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Living in
Fort Washington.
Fort Washington is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, MD. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Fort Washington
This is a solidly upper-middle-class suburban community where you're paying for proximity to D.C. without actually being in the city. The median home price hovers around $480,000 and rent runs about $2,700 a month, which reflects its status as one of the wealthier African American communities in the country—the median household income sits at nearly $146,000. The job market is stable with low unemployment around 4.4%, though most people commute to work, averaging just under 40 minutes, often heading north to the D.C. metro area.
Fort Washington at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
45.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.3%
Foreign-Born
21.8%
Broadband Internet
96.2%
of households
Population Growth
+6.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics21.8% foreign-born, most often from El Salvador
Who lives in Fort Washington: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Fort Washington, the largest foreign-born group is from El Salvador (28.4%), and 15.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
19.0%
of residents
65 and Older
21.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
18.7%
of households
Married Couples
54.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.91
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 58% above MD average
Rent, home values, and income in Fort Washington
In Fort Washington, rent runs 58% above the MD average, and home values are 14% above the MD average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
56.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,175
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
91.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1979
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $443,679 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts above MD average
Unemployment in Fort Washington and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Prince George's County, which includes Fort Washington, is 0.4 percentage points higher than the MD average.
Unemployment rate
Fort Washington: Prince George's County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Prince George's County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Fort Washington is about 3% of Prince George's County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Fort Washington 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
Commute37.9 min avg
How Fort Washington residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Fort Washington, most residents drive alone to work (66%), and 33% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 9 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 Fort Washington, 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 Fort Washington, 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
Fort Washington is about 3% 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 Fort Washington, 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
Fort Washington is about 3% of Prince George's County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate86°F summers, 29°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Fort Washington has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and cold winters (avg low 29°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
66°/45°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/67°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
69°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
46°/29°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
46.8"
Annual Snowfall
13.4"
Hot Days/Year
38
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
80
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
129
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 27°F | 3.08" |
| Feb | 48°F | 28°F | 2.89" |
| Mar | 56°F | 35°F | 4.04" |
| Apr | 67°F | 45°F | 3.38" |
| May | 76°F | 55°F | 4.45" |
| Jun | 84°F | 64°F | 4.85" |
| Jul | 88°F | 69°F | 4.96" |
| Aug | 87°F | 67°F | 4.16" |
| Sep | 80°F | 61°F | 4.37" |
| Oct | 68°F | 48°F | 3.75" |
| Nov | 57°F | 39°F | 3.13" |
| Dec | 48°F | 31°F | 3.75" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Fort Washington
Fort Washington has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
10.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Adventist Healthcare Fort Washington Medical Ctr
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Inova Mount Vernon Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.8 mi away · Alexandria
Medstar Southern Maryland Hospital Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.4 mi away · Clinton
United Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.6 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.
Education14.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Fort Washington
Fort Washington's student/teacher ratio is 14.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 43.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
43.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Fort Washington (within 15 miles)
University of Maryland Global Campus
15 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 49,664 students · in-state tuition $8,280 · 32% graduate · median earnings $68,110 (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
12.6 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
14.4 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 8,815 students · in-state tuition $4,034 · 13% graduate · median earnings $52,882 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,569 students · in-state tuition $71,338 · 95% graduate · median earnings $110,516 (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: Fort Washington Park, 2 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Fort Washington
Fort Washington has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Fort Washington Park (2 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Fort Washington Park
Park
2 mi awayHarmony Hall
National Park Site
2 mi awayFort Foote Park
Park
4 mi awayPiscataway Park
Park
5 mi awayOxon Cove Park & Oxon Hill Farm
National Park Site
6 mi awayFrederick Douglass National Historic Site
National Historic Site
10 mi awayNational Capital Parks-East
National Park Site
10 mi awayAnacostia Park
Park
11 mi awayCities Near Fort Washington
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Fort Washington?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Fort Washington FAQ
Is Fort Washington, Maryland affordable?⌄
Fort Washington's median rent is $2,690/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $143,333/year. Median home value is $480,100.
Is Fort Washington, Maryland safe?⌄
Fort Washington 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 Fort Washington, Maryland?⌄
Prince George's County, which includes Fort Washington, has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Fort Washington, Maryland?⌄
The cost of living in Fort Washington is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,690/month and median household income is $143,333/year. The median home value is $480,100. About 56% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Fort Washington, Maryland?⌄
The average commute in Fort Washington is 38 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