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Living in
Hillcrest Heights.
Hillcrest Heights 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 Hillcrest Heights
Living in Hillcrest Heights means settling into a dense, established African American community in Prince George's County that's deeply rooted but facing some real headwinds. The area is predominantly single-family ramblers and duplexes built back in the 1950s and 60s, giving it a stable, residential feel—though you should know the population has been declining slightly and you're living in a fully urban setting with no rural character. Housing costs are moderate for the DC metro area, with median home values around $364,000 and rent averaging $1,545 a month, which beats what you'd pay closer to the District, though the job market itself is fairly tight with a 4.4% unemployment rate and limited direct employment within Hillcrest Heights itself.
Hillcrest Heights at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
43.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
10.7%
Foreign-Born
8.9%
Broadband Internet
91.6%
of households
Population Growth
-4.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics8.9% foreign-born, most often from El Salvador
Who lives in Hillcrest Heights: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Hillcrest Heights, the largest foreign-born group is from El Salvador (30.6%), and 11.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.4%
of residents
65 and Older
19.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
25.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
36.3%
of households
Married Couples
26.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.24
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 9% below MD average
Rent, home values, and income in Hillcrest Heights
In Hillcrest Heights, rent runs 9% below the MD average, and home values are 13% below the MD average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
44.7%
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
$3,966
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
53.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1963
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.8%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts above MD average
Unemployment in Hillcrest Heights and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Prince George's County, which includes Hillcrest Heights, is 0.4 percentage points higher than the MD average.
Unemployment rate
Hillcrest Heights: Prince George's County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Prince George's County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Hillcrest Heights is about 2% of Prince George's County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Hillcrest Heights 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
Commute37.2 min avg
How Hillcrest Heights residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Hillcrest Heights, most residents drive alone to work (63%), and 32% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 4 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 Hillcrest Heights, 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 Hillcrest Heights, 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
Hillcrest Heights 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 Hillcrest Heights, 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
Hillcrest Heights is about 2% 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
Hillcrest Heights 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
46.5"
Annual Snowfall
13.7"
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" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Hillcrest Heights
Uninsured
5.1%
of residents
No hospitals inside Hillcrest Heights's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
United Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 1.3 mi away · Washington
St Elizabeths Hospital
Psychiatric · 1.9 mi away · Washington
George Washington Univ Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.8 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.
Education12.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Hillcrest Heights
Hillcrest Heights's student/teacher ratio is 12.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 30.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
3
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
30.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Hillcrest Heights (within 15 miles)
University of Maryland Global Campus
8.2 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 49,664 students · in-state tuition $8,280 · 32% graduate · median earnings $68,110 (10 yrs after entry)
Northern Virginia Community College
14.9 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 33,048 students · in-state tuition $6,062 · 30% graduate · median earnings $56,892 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Maryland-College Park
10.8 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
6.4 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 9,376 students · in-state tuition $13,920 · 14% graduate · median earnings $44,016 (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: Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, 2 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Hillcrest Heights
Hillcrest Heights has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Frederick Douglass National Historic Site (2 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
National Historic Site
2 mi awayAnacostia Park
Park
3 mi awayFort Dupont Park
National Park Site
3 mi awayNational Capital Parks-East
National Park Site
3 mi awayOxon Cove Park & Oxon Hill Farm
National Park Site
3 mi awayCapitol Hill Parks
National Park Site
4 mi awayBelmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument
National Monument
5 mi awayDwight D. Eisenhower Memorial
Memorial
5 mi awayPublic Libraries in Hillcrest Heights
Hillcrest Heights Branch
2398 Iverson St., Temple Hills
Cities Near Hillcrest Heights
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Hillcrest Heights?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Hillcrest Heights FAQ
Is Hillcrest Heights, Maryland affordable?⌄
Hillcrest Heights's median rent is $1,545/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $82,785/year. Median home value is $364,000.
Is Hillcrest Heights, Maryland safe?⌄
Hillcrest Heights 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 Hillcrest Heights, Maryland?⌄
Prince George's County, which includes Hillcrest Heights, has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Hillcrest Heights, Maryland?⌄
The cost of living in Hillcrest Heights is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,545/month and median household income is $82,785/year. The median home value is $364,000. About 45% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Hillcrest Heights, Maryland?⌄
The average commute in Hillcrest Heights is 37 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