Head east of Washington, D.C., and you will eventually come across Prince George's County. With a population of more than 910,000, the D.C. suburb is the 58th-most-populous county in the U.S., and it continues to grow.
Prince George’s County was named for the Prince of Denmark, but the Maryland county is as American as it gets. Bordering the nation’s capital to the north, east and south, Prince George’s County is home to several government facilities, including U.S. military airbase Joint Base Andrews and the U.S. Census Bureau headquarters. At the northern tip of the county, College Park boasts the University of Maryland’s main campus and one of the Washington metro area’s largest Ikea stores.
At the southernmost part of the county, visitors and residents can enjoy views of the Potomac River from National Harbor in Oxon Hill. The National Harbor has seen an influx of new development over the last decade. The area is easily identifiable by the Capital Wheel, a 180-foot-tall Ferris wheel. The National Harbor’s MGM Casino and Resort, which opened in 2016, has also attracted visitors to the area.
The majority of people who live in Prince George’s County identify as black or African-American. Black residents began moving from Washington, D.C., to Prince George’s County as early as the 1970s, when they got jobs with the government. In 2014, five communities in the county made a national list of “10 Richest Black Communities In America.”
While black residents are still the largest demographic in the county, the area has seen an influx of different racial and socio-economic groups over the past few years. The rising cost of living in D.C. has driven residents of diverse backgrounds to Prince George’s County for more affordable housing options.
CORRECTION: AUG. 8, 9:13 A.M. ET: A previous version of this story incorrectly listed College Park as having the only Ikea store in the Washington, D.C. metro area. The story has been updated.
