What it's like to live in Greenbelt
Greenbelt is a small city in Maryland with home prices that remain within reach, air quality that stays clean most of the year, a highly educated workforce, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Greenbelt deals with rent well above the national average, crime rates above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Clean air
- Highly educated workforce
- Average class sizes
- Public transit that many commuters use
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
How Greenbelt compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Greenbelt
Based on Greenbelt's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,696
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $73,920 a year
- 51% of Greenbelt renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$51,080
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $25,540
- Homes cost 3.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 31% above US
$1,848/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,848 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $255,400. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $255,400 · 51% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.4% county unemployment
Unemployment in Prince George's County is 4.4%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Prince George's County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 92% above US
632 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 3869/100k · Greenbelt Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 30% above US
34 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 33.8 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% take public transit; 17% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 27°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 26% above US
45% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 45% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Greenbelt Park (1 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Greenbelt's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and air quality that stays clean most of the year; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,848/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (17% of workers here already work from home), people who would rather not drive, and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and people who dread long commutes.
Other places near Greenbelt
All Maryland guides →Moving to New Carrollton →
2 mi away · pop. 13,564
Rent $1,749/mo · Income $81,509
Compare with Greenbelt →Moving to College Park →
2 mi away · pop. 34,540
Rent $1,912/mo · Income $69,721
Compare with Greenbelt →Not sure Greenbelt is the one?
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