Prince George's County, Maryland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Prince George's County
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| Prince George's County, Maryland | |||||
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| Nickname(s):
"PG County", "PG",
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| Motto(s):
"Semper Eadem" (English: "Ever the Same")
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Location within the U.S. state of Maryland
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 Maryland's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Maryland |
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| Founded | April 23, 1696 | ||||
| Named for | Prince George of Denmark | ||||
| Seat | Upper Marlboro | ||||
| Largest city | Bowie | ||||
| Area | |||||
| • Total | 499 sq mi (1,290 km2) | ||||
| • Land | 483 sq mi (1,250 km2) | ||||
| • Water | 16 sq mi (40 km2) 3.2% | ||||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 967,201 | ||||
| • Density | 1,938.3/sq mi (748.4/km2) | ||||
| Demonym(s) | Prince Georgian | ||||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||||
| ZIP Codes |
20607–20774
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| Area code | 240, 301 | ||||
| Congressional districts | 4th, 5th | ||||
Prince George's County (often shortened to PG County) is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering the eastern portion of Washington, D.C. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 967,201, making it the second-most populous county in Maryland, behind Montgomery County. The 2020 census counted 967,201 residents, an increase of nearly 104,000 in the previous ten years. Its county seat is Upper Marlboro. It is the largest and the most affluent African American-majority county in the United States, with five of its communities identified in a 2015 top ten list.
Prince George's County is included in the Washington metropolitan area. The county also hosts many federal governmental facilities, such as Joint Base Andrews and the United States Census Bureau headquarters.
Contents
Etymology
The official name of the county, as specified in the county's charter, is "Prince George’s County, Maryland". The county is named after Prince George of Denmark (1653–1708), the husband of Anne, Queen of Great Britain, and the brother of King Christian V of Denmark and Norway. The county's demonym is Prince Georgian and its motto is Semper Eadem (English: "Ever the Same"), a phrase used by Queen Anne. Prince George's County is frequently referred to as "P.G." or "P.G. County", an abbreviation viewed as pejorative by some residents.
History
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The Cretaceous Era brought dinosaurs to the area which left a number of fossils, now preserved in a 7.5-acre (3.0 ha) park in Laurel. The site, which among other finds has yielded fossilized teeth from Astrodon and Priconodon species, has been called the most prolific in the eastern United States.
In the mid to late Holocene era, the area was occupied by Paleo-Native Americans and then later, Native Americans. When the first European settlers arrived, what is now Prince George's County was inhabited by people of the Piscataway Indian Nation. Three branches of the tribe are still living today, two of which are headquartered in Prince George's County.
17th century
Prince George's County was created by the English Council of Maryland in the Province of Maryland in 1696 from portions of Charles and Calvert counties. The county was divided into six districts referred to as "Hundreds": Mattapany, Petuxant, Collington, Mount Calvert, Piscattoway and New Scotland.
18th century
A portion was detached in 1748 to form Frederick County. Because Frederick County was subsequently divided to form the present Allegany, Garrett, Montgomery, and Washington counties, all of these counties in addition were derived from what had up to 1748 been Prince George's County.
In 1791, portions of Prince George's County were ceded to form the new District of Columbia, along with portions of Montgomery County, Maryland, as well as the parts of Northern Virginia; that were later returned to Virginia.
19th century
During the War of 1812, the British marched through the county by way of Bladensburg to burn the White House. On their return, they kidnapped a prominent doctor, William Beanes. Lawyer Francis Scott Key was asked to negotiate for his release, which resulted in his writing "The Star-Spangled Banner".
Since much of the southern part of the county was tobacco farms that were worked by enslaved Africans, there was a high population of African Americans in the region. After the Civil War, many African Americans attempted to become part of Maryland politics, but were met with violent repression after the fall of Reconstruction.
In April 1865, John Wilkes Booth made his escape through Prince George's County after shooting President Abraham Lincoln. He was on his way to Virginia.
20th century
The population of African Americans declined during the first half of the 20th century, but was renewed to over 50% in the early 1990s when the county again became majority African American. The first African American County Executive was Wayne K. Curry, elected in 1994.
On July 1, 1997, the Prince George's County section of the city of Takoma Park, Maryland, which straddled the boundary between Prince George's and Montgomery counties, was transferred to Montgomery County. This was done after city residents voted to be under the sole jurisdiction of Montgomery County, and subsequent approval by both counties and the Maryland General Assembly. This was the first change in Prince George's County's boundaries since 1968, when the City of Laurel was unified in Prince George's County.
21st century
The county has a number of properties on the National Register of Historic Places.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 499 square miles (1,290 km2), of which 483 square miles (1,250 km2) is land and 16 square miles (41 km2) (3.2%) is water.
Prince George's County lies in the Atlantic coastal plain, and its landscape is characterized by gently rolling hills and valleys. Along its western border with Montgomery County, Adelphi, Calverton and West Laurel rise into the piedmont, exceeding 300 feet (91 m) in elevation.
The Patuxent River forms the county's eastern border with Howard, Anne Arundel, and Calvert counties.
Regions
County terrain, culture and demographics differ significantly by location within the county. There are five key regions to Prince George's County: North County, Central County, the Rural Tier, the Inner Beltway, and South County.
North County
Northern Prince George's County includes Laurel, Beltsville, Adelphi, College Park and Greenbelt. This area of the county is anchored by the Capital Beltway and the Baltimore–Washington Parkway. Laurel is experiencing a population boom with the construction of the Inter-County Connector. The key employers in this region are the University of Maryland, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, and NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center. Areas of geographic distinction include Greenbelt Park, a wooded reserve adjacent to the planned environmental community of Greenbelt, and University Park, a collection of historic homes adjacent to the University of Maryland. Riversdale Mansion, along with the historic homes of Berwyn Heights, Mt. Rainier and Hyattsville, along with Langley Park are also located in this area. The hidden Lake Artemesia, a park constructed during the completion of the Washington Metro Green Line, incorporates a stocked fishing lake and serves as the trail-head for an extensive Anacostia Tributary Trails system that runs along the Anacostia River and its tributaries. The south and central tracts of the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center also lie in this part of the county; the north tract lies north of the Patuxent River in Anne Arundel County.
Central County
Central County, located on the eastern outskirts of the Capital Beltway, consists of Mitchellville, Woodmore, Greater Upper Marlboro, Springdale, and Bowie. According to the 2010 census, it has generally been the fastest growing region of the county. Mitchellville is named for a wealthy African American family, the Mitchells, who owned a large portion of land in this area of the county. Central Avenue, a major exit off the I-95 beltway, running east to west, is one of two main roads in this portion of the county. The other major roadway is Old Crain Highway, which runs north to south along the eastern portion of the county. The Newton White Mansion on the grounds is a popular site for weddings and political events.
Bowie is best known as a planned Levittown. William Levitt built traditional homes, as well as California contemporaries along U.S. Route 50, the key highway to the eastern shore and the state capital of Annapolis. Bowie has currently grown to be the largest city in Prince George's County, with more than 50,000 people. It also has a large Caucasian population, compared to much of the county (48% of the population). Housing styles vary from the most contemporary to century old homes in Bowie's antique district (formerly known as Huntingtown), where the town of Bowie began as a haven for thoroughbred horse racing. Areas of geographic distinction include the Ogden Bowie Mansion, Allen Pond, key segments of the Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Trail, as well as planned parks, lakes and walking trails.
Rural Tier
Prince George's rural tier was designated "in the 2002 General Plan as an area where residential growth would be minimal"; it may be found in the area well beyond the Beltway to the east and south of central county, bounded on the north by U.S. Route 50, the west by the communities Accokeek and Fort Washington, and the east by the Patuxent River. Prince George's origins are in this part of the county. Most of this area contains the unincorporated parishes, villages and lost towns of Prince George's County. Largely under postal designations of "Upper Marlboro" or "Brandywine", in truth the town of Upper Marlboro is more central county in character, though it is the post office location for various rural settlements. (The names of these unincorporated areas are listed below in the towns section of this article). Since 1721 Upper Marlboro has been the county seat of government, with families that trace their lineage back to Prince George's initial land grants and earliest governing officials. Names like Clagett, Sasscer, King James and Queen Anne pepper the streets.
The rural tier has been the focus of orchestrated efforts by residents and county government to preserve its rural character and environmental integrity. Under the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Patuxent River Park is the largest natural preserve and provides public access for birdwatching and viewing the rural tier's natural waterfront vistas. In season, the park's Jug Bay Natural Area and the Patuxent Riverkeeper in Queen Anne both offer canoeing and kayaking rentals on the Patuxent. The county's largest collection of tobacco planter mansions and preserved homes are in the rural tier, some managed by the M-NCPPC. Many rural tier roads have scenic highway preservation status; a fall drive yields exceptional beauty along the Patuxent valley's Leeland Road, Croom Road, Clagett's Landing Rd., Mill Branch Rd., Queen Anne Rd., and Brandywine Rd. Walking access along roads in this area is very limited, because most property along the roads remains in private ownership. However, walking is much more accessible in the widespread M-NCPPC lands and trails and state holdings in the Patuxent valley, such as Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary and Rosaryville State Park, both popular among hikers and mountain bikers.
Inner Beltway
The inner beltway communities of Capitol Heights, District Heights, Forestville, Suitland and Seat Pleasant border the neighboring District of Columbia's northeastern and southeastern quadrants. This region is the most densely populated area of the county, although many communities here saw a decrease in population from 2000 to 2010. A high percentage of its residents are African American.
South County
South county is a blend of the greenery of the rural tier and the new development of central county. The communities of Clinton, Oxon Hill, Temple Hills and Fort Washington are the largest areas of south county. It is the only portion of Prince George's County to enjoy the Potomac River waterfront, and that geographic distinction has yielded the rise of the National Harbor project: a town center and riverside shopping and living development on the Potomac. The National Harbor has become a major tourist and convention attraction, with significant hotel accommodations, eateries and shopping. Ferry rides allow trips across the Potomac into Alexandria. Several historic sites, including Mt. Vernon, can be viewed from the harbor front. River Road in Fort Washington also yields great views of the Potomac. Fort Washington Park was a major battery and gives access to the public for tours of the fort, scenic access to the river and other picnic grounds. Oxon Hill Manor offers a working farm and plantation mansion for touring; His Lordship's Kindness is another major historic home. Also, Fort Foote is an old American Civil War fort and tourist destination.
Adjacent counties and independent cities
- Anne Arundel County (east)
- Calvert County (southeast)
- Charles County (south)
- Howard County (north)
- Montgomery County (northwest)
- Fairfax County, Virginia (southwest)
- Alexandria, Virginia (southwest)
- Washington, D.C. (west)
Prince George's and Montgomery Counties share a bi-county planning and parks agency in the M-NCPPC and a public bi-county water and sewer utility in the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission
National protected areas
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 21,344 | — | |
| 1800 | 21,175 | −0.8% | |
| 1810 | 20,589 | −2.8% | |
| 1820 | 20,216 | −1.8% | |
| 1830 | 20,474 | 1.3% | |
| 1840 | 19,539 | −4.6% | |
| 1850 | 21,549 | 10.3% | |
| 1860 | 23,327 | 8.3% | |
| 1870 | 21,138 | −9.4% | |
| 1880 | 26,451 | 25.1% | |
| 1890 | 26,080 | −1.4% | |
| 1900 | 29,898 | 14.6% | |
| 1910 | 36,147 | 20.9% | |
| 1920 | 43,347 | 19.9% | |
| 1930 | 60,095 | 38.6% | |
| 1940 | 89,490 | 48.9% | |
| 1950 | 194,182 | 117.0% | |
| 1960 | 357,395 | 84.1% | |
| 1970 | 660,567 | 84.8% | |
| 1980 | 665,071 | 0.7% | |
| 1990 | 729,268 | 9.7% | |
| 2000 | 801,515 | 9.9% | |
| 2010 | 863,420 | 7.7% | |
| 2020 | 967,201 | 12.0% | |
| =U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020 |
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Prince George's County is the wealthiest African American-majority county in the United States.
2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 128,853 | 109,060 | 14.92% | 11.28% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 548,439 | 571,866 | 63.52% | 59.13% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 2,156 | 1,887 | 0.25% | 0.20% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 34,815 | 41,436 | 4.03% | 4.28% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 330 | 335 | 0.04% | 0.03% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 2,167 | 5,746 | 0.25% | 0.59% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 17,688 | 31,408 | 2.05% | 3.25% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 128,972 | 205,463 | 14.94% | 21.24% |
| Total | 863,420 | 967,201 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 863,420 people, 304,042 households, and 203,520 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,788.8 inhabitants per square mile (690.7/km2). There were 328,182 housing units at an average density of 679.9 per square mile (262.5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was
- 64.5% black or African American
- 14.9% White
- 0.5% American Indian
- 14.9% Hispanic or Latino (any race)
- 4.1% Asian
- 0.1% Pacific islander
- 8.5% from other races
- 3.2% from two or more races.
Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 14.9% of the population, an equal percentage to Whites of indeterminate origin. In terms of ancestry, 6.5% were Subsaharan African, and 2.0% were American.
Of the 304,042 households, 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.1% were married couples living together, 20.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.1% were non-families, and 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.31. The median age was 34.9 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $71,260 and the median income for a family was $82,580. Males had a median income of $49,471 versus $49,478 for females. The per capita income for the county was $31,215. About 5.0% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.
Education
"30.1% of all residents over the age of 25 had graduated from college and obtained a bachelor's degree (17.8%) or professional degree (12.2%). 86.2% of all residents over the age of 25 were high school graduates or higher."
Religion
Prince George's County is home to more than 800 churches, including 12 megachurches, as well as a number of mosques, synagogues, and Hindu and Buddhist temples. Property belonging to religious entities makes up 3,450 acres (14.0 km2) of land in the county, or 1.8% of the total area of the county.
Transportation
The County contains a 28-mile portion of the 65-mile-long Capital Beltway. After a decades-long debate, an east–west toll freeway, the Intercounty Connector ("ICC"), which extends Interstate 370 in Montgomery County to connect I-270 with Interstate 95 and U.S. 1 in Laurel, opened in 2012. An 11.5-mile portion of the 32.5-mile-long Baltimore–Washington Parkway runs from the county's border with Washington, D.C., to its border with Anne Arundel County near Laurel.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority operates Metrobus fixed-route bus service and Metrorail heavy-rail passenger service in and out of the county as well as the regional MetroAccess paratransit system for the handicapped. The Prince George's County Department of Public Works and Transportation also operates TheBus, a County-wide fixed-route bus system, and the Call-A-Bus service for passengers who do not have access to or have difficulty using fixed-route bus service. Call-A-Bus is a demand-response service which generally requires 14-days advance reservations. The county also offers a subsidized taxicab service for elderly and disabled residents called Call-A-Cab in which eligible customers who sign up for the service purchase coupons giving them a 50 percent discount with participating taxicab companies in Prince George's and Montgomery Counties.
Mass transit
Prince George's County Metro Rail
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has fifteen stations of the Washington Metro system located in Prince George's County, with four of them as terminus stations: Greenbelt, New Carrollton, Largo, and Branch Avenue. The Purple Line, which would link highly developed areas of both Montgomery and Prince George's Counties is currently under-construction and slated to open in 2022. The Purple Line will provide connections to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's Red Line (Washington Metro) via Northern Prince George's County and Montgomery County. The Orange Line (Washington Metro) and MARC Train's Penn Line will have transfer points at New Carrollton station.
Prince George's County Commuter Rail
The MARC Train (Maryland Area Rail Commuter) train service has two lines that traverse Prince George's County. The Camden Line, which runs between Baltimore Camden Station and Washington Union Station and has six stops in the county at Riverdale, College Park, Greenbelt, Muirkirk, Laurel and Laurel Race Track. The Penn Line runs on the Amtrak route between Pennsylvania and Washington Union stations. It has three stops in the county: Bowie, Seabrook and New Carrollton.
Airports
The College Park Airport (CGS), established in 1909, is the world's oldest continuously operated airport and is home to the adjacent College Park Aviation Museum.
Privately owned general aviation airfields in the county include Freeway Airport (W00) in Mitchellville, Potomac Airfield (VKX) in Friendly, and Washington Executive Airpark/Hyde Field (W32) in Clinton, along with numerous private heliports.
The area is served by three airports: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in Arlington County, Virginia, Baltimore–Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) in neighboring Anne Arundel County, and Dulles International Airport (IAD) in Dulles, Virginia.
Andrews Air Force Base (ADW), the airfield portion of Joint Base Andrews, is also near Camp Springs.
Water taxi
Prince George's County is served by a water taxi that operates from the National Harbor to Alexandria, Virginia and to The Wharf in Washington, D.C.
Major highways
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Future transit
Because of its location north and east of Washington, D.C., several future transit technology projects look to be routed partially through Prince George's County. The first stage of The Boring Company's proposed Washington-to-New York hyperloop will travel beneath the Baltimore–Washington Parkway through Prince George's en route to Baltimore. No hyperloop stops within the county are projected. Similarly, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has supported efforts to trial a 40-mile superconducting maglev (SCMaglev) train route connecting Washington to Baltimore. Proposed routes would run through Prince George's parallel to the Baltimore–Washington Parkway or along the Amtrak Penn Line corridor. As with the hyperloop, no SCMaglev stop is planned within Prince George's County. The Purple Line light transit rail is currently in construction in College Park and New Carrollton.
Enterprises and recreation
Prince George’s County is home to the United States Department of Agriculture's Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, the United States Census Bureau, Andrews Air Force Base, the National Archives and Records Administration's College Park facility, the University of Maryland’s flagship College Park campus, Six Flags America and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, FedEx Field (home of the Washington Redskins), and the National Harbor, which its developers, Peterson Companies and Gaylord Entertainment Company, bill as the largest single mixed-use project and combined convention center–hotel complex on the East Coast.
Media
- WPGC-FM, Morningside, MD, take their P-G-C call letters from the name Prince George's County
- Prince George's Sentinel, Seabrook, MD, weekly newspaper covering the county with a circulation of 23,000 copies
Recreation
Although Prince George’s County is not often credited for the Washington Redskins, the Redskins stadium is in Landover. No other major-league professional sports teams are in the county, though Bowie hosts the Bowie Baysox, a minor league baseball team. The county is known for its very successful youth. In basketball, ESPN published an article declaring Prince George's County the new "Hoops Hot Bed" and ranked it as the number one basketball talent pool in the country. A number of basketball prospects, including Ty Lawson, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Roy Hibbert and Michael Beasley from AAU basketball teams such as the PG Jaguars, DC Assault, and DC Blue Devils. Besides AAU, basketball has skyrocketed from local high schools such as DeMatha Catholic High School and Bishop McNamara High School, both of which have found some great success locally and nationally.
Communities
This county contains the following incorporated municipalities:
Cities
Towns
- Berwyn Heights
- Bladensburg
- Brentwood
- Capitol Heights
- Cheverly
- Colmar Manor
- Cottage City
- Eagle Harbor
- Edmonston
- Fairmount Heights
- Forest Heights
- Landover Hills
- Morningside
- North Brentwood
- Riverdale Park
- University Park
- Upper Marlboro (county seat)
Part of the city of Takoma Park was formerly in Prince George’s County, but since 1997 the city has been entirely in Montgomery County. The part of Takoma Park that changed counties comprises two residential neighborhoods, Carole Highlands (an unincorporated portion of this neighborhood is still in Prince George’s County) and New Hampshire Gardens.
Census-designated places
Unincorporated areas are also considered as towns by many people and listed in many collections of towns, but they lack local government. Various organizations, such as the United States Census Bureau, the United States Postal Service, and local chambers of commerce, define the communities they wish to recognize differently, and since they are not incorporated, their boundaries have no official status outside the organizations in question. The Census Bureau recognizes the following census-designated places in the county:
- Accokeek
- Adelphi
- Andrews AFB
- Aquasco
- Baden
- Beltsville
- Brandywine
- Brock Hall
- Calverton
- Camp Springs
- Cedarville
- Chillum
- Clinton
- Coral Hills
- Croom
- East Riverdale
- Fairwood
- Forestville
- Fort Washington
- Friendly
- Glassmanor
- Glenn Dale
- Hillandale
- Hillcrest Heights
- Kettering
- Konterra
- Lake Arbor
- Landover
- Langley Park
- Lanham
- Largo
- Marlboro Meadows
- Marlboro Village
- Marlow Heights
- Marlton
- Melwood
- Mitchellville
- National Harbor
- Oxon Hill
- Peppermill Village
- Queen Anne
- Queenland
- Rosaryville
- Seabrook
- Silver Hill
- South Laurel
- Springdale
- Suitland
- Summerfield
- Temple Hills
- Walker Mill
- West Laurel
- Westphalia
- Woodlawn
- Woodmore
Unincorporated communities
- Ardmore
- Avondale
- Berwyn
- Carmody Hills
- Carole Highlands
- Cedar Heights
- Chapel Oaks
- Cheltenham
- Collington
- Danville
- Green Meadows
- Indian Creek Village
- Kentland
- Lewisdale
- Meadows
- Montpelier
- Muirkirk
- North College Park
- Palmer Park
- Piscataway
- Raljon
- Rogers Heights
- South Bowie
- Tantallon
- Tuxedo
- Vansville
- West Hyattsville
- White Hall
- Woodyard
Ghost town
Sister cities
Royal Bafokeng Nation, Republic of South Africa
Rishon LeZion, State of Israel
Ziguinchor, Republic of Senegal
Namesakes
- The USS Prince Georges (AK-224), was a United States Navy Crater-class cargo ship named after the county.
Economy
Top employers
According to the county's comprehensive annual financial report, the top private-sector employers in the county are the following. "NA" indicates not in the top ten for the year given.
| Employer | Employees (2014) |
Employees (2011) |
Employees (2005) |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Parcel Service (UPS) | 4,220 | 4,220 | 2,300 |
| Giant | 3,000 | 3,600 | 6,152 |
| Verizon | 2,738 | 2,738 | NA |
| Dimensions Healthcare System | 2,500 | 2,500 | 2,100 |
| Marriott International (Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center) |
2,430 | 2,000 | NA |
| Shoppers Food & Pharmacy | 1,975 | 1,975 | 1,975 |
| Safeway | 1,605 | 1,605 | 2,400 |
| Capital One Bank (formerly Chevy Chase Bank) | NA | 1,456 | NA |
| Target | 1,400 | 1,400 | NA |
| Doctor's Community Hospital | 1,300 | 1,300 | NA |
| MedStar Health (Southern Maryland Hospital Center) |
1,242 | 1,300 | 1,300 |
The top public-sector employers in the county are:
| Employer | Employees (2014) |
Employees (2011) |
|---|---|---|
| University System of Maryland | 17,905 | 16,014 |
| Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility Washington | 13,500 | 8,057 |
| Prince George's County | 7,003 | 7,052 |
| Internal Revenue Service | 5,539 | 5,539 |
| U.S. Census Bureau | 4,414 | 4,287 |
| NASA Goddard Space Flight Center | 3,397 | 3,171 |
| Prince George's Community College | 2,637 | 1,700 |
| U.S. Department of Agriculture (Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center) |
1,850 | 1,850 |
| National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office | 1,724 | 1,724 |
| National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | 1,350 | 1,350 |
Education
Colleges and universities
- Bowie State University, located in unincorporated area north of Bowie
- Brightwood College, located in unincorporated area (Beltsville)
- Capital Seminary & Graduate School, in Greenbelt
- Capitol Technology University, located in unincorporated area south of Laurel
- Prince George's Community College, located in unincorporated area (Largo)
- Strayer University, PG Campus, in unincorporated area (Suitland)
- University of Maryland, College Park, in College Park
- University of Maryland Global Campus, in unincorporated area (Adelphi)
The University of Maryland System headquarters are in the unincorporated area of Adelphi.
Public schools
The county's public schools are managed by the Prince George's County Public Schools system.
Notable people
- Karen Allen, actor, (National Lampoon's Animal House, Raiders of the Lost Ark), director, grew up in New Carrollton and attended DuVal High School.
- Thurl Bailey, professional basketball player; grew up in Landover.
- Ben Barnes, Member of the Maryland House of Delegates, from Greenbelt, Maryland.
- John H. Bayne, Civil War-era state senator, physician, and noted horticulturalist who owned the Salubria plantation near Oxon Hill/National Harbor.
- Michael Beasley, professional basketball player for the New York Knicks
- Len Bias, All-American Basketball star at the University of Maryland in the 1980s, grew up in Landover Hills and attended Northwestern High School in Hyattsville.
- Riddick Bowe, former world heavyweight boxing champion, and family lived in Sero Estates, Fort Washington.
- Sergey Brin, founder of Google, grew up in Adelphi and attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt.
- Steve Byrnes, former NASCAR TV analyst, grew up in New Carrollton, attended both Largo High School & University of Maryland
- John Carroll, S.J. (1735–1815), first Roman Catholic bishop and archbishop in the United States, and founder of Georgetown University, was born in Upper Marlboro.
- Eva Cassidy, songstress and guitarist, grew up in Oxon Hill and later Bowie.
- JC Chasez, singer/producer, grew up in Bowie.
- Frank Cho, award-winning cartoonist, grew up in Beltsville and attended community college and university in the county.
- Thomas John Claggett (1742–1816), first Episcopal bishop consecrated in the United States and third Chaplain of the United States Senate, was from Upper Marlboro.
- Leonard Covington (1768–1813), born in Aquasco, U.S. congressman from Maryland
- Jermaine Crawford, actor, The Wire, born and raised in the county
- Kevin Durant, NBA player, grew up in Prince George's County
- Roger Easton, Sr., naval scientist, the chief inventor of GPS and winner of the 2004 National Medal of Technology, lived on Oxon Hill Road in Oxon Hill.
- John Fahey, guitarist who influenced the "American primitive" style of acoustic picking, grew up in Takoma Park before it was transferred to Montgomery County. The independent record label he founded was called Takoma Park Records.
- Francis B. Francois, lawyer and engineer, lived in Bowie for over 40 years. In 1999, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in recognition of his achievements in the field of engineering and policy leadership in surface transportation infrastructure and research. He served on the Prince George's County council as an elected official for 10 years.
- Markelle Fultz, NBA player, born and raised in Upper Marlboro.
- Danny Gatton, extraordinary guitarist, lived in Oxon Hill and graduated from Oxon Hill Senior High School, later lived for many years in Accokeek.
- Steven F. Gaughan, Prince George's County police officer killed in the line of duty in 2005
- Kathie Lee Gifford, network television personality, grew up in Bowie.
- Ginuwine, R&B pop musician, lived in Fort Washington.
- Lyle Goodhue (1903–1981), USDA research scientist and inventor, lived in Prince George's County from 1935 to 1945.
- Jeff Green, NBA player for the Brooklyn Nets.
- Anthony Hampton (Television Producer and entrepreneur )
- Goldie Hawn, actress, director, and producer, grew up in Takoma Park before it was transferred to Montgomery County.
- Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets later used on Sesame Street, grew up in University Park and attended Northwestern High School in Hyattsville.
- Taraji P. Henson, actress, attended Oxon Hill High School.
- Roy Hibbert, professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers, and raised in Adelphi
- Larry Hogan, the current and 62nd Governor of Maryland since 2015, grew up in Landover, attended Saint Abrose Catholic School in Cheverly and DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville. As a result of his parents' divorce, Hogan moved to Florida and later moved back to Maryland to Anne Arundel County, where he currently resides.
- Steny Hoyer, Floor leader of the United States House of Representatives since 2003, lived as a teenager in Suitland and Mitchellville, attended Suitland High School and Univ. Maryland – College Park, and later lived in Friendly before moving to St. Mary's County.
- Cathy Hughes, founder and manager of Radio One, the nation's largest African American broadcasting company
- Jarrett Jack, professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets.
- Isis King, first transgender contestant in America's Next Top Model (Cycles 11 and 17)
- Jeff Kinney, author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, is from Fort Washington.
- Martin Lawrence, actor and comedian, lived in Landover and attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt
- Ty Lawson NBA player for the Washington Wizards.
- Lettice Lee, colonial society hostess
- Sugar Ray Leonard, boxing champion, grew up in Palmer Park.
- G. Gordon Liddy, presidential aide convicted in the Watergate scandal, later an author and radio personality, lived in Fort Foote, Fort Washington.
- John P. McDonough, Maryland Secretary of State, from Bladensburg.
- Mike Miller, Maryland State Senate President from 1987 to 2020, was born and raised in Clinton and attended Surrattsville High School. Miller studied Business Administration at the University of Maryland, College Park, graduating in 1964. Miller's law firm is located in Clinton. Miller currently resides in Calvert County.
- Mýa, R&B pop musician, attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Maryland as a violinist in the orchestra among the class of 1994.
- Rico Nasty, rapper born in Largo, Maryland. Raised in Palmer Park and attended Charles Herbert Flowers High School.
- Sammy Nestico, band music arranger, lived in Oxon Hill in the 1960s.
- Lio Rush, professional WWE wrestler from Lanham.
- Jan Scruggs, conceived the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial, grew up in Bowie.
- Substantial, rapper originally from Cheverly.
- Michael Sweetney, former professional basketball player.
- Kameron Taylor (born 1994), basketball player for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli Basketball Premier League and the EuroLeague
- Turkey Tayac, Piscataway Indian leader and herbal doctor, lived in Accokeek for many years and is buried there.
- Dominic Wade, professional boxer, from Largo.
- Wale, hip-hop artist, often notes in his songs how he is from "PG County," and the "DMV" region (D.C, Maryland, Virginia).
- Sumner Welles, U.S. Undersecretary of State to Franklin Roosevelt, built and lived in Oxon Hill Manor, which is now a public facility.
- Delonte West, former NBA player and graduate of Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, MD
- Morgan Wootten coached at DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville from 1956 to 2002. The coach with the most wins in high school basketball history, he was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame, the only high school basketball coach ever so honored. He currently resides in University Park.
- Link Wray, pioneering rock guitarist, lived in Accokeek for many years.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Prince George (Maryland) para niños
