Greenbelt, MD got an interesting start in 1937 as a federally created planned community, designed to showcase a "New Deal Utopia" community that emphasized community engagement, pedestrian-first design, and sustainable living. It was designed to encourage cooperation throughout the community, with a design that created distinctive neighborhoods and incorporated countless greenspaces.
This planned community has 24,125 residents, enjoying a 4.7 percent growth rate, slightly higher than the national average. This diverse and family friendly community has a 22.8 percent population of children and a 7.5 percent population of retirees older than 65. There are 10,433 housing units in the area, with a 45.5 percent owner-occupied housing rate. This relatively low rate indicates a strong population of renters versus homeowners. The median value of homes is $191,100, with a typical mortgage costing $1,693 and rent coming in at $1,365. There are 9,264 total households in this community, with an average of 2.55 people per household. 80.3 percent of these people live in the same house year over year. The residents at Greenbelt MD have a high school graduation rate of 89.2 percent and 41.9 percent hold college degrees. 77.5 percent of the population older than 16 is in the labor force, with an average commute time of 31.7 minutes. The median household income is $62,685, slightly higher than the national average, and there are 2,161 employer firms in Greenbelt.
This sustainable community is designed in such a way that the community culture was really built into the design of the community. The original part of the community has a large semi-circle of residential areas with the town center in the middle. It is designed to be self-sustaining and easy to get around without a car. In the original version of the community, all businesses were run by the workers with a cooperative approach, which has influenced the culture in the area to this day. Many of the businesses are still run as co-ops, although it's not 100 percent as it was originally. The concept of shared responsibility helps to create an engaged and friendly community that looks out for one another.
It's one of the most diverse areas in central Maryland, which leads to many authentic restaurants, varied cultural perspectives, and unique shopping experiences. The entire area is surrounded by woods, and neighborhood superblocks also get their own large greenspaces. The low house prices for central Maryland and the co-op living emphasis promotes no-frills living also gives a way of life that isn't focused on "keeping up with the Joneses."
Greenbelt isn't for everyone, but it offers excellent quality of life for people who are interested in cooperative living. The community was designed with pedestrians in mind, so everything is easily accessible. Public transit options, such as the WMATA buses and the Metro station make it simple to commute into DC with minimal fuss. Traffic can get bad if you travel on the beltway going into DC or up to Baltimore, but you don't encounter many traffic problems if you're keeping within Greenbelt.
This sustainable living community has a village-like appeal to it, with a heavy residential focus. All the businesses you need are located in the town center, primarily, as this is a self-sustaining community. There's a co-op grocery store, independently owned restaurants, locally owned shops, and other essentials. Of course, if you need something beyond that it's easy to hit the Metro or drive to areas offering big box stores.
The parks offer an excellent way to relax and get back to nature, whether you want to enjoy the forests surrounding this suburb or the parks separating each residential superblock. Other notable places to visit include the Old Greenbelt Theater, The Greenbelt Arts Center, and the NASA Goddard Visitor Center.
The climate is relatively comfortable throughout most of the year, although summers have a habit of getting hot. The average temperature in July is 75 degrees, but it can get humid and up to 100 degrees on particularly harsh summers. The area sees the occasional snowfall in the winter, but it's rare for any major snow to be encountered in this area.
City recreation facilities are available and provide extensive amenities for residents, helping to promote an active and healthy lifestyle in the community. These facilities, and some maintenance, is handled by a cooperatively run local organization that handles a substantial amount of Greenbelt's housing inventory.
There is no requirement to become involved with the community organizations or any of the co-op movements in this area if you're looking for a quiet place to live, but the amount of people who haven't taken to this way of living in the area are relatively small in number. If you're looking for a warm and welcoming community, this is one of the best you can find in Maryland, but it may not be suitable for people who are more private.
Most of the housing inventory in Greenbelt MD real estate was built before the 1950s, so smaller homes are the norm in this area. That's a big plus for young professionals who want an affordable and easy to maintain home option in the area, as well as the charm that comes with this art deco architecture style.
Greenbelt, MD is best known for its cooperative and unique community. There are few neighborhoods in Maryland that could possibly be as warm and welcoming as this area, helped in part by a design that encourages community involvement. The diversity of the area is also of note, making it a popular place to live for foreign-born citizens.
