De Lux election building and voting booth, 1924
Lanham’s story
Lanham in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 1924 and 7 maps from 1900 on.
Explore the history →LanhamMD
A town of 11,433.
Population
11,433
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$437K
Census ACS
Household income
$104K
median
Median age
38.6
years
Jobs based here
7,012
Balanced
TownGrade
C
#212 of 259 in MD
Is Lanham a good place to live?
Lanham grades C overall, 212th among Maryland's 259 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. The median household earns $104K and natural-hazard risk is low. On the other side, its public schools trail 92% of Maryland towns on state tests and graduation. Lanham is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 89% of U.S. towns. Lanham’s going rate for rent is $2,050 a month, where Maryland’s towns sit at $1,809 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month. The biggest park or preserve is Lanham Forest Park, at 64 acres.
What makes Lanham stand out
Where Lanham beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Natural hazardsA
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 89% of U.S. towns
4.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Prince George's County Public Schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Legends Public Charter School | K–8 | 897 |
| James McHenry Elementary | PK–5 | 610 |
| Seabrook Elementary | PK–5 | 365 |
Worth knowing · SchoolsD
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
A growing town
Lanham has grown 11% from 2010 to 2020
10,157 counted in 2010 and 11,282 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Lanham grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Maryland), ordered by how far Lanham is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 8% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →SchoolsDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 11.8 of 20; 4.2% of households have no carAOpen →Jobs & incomeA−Open →Cost of livingTypical home $437K, 3.4 years of the Washington metro’s $127K median household incomeCOpen →HealthLuminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center 1.9 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 312 attractions →White House and 285 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lanham. Close and well known come first.
Big draw11 mi National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year
Big draw12 mi National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year
Big draw11 mi MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a year
Big draw14 mi LandmarkArlington National Cemetery
Big draw13 mi LandmarkUnited States Triumphal Arch
Big draw4 mi Stadium & arenaNorthwest StadiumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
White House: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Washington Monument: Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Smithsonian Institution: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer, Public domain · Arlington National Cemetery: Protoant, Public domain · United States Triumphal Arch: Hstoops, CC0 · Northwest Stadium: Maryland GovPics, CC BY 2.0
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Getting set up
Moving to Lanham: who provides what
Lanham is unincorporated, so Prince George's County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerBaltimore Gas & Electric20.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWSSC WaterNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesPrince George's CountyPrince George's County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Maryland you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections herePrince George's County Board of ElectionsPrince George's County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2023
ZIP code2070620706 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Mar 11, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Lanham.
SchoolsD
Lanham’s grade for schools is a D
One of its 4 schools is below, with the reason it’s listed. Its public schools are run by the Prince George's County Public Schools.
8%of MD districts it outscoresDSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Johnson MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 1,180 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MD on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Very low risk in Lanham, with inland flooding at the top
The national flood insurance program has paid 8 claims in Lanham since 2003. Compared with 92% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in the town is lower. One declared disaster, in 2003, has brought federal aid to Lanham households. Expected losses in Lanham break down as 52% from inland flooding and 11% from earthquakes.
8risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesHeat waves
8
paid flood claims since 2003
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
OutdoorsA−
Lanham has set aside 11.5% of its land for conservation
2.4 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. The density of trails in Lanham is 0.7 miles per square mile. Parks and preserves in the town: 3, covering 75 acres.
#102for trails in MD
11.5%
conserved · 259 of 2,259 acres
2.4 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lanham Forest Park | — | 64 |
| 2. Bald Hill Stream Valley Park | — | 7 |
| 3. Folly Branch Stream Valley Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Lanham: four seasons and hot summers
A winter brings about 16 inches of snow, with January nights at 26° and July afternoons at 88°.
16″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter28–46°
Spring44–66°
Summer65–86°
Fall48–68°
Nov 1
typical first frost
Apr 10
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
With 1.4 jobs for every working resident, Lanham draws in 6,865 commuters
Between 2013 and 2023, jobs in Lanham rose by 704, to 7,012. Most working residents leave Lanham for work: only 3% work in town. The town’s mean commuting time is 33 minutes. Half the trips to work are shorter than 11 miles.
3%work in town
| Lanham | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 33 minutes | 32 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $104,000 | $113,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 12% | 18% | 11% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3% | 3.2% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Lanham3%
Washington24%
Baltimore3%
Bethesda2%
Beltsville2%
11 mi
median commute distance
7,012
jobs based in Lanham
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 89% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthB−
Health in Lanham trails 55% of U.S. towns
Against the 8,038 U.S. towns with household incomes like Lanham’s, it is less healthy than 81%, so it trails even them.
16% of Lanham adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance. Of 32 CDC measures, Lanham beats the Maryland average on 2 and trails it on 14. Two figures for adults in the town: 43% sleep under 7 hours, 15% have diabetes.
45%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Lanham | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 20% | 23% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 8% | 8.1% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 38% | 36% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 12% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Maryland
2 better16 too close to call14 worse
| What stands out | Lanham | MD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.3% | 7.6% |
| Fewer adults with depression | 14.5% | 19.4% |
| More uninsured adults | 16.3% | 8.7% |
Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center
1.9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
22nd
percentile among MD towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade C
The median home in Lanham sells for about $455K
On the market in Lanham: a median 35 days to sell. Bidding over the asking price: 38% of homes sold in the town. 77% of households are owner-occupiers in the town.
$455Kmedian sale price
Market temperature
35
days on market
102.4%
sale-to-list price
8
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lanham
18pages on Lanham
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
30 within 15 miles of the center of Lanham
University of Maryland Global CampusUniversity or college · Public · Adelphi3.4 mi$8,136 in-state tuitionPrince George's Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Largo5.1 mi$4,034 in-state tuitionBowie State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Bowie5.8 mi$9,218 in-state tuition
About 10 of every 100 Lanham residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Maryland.
Famous people from Lanham
13 notable people were born in Lanham.
D
Daryl FergusonBarbadian footballer · born 1985About Lanham
Census-designated place in the United States
Lanham is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, it has a population of 11,282. The New Carrollton station (the terminus of the Washington Metro's Orange Line) as well as an Amtrak station are across the Capital Beltway in New Carrollton, Maryland. Doctors Community Hospital is located in Lanham.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 141 ft
- ZIP code
- 20703, 20706
Lanham’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Lanham.
All 4 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its C; Seabrook (C) is closest.
Glenn DaleMitchellvilleSeabrookSpringdaleLanham
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MD rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lanham | #212 | C | C | — | D | B− |
| Glenn Dale | #170 | B− | C | — | D | A− |
| Mitchellville | #182 | C+ | D | — | D | B+ |
| Seabrook | #207 | C | C | — | D | B− |
| Springdale | #164 | B− | C+ | — | D | B |
Lanham, Glenn Dale, Mitchellville, Seabrook and Springdale report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Lanham with a neighbor →
Questions about Lanham
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lanham, MD a good place to live?
Lanham grades C overall, better than 30% of U.S. towns and #212 of 259 in Maryland. It grades B− for health and D for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Lanham, MD expensive?
Yes. The typical home is worth about $437,000, 3% above the Maryland typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.