About

Life in East Riverdale

Living in East Riverdale means embracing a densely packed, family-oriented neighborhood just outside D.C. where you're paying around $1,720 for rent or looking at homes averaging $361,400—reasonable for the region, though you're definitely in the urban fabric rather than getting suburban breathing room. The median household income sits at $82,401, and with a 4.4% unemployment rate, the job market is solid, though many residents commute about 34 minutes to work elsewhere in the metro area. The area is 100% urban and densely developed—you're getting compact living, walkable blocks, and everything close by rather than sprawling lawns.

East Riverdale at a Glance

Population, income, housing and more

Median Age

28.8 yrs

Poverty Rate

24.0%

Foreign-Born

54.6%

Broadband Internet

90.7%

of households

Median household income

East Riverdale$81,831
Maryland avg$103,678
US$80,734

Demographics54.6% foreign-born, most often from El Salvador

Who lives in East Riverdale: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin

In East Riverdale, the largest foreign-born group is from El Salvador (33.9%), and 59.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.

Under 18

32.5%

of residents

65 and Older

6.4%

of residents

Households with Kids

50.7%

anyone under 18

Living Alone

13.2%

of households

Married Couples

45.1%

of households

Avg Household Size

3.93

people

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino69.8%
Black18.0%
White5.7%
Two or more races2.4%

Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic

Top countries of origin (foreign-born)

El Salvador33.9%
Mexico20.6%
Afghanistan8.5%
Honduras8.1%
Guatemala7.7%
Guyana4.1%
Eritrea2.2%
Peru1.6%
Cameroon1.4%
Jamaica1.1%

Languages Spoken at Home

Spanish59.5%
English only31.6%
Other Indo-European5.0%
Other1.7%
French/Haitian1.4%
Chinese0.2%
Other Asian/Pacific0.2%
Arabic0.1%

Cost of Livingrent about average for MD

Rent, home values, and income in East Riverdale

In East Riverdale, home values are 14% below the MD average.

Median rent (per month)

East Riverdale$1,716
Maryland avg$1,705
US$1,413

Median home value

East Riverdale$361,400
Maryland avg$419,900
US$332,700

Rent Burdened

49.7%

spending 30%+ of income on rent

Severely Rent Burdened

31.4%

spending 50%+

Cost of Living Index

108.9

metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100

Median Property Tax

$3,969

per year, owner-occupied homes

Homeowners

53.2%

of occupied homes are owned

Typical Home Built

1959

median year built

Vacant Homes

3.4%

of housing units

Home Value Trend

$343,974
$375,365
$363,403
202120222023202420252026

Latest: $363,403 (September 2026)

Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts above MD average

Unemployment in East Riverdale and typical pay across the metro area

Unemployment in Prince George's County, which includes East Riverdale, is 0.4 percentage points higher than the MD average.

Unemployment rate

East Riverdale4.4%
Maryland avg4.0%
US4.3%

East Riverdale: Prince George's County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average

Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend

4.3%
4.1%
3.9%
3.5%
7.7%
6.6%
3.3%
2.4%
3.4%
4.4%
2016201720182019202020212022202320242025

Prince George's County (county-wide) · Annual averages

East Riverdale is about 2% of Prince George's County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.

What East Riverdale Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry

Construction28.1%
Professional & business services17.3%
Education & health care12.7%
Arts, hospitality & food service10.4%
Retail6.5%
Transportation & utilities6.5%
Other services5.1%
Finance & real estate3.1%

City residents, wherever they work

Median Salary by Occupation · metro area

Management$154,420
Computer & Math$129,790
Business & Finance$101,420
Healthcare$96,680
Education$64,110
Construction$58,650
Office & Admin$48,960
Transportation$43,540

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area

Commute33.1 min avg

How East Riverdale residents get to work, and the nearest airports

In East Riverdale, most residents drive alone to work (56%), and 47% get there in under 30 minutes.

How People Get to Work

Drive alone55.5%
Carpool18.2%
Public transit9.1%
Walk1.1%
Work from home6.8%
Other9.4%

Commute Time Distribution

Under 15 min11.7%
15–29 min35.0%
30–44 min27.2%
45–59 min12.0%
60+ min14.2%

Nearest airports · with airline service

  • Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)

    Major hub12.0M passengers boarded in 2025

    10 mi

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 East Riverdale, 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).

Lightning · Very HighWinter weather · Very HighHeat wave · HighInland flooding · HighStrong wind · High

Prince George's County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025

In Prince George's County, which includes East Riverdale, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 25 recorded events in 2025.

Most common events:

Thunderstorm WindFloodWinter WeatherDense FogFlash Flood

Storm events by year

YearEventsTop TypeProperty Damage
202525Thunderstorm Wind$118,000
202410Thunderstorm Wind$273,000
202315Thunderstorm Wind$122,000
202223Thunderstorm Wind$1.9M
202129Thunderstorm Wind$462,000
202045Flood$127,250
201942Thunderstorm WindNone reported
201841Flood$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

East Riverdale is about 2% 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 East Riverdale, 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

East Riverdale is about 2% of Prince George's County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.

Climate88°F summers, 30°F winters

30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation

East Riverdale has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and cold winters (avg low 30°F).

Spring (Mar–May)

67°/47°F

avg high / low

Summer (Jun–Aug)

88°/69°F

avg high / low

Fall (Sep–Nov)

70°/50°F

avg high / low

Winter (Dec–Feb)

47°/30°F

avg high / low

Annual Precipitation

45.6"

Annual Snowfall

9.7"

Hot Days/Year

47

days above 90°F

Freeze Days/Year

84

days below 32°F

Rainy Days/Year

121

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)
10°30°50°70°90°5"Jan: 3.03" precipitationFeb: 2.77" precipitationMar: 3.96" precipitationApr: 3.44" precipitationMay: 4.32" precipitationJun: 4.56" precipitationJul: 4.62" precipitationAug: 3.67" precipitationSep: 4.12" precipitationOct: 4.23" precipitationNov: 3.20" precipitationDec: 3.67" precipitation28°JJan: high 45°F, low 28°FFFeb: high 48°F, low 30°FMMar: high 56°F, low 37°FAApr: high 68°F, low 46°FMMay: high 77°F, low 57°FJJun: high 85°F, low 66°F90°JJul: high 90°F, low 71°FAAug: high 88°F, low 69°FSSep: high 82°F, low 62°FOOct: high 70°F, low 49°FNNov: high 58°F, low 39°FDDec: high 49°F, low 32°F
Show month-by-month table ↓
MonthHighLowPrecip
Jan45°F28°F3.03"
Feb48°F30°F2.77"
Mar56°F37°F3.96"
Apr68°F46°F3.44"
May77°F57°F4.32"
Jun85°F66°F4.56"
Jul90°F71°F4.62"
Aug88°F69°F3.67"
Sep82°F62°F4.12"
Oct70°F49°F4.23"
Nov58°F39°F3.20"
Dec49°F32°F3.67"

Healthcare

Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in East Riverdale

Uninsured

33.9%

of residents

No hospitals inside East Riverdale's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles

Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Ctr, Inc.

Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.7 mi away · Lanham

University of MD Capital Region Medical Center

Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.6 mi away · Upper Marlboro

Washington Dc VA Medical Center

Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 5.8 mi away · Washington

Adult Health · vs. the typical US place

Obesity43.2%US 36.8%
Diabetes14.1%US 12.6%
High blood pressure32.2%US 37.1%
Current smoking14.1%US 15.0%
No leisure-time physical activity35.7%US 26.6%
Depression16.6%US 23.0%
Asthma10.8%US 10.7%
Routine checkup in past year69.6%US 78.2%

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.

Education16.2:1 student/teacher ratio

Schools and degree attainment in East Riverdale

East Riverdale's student/teacher ratio is 16.2:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 15.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Public Schools

2

within city limits

Private Schools

0

within city limits

College Degree Rate

15.1%

adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher

Student/Teacher Ratio

16.2:1

National avg 16:1

Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year

Colleges Near East Riverdale (within 15 miles)

University of Maryland Global Campus

4.6 mi away

Public · 4-year · 49,664 students · in-state tuition $8,280 · 32% graduate · median earnings $68,110 (10 yrs after entry)

University of Maryland-College Park

2.8 mi away

Public · 4-year · 30,760 students · in-state tuition $12,290 · 86% graduate · median earnings $89,228 (10 yrs after entry)

George Washington University

8.6 mi away

Private nonprofit · 4-year · 11,182 students · in-state tuition $70,170 · 86% graduate · median earnings $96,691 (10 yrs after entry)

Howard University

6.5 mi away

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

7.7 mi away

Private 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

6.6 mi away

Public · 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 East Riverdale

East Riverdale 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 away

Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens

National Park Site

4 mi away

Baltimore-Washington Parkway

Parkway

5 mi away

Anacostia Park

Park

6 mi away

Capitol Hill Parks

National Park Site

6 mi away

Civil War Defenses of Washington

National Park Site

6 mi away

Fort Dupont Park

National Park Site

6 mi away

African American Civil War Memorial

National Park Site

7 mi away

Cities Near East Riverdale

The closest cities within 60 miles

Planning a move to East Riverdale?

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East Riverdale FAQ

Is East Riverdale, Maryland affordable?⌄

East Riverdale's median rent is $1,716/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $81,831/year. Median home value is $361,400.

Is East Riverdale, Maryland safe?⌄

East Riverdale 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 East Riverdale, Maryland?⌄

Prince George's County, which includes East Riverdale, has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.

What is the cost of living in East Riverdale, Maryland?⌄

The cost of living in East Riverdale is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,716/month and median household income is $81,831/year. The median home value is $361,400. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.

How is the commute in East Riverdale, Maryland?⌄

The average commute in East Riverdale is 33 minutes, which is longer than 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