The Town FilesBethesda, Ohio
Village in Belmont County · population 1,211 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $109,000
- Household income
- $35,900
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 35.3
Bethesda is a village of 1,211 people in Belmont County, Ohio. The median home is worth $109,000, below the typical Ohio town ($171,100). It ranks better transit than 92% of Ohio towns, easier by car than 74% of Ohio towns, hipper than 70% of Ohio towns.
How Bethesda ranks
Percentile among Ohio towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Ohio towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bethesda is worth $109,000, below the typical Ohio town ($171,100). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $35,900, which is more affordable than 30% of Ohio towns. Median rent is $696 a month. 63.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bethesda | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $109,000 | $171,100 |
| Median rent | $696 | $914 |
| Median household income | $35,900 | $67,019 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.6× |
| Homeownership | 63.4% | 71.7% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 15.0% | — |
Who lives in Bethesda
| People | Bethesda | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.3 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.8% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 18.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.1% | 21.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.8% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 1.8% | 8.6% |
| Average commute | 18.0 min | 23.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.8% | 90.9% |
Weather in Bethesda
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 19.8°F. About 42.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 19.5 inches of snow (typical Ohio town: 23.8 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bethesda since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Ohio town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on August 12, 2023 about 9.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 12, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 2, 2025.
Severe weather in Belmont County since 1996
Belmont County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4507: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3457: Covid-19 |
| April 8, 2019 | Flood | DR-4424: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides |
| April 17, 2018 | Flood | DR-4360: Severe Storms, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| August 20, 2012 | Severe Storm | DR-4077: Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
Jobs and pay in Belmont County
Belmont County had 20,616 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,753 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Bethesda itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Towns near Bethesda
- Barnesville, OH5.6 mi · 4,008 people · home $114,800
- Flushing, OH9.1 mi · 830 people · home $96,600
- St. Clairsville, OH10.1 mi · 5,096 people · home $199,000
- Neffs, OH13.7 mi · 878 people · home $84,500
- Lansing, OH15.4 mi · 596 people · home $92,900
- Wolfhurst, OH15.9 mi · 1,119 people · home $75,000
- Brookside, OH16.9 mi · 538 people · home $117,000
- Cadiz, OH17.1 mi · 3,051 people · home $119,300
Bethesda questions
Is Bethesda, Ohio a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bethesda scores better for retirees than 39% of Ohio towns and quieter than 67%. 19.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.3).
How much does a house cost in Bethesda?
The median owner-occupied home in Bethesda is valued at $109,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $35,900, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $696 a month.
What is the weather like in Bethesda?
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 19.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.6 inches of precipitation a year and 19.5 inches of snow.
Does Bethesda get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bethesda since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on August 12, 2023. The typical Ohio town has had 16.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)