History of Prince George's County, Maryland in Timeline

Prince George's County, Maryland, borders Washington, D.C., and is the second-most populous county in Maryland with a population of 967,201 as of 2020. The county experienced significant population growth in the decade prior to the 2020 census. Upper Marlboro serves as its county seat. Notably, Prince George's County is the most populous African American-majority county in the United States and the second most affluent.

1909: College Park Airport Established

In 1909, the College Park Airport (CGS) was established, and it is the world's oldest continuously operated airport.

1922: Prince George's County Volunteer Firemen's Association Formed

In 1922, the Prince George's County Volunteer Firemen's Association was formed with Hyattsville, Cottage City, Mount Rainier, and Brentwood as the first member companies.

1932: Democratic Support in Presidential Elections

Since 1932, Prince George's County has voted majority-Democratic in every presidential election except for four.

1952: Presidential Election Support

In 1952, Prince George's County did not vote Democratic.

1956: Presidential Election Support

In 1956, Prince George's County did not vote Democratic.

March 1966: Career Fire Department Organized

In March 1966, the Prince George's County Government employed the firefighters who had been hired by individual volunteer stations, beginning an organized career department.

1968: Presidential Election Support

In 1968, Prince George's County did not vote Democratic.

1968: City of Laurel unified in Prince George's County

In 1968, the City of Laurel was unified within Prince George's County, marking a change in county line boundaries.

1970: Charter Form of Government Granted

In 1970, Prince George's County was granted a charter form of government with an elected county executive and county council members.

1972: Presidential Election Support

In 1972, Prince George's County did not vote Democratic.

1973: 9-1-1 Emergency Reporting System Implemented

In 1973, Prince George's County became the first jurisdiction in Maryland to implement the 9-1-1 Emergency Reporting System.

1977: Advanced Life Support Services Began

In 1977, Advanced life support services began for citizens of Prince George's County. Firefighters were certified as Cardiac Rescue Technicians and deployed in Mobile Intensive Care Units to fire stations in Brentwood, Silver Hill, and Laurel.

1990: Legislation Proposed

In 1990, additional legislation was proposed for a technical correction related to county boundaries, though it may not have been enacted.

1991: Government Functions Relocation

Since 1991, Prince George's County has been slowly moving government functions from rural Upper Marlboro to the Largo area.

1994: First African American County Executive Elected

In 1994, Wayne K. Curry was elected as the first African American County Executive of Prince George's County.

July 1, 1997: Takoma Park section transferred to Montgomery County

On July 1, 1997, the Prince George's County section of Takoma Park was transferred to Montgomery County following a referendum and approval by both counties and the Maryland General Assembly.

1997: Takoma Park changes counties

In 1997, part of Takoma Park, comprising the Carole Highlands and New Hampshire Gardens residential neighborhoods, formerly in Prince George's County, became part of Montgomery County.

2000: Median Income

As of 2000, males had a median income of $38,904 versus $35,718 for females in Prince George's County.

2000: Wealthiest African American-Majority County

From 2000 to 2020, Prince George's County ranked as the wealthiest African American-majority county in the United States.

2002: Rural Tier Designation

In 2002, the Prince George's County rural tier was designated in the General Plan as an area where residential growth would be minimal.

2004: Presidential Election Vote Share

Since 2004, Prince George's County has not given over 15% of the vote to the Republican nominee in presidential elections.

2006: Decline in total crime rate

Between 2006 and 2011, Prince George's County experienced a 30% decline in the total crime rate.

2007: Fire/EMS Department Staffing

As of 2007, the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department operates a combination system staffed by over 800 career firefighters and paramedics, and nearly 1,100 active volunteers.

2008: Household and Family Characteristics

By the 2008 estimates there were 298,439 households in Prince George's County, out of which 65.1% were family households and 34.9% were non-family households.

2008: Household and Family Income

In 2008, the median income for a household in Prince George's County was $71,696, and the median income for a family was $81,908.

2009: Decline in violent crime rates

Between 2009 and 2020, Prince George's County saw a 57% decline in violent crime rates.

2010: Fastest Growing Region

According to the 2010 census, the Central County region of Prince George's County has generally been the fastest growing region of the county.

2010: Census Data

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 863,420 people, 304,042 households, and 203,520 families residing in Prince George's County.

August 25, 2011: Fitch Ratings Assigns 'AAA' Bond Rating

On August 25, 2011, Fitch Ratings assigned a 'AAA' bond rating to Prince George's County.

2011: Decline in total crime rate

Between 2006 and 2011, Prince George's County experienced a 30% decline in the total crime rate.

2011: Fairmount Heights Historic District Added to National Register

In 2011, the Fairmount Heights Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

2012: Intercounty Connector Opens

In 2012, the Intercounty Connector (ICC), an east-west toll freeway, opened, connecting I-270 with Interstate 95 and U.S. 1 in Laurel.

2018: At-Large Council Seats Added

In 2018, two at-large council seats were added to the Prince George's County Council.

2020: Lower average violent crime rates

As of 2020, Prince George's County experienced lower average violent crime rates compared to national and state averages. In 2020, it was considered safer than the national average among predominantly African-American communities with a population exceeding 25,000.

2020: Census Data

As of the 2020 census, Prince George's county had a population of 967,201 with a median age of 36.7 years. 97.6% of residents lived in urban areas while 2.4% lived in rural areas.

2020: COVID-19 Pandemic Impact

From 2020 to mid-2022, over 2,200 residents of Prince George's County died of COVID-19, with over 19,000 experiencing long-term post-COVID symptoms, and over 193,000 infections recorded.

2020: Basketball County documentary

In 2020, Prince George's County's basketball talent was showcased in the documentary "Basketball County", produced by Kevin Durant. The film featured Durant and other successful basketball players from the county.

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2020: Population Count

In 2020, the U.S. Census recorded Prince George's County's population at 967,201, making it the second-most populous county in Maryland.

2020: Population and Demographic Changes

In 2020, the county's population nearly reached one million residents. Charles County surpassed Prince George's County as the largest and highest-income black-majority county in the United States and Hispanic residents grew to 21% of the total population.

2020: Wealth Ranking Shift

In the 2020 census, Charles County, Maryland, surpassed Prince George's County as the wealthiest African American-majority county in the United States.

2020: Presidential Election Results

In the 2020 presidential election, Prince George's County was Joe Biden's second strongest county in the country, awarding him 89.26% of the vote.

2021: Ancestry Demographics

As of 2021, the most reported ancestries in Prince George's County were African American (35.8%), Salvadoran (8.5%), English (3.1%), Irish (3%), and Mexican (3%).

2021: Increase in Violent Crime

In 2021, violent crime in Prince George's County increased by 30%.

2022: Health Indicators

In 2022, Prince George's County had lower smoking rates, a higher life expectancy and a higher proportion of the population with insurance than the national average.

2022: Increase in Violent Crime and COVID-19 Effects

In 2022, violent crime in Prince George's County increased by 30%.

2024: Presidential Election Results

In the 2024 presidential election, Prince George's County was Kamala Harris's strongest county (again, after Washington DC) in the 2024 presidential election, awarding her 85.9% of the vote.

2027: Purple Line Planned Opening

The Purple Line, which would link highly developed areas of both Montgomery and Prince George's Counties, is currently under-construction and slated to open in 2027.