Safety in Bethesda
Bethesda doesn’t have its own police figures in the FBI’s data. A place this size usually has its own police department, so its reports are most likely missing from the FBI’s tables. Below are the county’s figures for the wider area, and the nearest towns that have their own numbers.
What stands out about safety in Bethesda
Read from the numbers below. The page puts what stands out first.
The county’s figures, for the wider area
Bethesda’s own police figures aren’t in the FBI’s data. These are the numbers the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, the Montgomery County Police Department and the Maryland State Police report for the parts of Montgomery County they patrol, which usually don’t include a town with its own police.
Crimes reported in the parts of Montgomery County it patrols: the towns and villages without police of their own.
Property crimes (burglary, theft, stolen cars)
Violent crimes (assault, robbery, rape, murder)
Crimes reported in the parts of Montgomery County it patrols: the towns and villages without police of their own.
Property crimes (burglary, theft, stolen cars)
Violent crimes (assault, robbery, rape, murder)
The State Police also patrol Montgomery County, mostly its rural roads and towns.
Property crimes (burglary, theft, stolen cars)
Violent crimes (assault, robbery, rape, murder)
These are counts, not rates. The FBI doesn’t publish how many people each agency covers, so we can’t turn them into a per-resident figure or a Safety Grade. Source: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, offenses known to law enforcement by county and by state agency.
The closest towns that report their own numbers
Here are the nearest towns with their own police departments in the FBI’s data. Tap one to see its safety page.
| Town | Grade | Distance | Violent | Property | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Takoma Park | D− | 6 mi | 3.4 | 33.7 | 2025 |
| Rockville | B− | 7 mi | 1.1 | 12.6 | 2025 |
| Falls Church | B− | 8 mi | 0.7 | 14.7 | 2025 |
| Washington | D− | 8 mi | 7.5 | 30.7 | 2025 |
| Mount Rainier | D | 9 mi | 2.9 | 22.2 | 2025 |
| U.S. average | 3.3 | 15.5 | 2025 |
Reported crimes per 1,000 residents in each town’s latest year; * = a count, for towns under 1,000 people; — = not graded. Distances are straight-line. Nearby towns can be very different from Bethesda: a small village and a city aren’t alike.
Bethesda and its neighbors
How reported crime compares across the town line. Tap a town to see its safety page.
| Town | Grade | Violent | Property | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevy Chase Village | C+ | 0 | 24.6 | 2025 |
Reported crimes per 1,000 residents in each town’s latest year; * = a count, for towns under 1,000 people; — = not graded. No town figures in the FBI’s data: South Kensington, Brookmont, Chevy Chase, North Bethesda, Potomac, Somerset.
Know who to call, and what the weather can do
For emergencies, the nearest ER, and the storms and floods Bethesda plans for.
Expected damage is higher than in 5% of U.S. communities. 55 paid flood insurance claims since 1979.
Natural hazards in Bethesda →Phone numbers come from neighbors and the town’s own site (the Handbook). A number you add goes live once two neighbors confirm it.
Heads-up board
Neighbors looking out for each other in Bethesda.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Please don’t name or describe individuals. In an emergency, call 911.
Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: offenses known to law enforcement by city, and state and national rates. Counts are crimes reported to police, not convictions. The Safety Grade is our own summary of that data, not an official rating. Natural hazards: FEMA National Risk Index and flood insurance claims. Hospitals: CMS Hospital General Information. This isn’t an official statement of public safety. In an emergency, call 911.