Forest Heights, Maryland

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Forest Heights is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, and part of the larger postal designation Oxon Hill, MD. The population was 2,585 at the 2000 census, a decline from approximately 3,600 in 1960 when households had more children. A few homes were built in the 1930s but most of the town developed in the 1940s and early 1950s, consisting of single-family homes with some streets of duplex homes. In those days many residents worked at the adjacent U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, but virtually none do now. The Capital Beltway (I-95/495) was opened in the early 1960s through the town, including the Woodrow Wilson Bridge crossing to the major city Alexandria, Virginia, which when fully widened in 2008 will provide relief from horrendous commuter traffic backups. Forest Heights is bordered on the North by several miles of low-income, high-crime areas (see Anacostia), but fortunately has its own town police as well as a County police station right at the town limits. Forest Heights is bordered on the South by the gigantic under-construction National Harbor conference center and resort of the Gaylord Corporation. After decades of former governmental stability, in the 2000's the town made headlines as its two most recent mayors were embroiled in clashes with the town council.

Miles to downtown Washington, DC 8

1 Bordering Areas
2 Geography
3 Demographics
4 External links

[edit] Bordering Areas

Oxon Hill-Glassmanor (Southeast)
Hillcrest Heights (Northeast)
Temple Hills (East)
Marlow Heights (Northeast)

[edit] Geography

Forest Heights is located at 38°48′43″N, 76°59′49″W (38.811863, -76.996809)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.2 km² (0.5 mi²), all land.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 2,585 people, 897 households, and 670 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,079.3/km² (5,398.2/mi²). There were 945 housing units at an average density of 760.1/km² (1,973.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 13.38% White, 79.11% African American, 0.12% Native American, 3.37% Asian, 0.35% Pacific Islander, 1.74% from other races, and 1.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.94% of the population.

There were 897 households out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.6% were married couples living together, 23.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.34.

In the town the population was spread out with 27.3% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 88.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $57,697, and the median income for a family was $60,313. Males had a median income of $35,705 versus $35,273 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,556. About 2.8% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.