Break down of the "good areas" and "bad areas" of PG county. (Bowie: apartment complexes, rent)

[vader]

Alright so Im renting a place in PG county pretty much sight unseen, it will likely be temporary. Im not going to say where it is but I just want to ask, what are the "good areas","bad areas" and "so-so areas" of PG county?

Bowie (incorporated 1882)
College Park (incorporated 1945)
District Heights (incorporated 1936)
Glenarden (incorporated 1939)
Greenbelt (incorporated 1937)
Hyattsville (incorporated 1886)
Laurel (incorporated 1870)
Mount Rainier (incorporated 1910)
New Carrollton (incorporated 1953)
Seat Pleasant (incorporated 1931)

[hairmetal4ever]

There are also a LOT of unincorporated communites in PG County.

There are exceptions, but most areas OUTSIDE the 495 beltway are OK. Most areas INSIDE are rough.

[dakwilk]

I don't know about inside/outside the beltway stuff. People on this forum seem convinced that that is the way to choose the right area. But, I'm very familiar with these areas and the ones that you will be fine in are:

Bowie, College Park, Laurel, OLD Greenbelt - not in the apartments surrounding Beltway Plaza, and Historic Hyattsville zip code 20871 - Not in the apartments surrounding PG Plaza except in the new University Town Center section. Steer clear of the other areas.

If you need more info, email me directly at dakwilk@netzero.com.

Denise

[lscalder]

Here is a List of the good and not so good areas in Pg County. Majority of the county is nice,beautiful,peaceful but we have very very small areas that need alot of work. The county is fixing the crime and school issues in these areas.

Good Areas to live where you will be at peace. Now remember the good/nice areas are expensive. Renting a 1br in Bowie/upper Marlboro $1200 a month.
GreenBelt
Upper Marlboro
Bowie
Clinton
Laurel
Accokeek
Aquasco
Beltsville
Brentwood
Cheltenham, College park
Fort Washington
Glenn Dale
GreenBelt
Lanham
Mount Rainier
River-Dale
Waldorf

Not so nice areas:
When you hear about crime in Pg county 9 out of10 times its in one of these areas. When people talk about getting rob or getting shot at its in one of these areas.
Bladensburg-On the Border line of DC
Capitol Heights on the border-line Of Dc
District Heights-On the border line of DC
Some areas of Hyattsville
Temple Hills- Certain areas
Suitland
Forestville

[dakwilk]

I would stay away from Riverdale, Mt. Rainer, and Brentwood. They are decent areas to live in a home, but the apartment complexes are a little shady. Also, only rent in Historic Hyattsville or in the new University Town Center area. Stay away from Toledo Terrace and West Hyattsville apartments.

[truthhurts]

Originally Posted by vader

Alright so Im renting a place in PG county pretty much sight unseen, it will likely be temporary. Im not going to say where it is but I just want to ask, what are the "good areas","bad areas" and "so-so areas" of PG county?

Bowie (incorporated 1882)
College Park (incorporated 1945)
District Heights (incorporated 1936)
Glenarden (incorporated 1939)
Greenbelt (incorporated 1937)
Hyattsville (incorporated 1886)
Laurel (incorporated 1870)
Mount Rainier (incorporated 1910)
New Carrollton (incorporated 1953)
Seat Pleasant (incorporated 1931)

Inside/Outside the Beltway is the best predictor if you want to gross generalize. 90% of the places on the outside of the beltway are going to be either extremely safe or relatively safe

80% of the places in the inner beltway are probably going to be either very unsafe or somewhat unsafe.

This is a gross generalization, but very accurate by crime data. Almost 95% of all violent crime happens within the inner beltway. However, it is concentrated in specific areas, so the entire inner beltway is not bad as i'm sure some will say. However, the specific areas are

1. Oxon Hill Glassmanor
2. Forrestville
3. Cheverly
4. Bladensburg
5. Kentland
6. Landover Hills
7. District Heights
8. Capital Heights
9. Suitland
10. Seat Pleasant (nothing is pleasant about this area)
11. Langly Park (MS-13 HQ)
12. Riverdale (definitely sketchy)

There are a few seedy and semi sketchy places on the outside of the beltway (most are not remotely dangerous just look a bit sketchy in my opinion)

1. Parts of Laurel near the Howard County Line
2. Springhill Lake Apartments (crime ridden) and Old Greenbelt (while not dangerous it is sketchy). The nicer parts of Greenbelt are towards the high school and near NASA more newer single family homes and developments
3. New Carrolton (inner beltway, but i do not think it has a murder rate)
4. Lanham (parts of this area are sketchy in my opinion)
5. Parts of College Park can be sketchy (again not neccesarily homicide dangerous, but certainly sketchy) Stick towards University Park very upscale area of CP
6. parts of Largo near PGCC at least look sketchy to me some of the town homes look run down


Overall the outside is mostly safe and non-sketchy

The inside beltway is heavily populated and more like living inside of a city etc.

PS you could always check out the 100 Wealthiest Cities List 19 PGC towns/cities made it http://www.city-data.com/forum/maryl...-maryland.html

[lscalder]

Originally Posted by truthhurts

Inside/Outside the Beltway is the best predictor if you want to gross generalize. 90% of the places on the outside of the beltway are going to be either extremely safe or relatively safe

80% of the places in the inner beltway are probably going to be either very unsafe or somewhat unsafe.

This is a gross generalization, but very accurate by crime data. Almost 95% of all violent crime happens within the inner beltway. However, it is concentrated in specific areas, so the entire inner beltway is not bad as i'm sure some will say. However, the specific areas are

1. Oxon Hill Glassmanor
2. Forrestville
3. Cheverly
4. Bladensburg
5. Kentland
6. Landover Hills
7. District Heights
8. Capital Heights
9. Suitland
10. Seat Pleasant (nothing is pleasant about this area)
11. Langly Park (MS-13 HQ)
12. Riverdale (definitely sketchy)

There are a few seedy and semi sketchy places on the outside of the beltway (most are not remotely dangerous just look a bit sketchy in my opinion)

1. Parts of Laurel near the Howard County Line
2. Springhill Lake Apartments (crime ridden) and Old Greenbelt (while not dangerous it is sketchy). The nicer parts of Greenbelt are towards the high school and near NASA more newer single family homes and developments
3. New Carrolton (inner beltway, but i do not think it has a murder rate)
4. Lanham (parts of this area are sketchy in my opinion)
5. Parts of College Park can be sketchy (again not neccesarily homicide dangerous, but certainly sketchy) Stick towards University Park very upscale area of CP
6. parts of Largo near PGCC at least look sketchy to me some of the town homes look run down


Overall the outside is mostly safe and non-sketchy

The inside beltway is heavily populated and more like living inside of a city etc.

PS you could always check out the 100 Wealthiest Cities List 19 PGC towns/cities made it http://www.city-data.com/forum/maryl...-maryland.html

You do not live in maryland so when was the last time you vist these areas. In hyattsville around the mall the county puttng big money to develope the area. The county is putting upscale condos,new shopping,new town homes and single family homes starting in the low 400k. majority of the area you list Lanham,Hyattsville,laurel,Suitland and other areas the county is focusing on . Oxonhill will get a 100% turn around over the next 2 yrs.

[kjg1963]

lscalder is correct. Some of the areas you mention as somewhat sketchy are really not. North Laurel (Route 1) is going through major changes and it was never "sketchy" in a crime sense, just in appearance (industrial, small businesses in ugly little buildings and tacky motels). Old Greenbelt is a really neat area. Definitely some ugly old buildings, but great sense of community. Many of my daughter's friends live there and they love it. You didn't mention it but Hyattsville is changing in many ways. It is a rather large area and certain neighborhoods are finally progressing and cleaning up. The PG Plaza area (I went there when it was still an outdoor shopping center, boy am I old) is really a site to behold from how it was when I lived in the area. Major improvement!

However, as has been stated, there are many areas of the county that need lots of help. But just realize that from one month to another, some of these areas are having major transformations. If you visited last year or the year before, what was here might now be gone and a total overhaul may have taken place.

[vader]

Im getting mixed messages...I mean no offense but could you state your race when you answer. From past expereinces I am aware that caucasian-americans may have a different perception of black areas. Where I used to live, if a area is predominatly black, its perceived as being "sketchy" when its really not.

Secondly, Ive been hearing about the whole inside/outside the beltway thing but has anyone ever backed this theory up with facts.Does anyone have the time to get me some raw numbers on these places?How does this crime compare to inner city DC or places like Detroit, New Orleans, Cleveland, etc? I could care less if the places isnt a name brand area, I just want to know if its relatively safe. Like I said this place will be temporary until I know what Im dealing with in Maryland.

[lscalder]

I live in Pg county. I am an African American female who live in Upper Marlboro and love it. The areas I listed as been nice are the areas I would 100% move to. I do love Upper Marlboro.