Pros and Cons of Living in Chevy Chase
Chevy Chase's core trade-off pairs a genuinely distinct, historic identity and strong schools against dramatically elevated housing costs and Maryland's highest local income tax rate.
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Learn morePro: a genuinely distinct, planned-suburb history
Chevy Chase's deliberate 1890s Newlands-era streetcar-suburb origin gives it a real, distinct identity among this project's Maryland Tier B markets, reinforced by its unusual multi-village municipal structure.
Pro: strong schools and a stable community
Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School and Montgomery County Public Schools' own consistently strong statewide reputation, alongside a stable 75.9% homeownership rate, make Chevy Chase a genuine draw for families who can afford it.
Con: genuinely dramatic housing costs
Home values ($1.25M-$1.3M) run dramatically above both national and Maryland statewide averages -- a real, substantial barrier to entry.
Con: Montgomery County's maximum local income tax rate
Montgomery County sits at Maryland's 2026 maximum 3.30% local piggyback income tax rate, layered on the state's own 10-bracket structure -- a real, material cost for high earners.
Key takeaways
- Pro: a genuinely distinct, deliberately planned 1890s streetcar-suburb history and identity.
- Pro: strong schools and a stable, high-homeownership family community.
- Con: genuinely dramatic housing costs, well above national and Maryland averages.
- Con: Montgomery County's 2026 maximum 3.30% local income tax rate.
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