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Living in
College Park.
About
Life in College Park
If you're considering College Park, understand that the University of Maryland isn't just what the city is known for—it's the backbone of daily life here. Over half the workforce is university-employed, the campus takes up two-fifths of the city's footprint, and the median age is 21.7 years, which tells you the population skews young. That said, the Discovery District has attracted serious employers beyond academia: federal agencies like NOAA and the FDA, plus growing tech sectors in quantum computing and cybersecurity.
College Park at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
21.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
33.2%
Foreign-Born
23.8%
Broadband Internet
88.1%
of households
Population Growth
+1.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics23.8% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in College Park: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In College Park, the largest foreign-born group is from India (12.7%), and 13.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
10.5%
of residents
65 and Older
6.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
20.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
28.0%
of households
Married Couples
25.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.69
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 12% above MD average
Rent, home values, and income in College Park
In College Park, rent runs 12% above the MD average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
57.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
40.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,284
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
34.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1981
median year built
Vacant Homes
11.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $429,339 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.2 pts above MD average
Unemployment in College Park and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in College Park is 1.2 percentage points higher than the MD average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What College Park Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area
Commute26.2 min avg
How College Park residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In College Park, most residents drive alone to work (47%), and 59% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 10 mi
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
Major hub12.0M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 19% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Prince George's County Police Department, which covers College Park, runs 19% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
265.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,919.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Prince George's County Police Department (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 25 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
93.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Prince George's County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Prince George's County, which includes College Park, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 25 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $118,000 |
| 2024 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $273,000 |
| 2023 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $122,000 |
| 2022 | 23 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.9M |
| 2021 | 29 | Thunderstorm Wind | $462,000 |
| 2020 | 45 | Flood | $127,250 |
| 2019 | 42 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 41 | Flood | $1,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Prince George's County, county-wide
College Park is about 4% of Prince George's County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality40 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Prince George's County, which includes College Park, is typically good — 306 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
40
Good Days
306
per year
Moderate Days
56
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Prince George's County, county-wide
College Park is about 4% of Prince George's County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate85°F summers, 27°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
College Park has warm summers (avg high 85°F) and cold winters (avg low 27°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
64°/44°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
85°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
68°/48°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
45°/27°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
44.0"
Annual Snowfall
15.8"
Hot Days/Year
30
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
95
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
116
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 25°F | 2.87" |
| Feb | 46°F | 27°F | 2.40" |
| Mar | 53°F | 34°F | 3.72" |
| Apr | 65°F | 44°F | 3.28" |
| May | 74°F | 54°F | 4.27" |
| Jun | 83°F | 63°F | 4.23" |
| Jul | 87°F | 68°F | 4.51" |
| Aug | 86°F | 66°F | 3.88" |
| Sep | 79°F | 59°F | 4.42" |
| Oct | 68°F | 47°F | 4.04" |
| Nov | 57°F | 37°F | 2.92" |
| Dec | 47°F | 30°F | 3.48" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in College Park
Uninsured
8.3%
of residents
No hospitals inside College Park's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Ctr, Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.8 mi away · Lanham
Holy Cross Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · 5.6 mi away · Silver Spring
Washington Dc VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 6.1 mi away · Washington
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in College Park
College Park's student/teacher ratio is 13.3:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 52.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
2
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
52.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in College Park
University of Maryland-College Park
Public · 4-year · 30,760 students · in-state tuition $12,290 · 86% graduate · median earnings $89,228 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
University of Maryland Global Campus
7.4 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 49,664 students · in-state tuition $8,280 · 32% graduate · median earnings $68,110 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 13,773 students · in-state tuition $5,394 · 23% graduate · median earnings $55,378 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 11,182 students · in-state tuition $70,170 · 86% graduate · median earnings $96,691 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 10,108 students · in-state tuition $38,936 · 69% graduate · median earnings $69,682 (10 yrs after entry)
Strayer University-Global Region
8.3 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 9,376 students · in-state tuition $13,920 · 14% graduate · median earnings $44,016 (10 yrs after entry)
Prince George's Community College
9.5 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 8,815 students · in-state tuition $4,034 · 13% graduate · median earnings $52,882 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Greenbelt Park, 2 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for College Park
College Park has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Greenbelt Park (2 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Greenbelt Park
Park
2 mi awayBaltimore-Washington Parkway
Parkway
5 mi awayCivil War Defenses of Washington
National Park Site
6 mi awayKenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens
National Park Site
6 mi awayAfrican American Civil War Memorial
National Park Site
7 mi awayRock Creek Park
Park
7 mi awayAnacostia Park
Park
8 mi awayBelmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument
National Monument
8 mi awayCities Near College Park
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to College Park?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
College Park FAQ
Is College Park, Maryland affordable?⌄
College Park's median rent is $1,912/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $69,721/year. Median home value is $437,900.
Is College Park, Maryland safe?⌄
College Park is policed by the Prince George's County Police Department, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 265 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1919 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in College Park, Maryland?⌄
College Park has an unemployment rate of 5.2%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in College Park, Maryland?⌄
The cost of living in College Park is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,912/month and median household income is $69,721/year. The median home value is $437,900. About 58% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in College Park, Maryland?⌄
The average commute in College Park is 26 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from