Chevy Chase's 20815 ZIP code is the wealthiest in Montgomery County and the sixth wealthiest in Greater Washington, according to the Washington Business Journal's annual wealth index published Aug. 20.

Bethesda climbed faster. A Bethesda ZIP code jumped from No. 17 last year to No. 9 this year, making it the second-highest-ranked in the county.

The WBJ's broader analysis, reported by Joanne Drilling and Alan Kline, found that D.C. suburbs are capturing a larger share of the region's wealth overall, with Bethesda and Del Ray climbing while some D.C. ZIP codes slipped.

How the rankings work

Senior researcher Carolyn M. Proctor and the WBJ team evaluated nearly 33,200 ZIP codes nationally to compile the wealth index, which ranks 54 ZIP codes in Greater Washington. The formula draws on the Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey and weighs per-capita income, home equity, estimated savings, poverty rates and population density to identify the greatest concentrations of wealth per capita.

To qualify for the local list, a ZIP code needed at least 1,000 residents, a land area of at least half a square mile, a minimum per-capita income of $75,000 and a poverty rate under 10%.

High-dollar sales in both ZIPs

Recent home sales reflect the wealth concentration. In Chevy Chase's 20815, a home at 4119 Rosemary St. sold for $5.2 million in February 2025, according to Bright MLS data. In Bethesda, a property at 7000 Longwood Drive sold for $6.63 million in June 2025 after just one day on the market.

A separate national ranking published in July by MoneyLion placed Bethesda at No. 39 among America's 50 wealthiest suburbs, citing an average household income of $295,886 and an average home value of roughly $1.34 million. That ranking uses a different methodology from the WBJ's ZIP-level analysis.

What the list doesn't show

The WBJ index is based on five-year survey averages, not a single-year snapshot, meaning the data smooths out short-term swings. Specific income and home-equity figures for the Chevy Chase and Bethesda ZIP codes were not publicly available from the paywalled list. The WBJ publishes its wealth index annually.