© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Greenbelt.
About
Life in Greenbelt
Greenbelt is a planned city built in the 1930s as a New Deal model town in Prince George's County, and its original co-op housing, greenways and walkable center still shape it. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center is next door, and 45% of adults hold a college degree. More than half of households rent, with rent averaging $1,848 a month, while the median home value is $255,400, about 23% below the national median, since much of the housing is co-op and condos.
Greenbelt at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
19.1%
Foreign-Born
29.3%
Broadband Internet
94.8%
of households
Population Growth
+0.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics29.3% foreign-born, most often from Cameroon
Who lives in Greenbelt: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Greenbelt, the largest foreign-born group is from Cameroon (10.4%), and 16.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.5%
of residents
65 and Older
14.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
40.6%
of households
Married Couples
24.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.38
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 8% above MD average
Rent, home values, and income in Greenbelt
In Greenbelt, rent runs 8% above the MD average, and home values are 39% below the MD average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
29.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,832
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
47.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1974
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $273,859 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts above MD average
Unemployment in Greenbelt and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Prince George's County, which includes Greenbelt, is 0.4 percentage points higher than the MD average.
Unemployment rate
Greenbelt: Prince George's County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Prince George's County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Greenbelt is about 3% of Prince George's County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Greenbelt 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
Commute33.8 min avg
How Greenbelt residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Greenbelt, most residents drive alone to work (59%), and 47% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 14 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 92% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Greenbelt runs 92% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
632.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,869.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Greenbelt Police Department
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 Greenbelt, 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
Greenbelt 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 Greenbelt, 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
Greenbelt is about 3% 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
Greenbelt 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 Greenbelt
Uninsured
9.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Greenbelt's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Ctr, Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 1.6 mi away · Lanham
University of MD Capital Region Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.2 mi away · Upper Marlboro
Washington Dc VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 7.9 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.
Education16.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Greenbelt
Greenbelt's student/teacher ratio is 16.5:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 45.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
45.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Greenbelt (within 15 miles)
University of Maryland Global Campus
6.1 mi awayPublic · 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
3.1 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 30,760 students · in-state tuition $12,290 · 86% graduate · median earnings $89,228 (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
10 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
8.1 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, 1 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Greenbelt
Greenbelt has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Greenbelt Park (1 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Greenbelt Park
Park
1 mi awayBaltimore-Washington Parkway
Parkway
3 mi awayKenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens
National Park Site
6 mi awayCivil War Defenses of Washington
National Park Site
8 mi awayAfrican American Civil War Memorial
National Park Site
9 mi awayAnacostia Park
Park
9 mi awayBelmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument
National Monument
9 mi awayCapitol Hill Parks
National Park Site
9 mi awayPublic Libraries in Greenbelt
Greenbelt Branch
11 Crescent Rd., Greenbelt
Cities Near Greenbelt
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Greenbelt?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Greenbelt FAQ
Is Greenbelt, Maryland affordable?⌄
Greenbelt's median rent is $1,848/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $85,997/year. Median home value is $255,400.
Is Greenbelt, Maryland safe?⌄
Greenbelt's violent crime rate was 632 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3869 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Greenbelt, Maryland?⌄
Prince George's County, which includes Greenbelt, has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Greenbelt, Maryland?⌄
The cost of living in Greenbelt is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,848/month and median household income is $85,997/year. The median home value is $255,400. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Greenbelt, Maryland?⌄
The average commute in Greenbelt is 34 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