegals bleeding the system, sky high rents and idiots running the local government MOVE RIGHT IN!
From T Jefferson Maryland is a bleeding quasi-socialist TAX HELL! Be warned and stay away!!!
From Dan NYC Bethesda is an amazing place to live and work. I used to live and work in the area. It is definitely very expensive, so your start up business should have lot of capital to spare. Not ideal for a 1st time entrepreneur, maybe your 2nd or 3rd business when you have built up capital.
From dirty hairy I work in Bethesda. It's a very nice area, but you better be bringing in the bucks to afford the rent. In addition, workers will demand a much higher salary to compensate for the high cost of living.
From Elena Borkland Bethesda is one of the most expensive areas in the already expensive DC metropolitan area for rentals, the state of Maryland and Montgomery county have one of the highest tax rates in the nation, the traffic there is a nightmare and parking is expensive and nearly impossible to find. I don't think it's a good place to start a business at all unless the business is a restaurant.
From alsaunders, Chevy Chase, MD I heartily disagree with the saying that Bethesda is a great place for a startup business (especially for an IT business)…With the extraordinarily high taxes, high real estate costs and unfriendly legislation (which drives most of the IT business to Virginia). I incorporated in Virginia and I have been working (consulting) at businesses in the Bethesda, Chevy Chase area. I live in Chevy Chase, and I pay an additional $8000 a year in State/County taxes for this "privilege".) New legislation is very damaging to those in IT or consulting businesses… please look into this before you believe what you read that the biggest "con" is the traffic (actually traffic aint half bad).
From Jeff, Washington, D.C. As a Montgomery County native and current DC resident, I may be biased but I could not imagine a better place for a young entrepreneur than Bethesda, MD. It is filled with the D.C. overflow of young professionals with money to spend, in turn, benefiting local businesses.
The "Mini-D.C." label has been attached to Bethesda with good reason. Bethesda has all of the benefits of living in the city, such as restaurants, bars, culture, without many of the negatives, such as higher crime rates, poverty rates, and taxes.
From Jason Bertuzzi, Silver Spring, MD Although a nice place, Bethesda is far too costly for what it offers. Rents for a new apartment are consistent with Manhattan prices, while puboic transportation in the DC Metro area is often not sufficient to warrant not having a car. Additionally, salaries in the area are not consistent with salaries paid in NYC, making the high cost of living even more challenging.
From Sean, Baltimore, MD I have to agree with the pro that was listed for Bethesda but you seem to be a little out of touch with reality on the con (I agree with you on the traffic aspect–495 can be a nightmare). However, how can say that cons for Bellevue, WA (your #1 place to live and start a business) are pricey homes and high cost of living but neglect to mention these for Bethesda? It's a great city (I lived there and worked there for 3 years), but there are much better cities with just as talented a labor pool but without the high cost of living and horrendous traffic–many of which made your top 100!
From Gary, Bethesda Md Bethesda is a great place for a start-up. My mother started a business there and has been at it for more than twenty years now.
From scowley Have you found the town supportive of local businesses?
I love your mentality Sarah "you can have it" i couldnt agree more.