Lake Arbor, Maryland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lake Arbor, Maryland
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Maryland |
| County |  Prince George's |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.06 sq mi (10.52 km2) |
| • Land | 4.00 sq mi (10.35 km2) |
| • Water | 0.07 sq mi (0.17 km2) |
| Elevation | 167 ft (51 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 14,541 |
| • Density | 3,638.89/sq mi (1,405.00/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code |
20721 & 20774
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| FIPS code | 24-44817 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1852596 |
Lake Arbor is a community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. It is known as a census-designated place (CDP). This means it's an area defined by the government for gathering population data.
In 2020, about 14,541 people lived in Lake Arbor. The area uses ZIP Codes 20721 and 20774. Before 2000, Lake Arbor was part of the Mitchellville CDP. It became its own CDP in the 2000 U.S. Census.
Contents
History of Lake Arbor
Lake Arbor was first called Newbridge. It was planned by a company named Levitt & Sons. This company was famous for building early planned communities like Levittown in Pennsylvania and New York.
In the mid-1970s, the Newbridge project ran into trouble. It went bankrupt after selling only 41 houses. A bank then took over the property.
About 10 years later, a group of people bought the land. They changed the name of the property to Lake Arbor. This happened under the leadership of David A. Gitlitz.
How Lake Arbor Grew
The story of Lake Arbor shows how Prince George's County changed in the 1980s. Many large builders thought people in this county would not want fancy homes. They believed that African American families moving from cities would not want or could not afford expensive features.
However, some community developers had a different idea. They built homes with features like two-car garages, brick fronts, and nice landscaping. They built about 2,000 luxury homes in Lake Arbor.
Buyers were very excited about these new homes and were happy to pay for the extra features. This showed that African American families had sophisticated tastes and strong buying power. Lake Arbor helped make Prince George's County a popular place for young, successful African American families. These families were looking for a suburban lifestyle outside of Washington, D.C.
Geography of Lake Arbor
Lake Arbor covers a total area of about 3.2 square miles (8.3 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 3.1 square miles (8.0 square kilometers). A small part, about 0.1 square miles (0.26 square kilometers), is water. This water makes up about 1.58% of the total area.
Population and People
The population of Lake Arbor has grown over the years.
- In 2000, there were 8,533 people.
- By 2010, the population increased to 9,776.
- In 2020, the population reached 14,541.
Who Lives in Lake Arbor?
The table below shows the different groups of people living in Lake Arbor. The US Census counts Hispanic/Latino as a separate ethnic group. People of any race can be Hispanic/Latino.
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 198 | 762 | 2.03% | 5.24% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 8,943 | 12,407 | 91.48% | 85.32% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 24 | 23 | 0.25% | 0.16% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 195 | 311 | 1.99% | 2.14% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 2 | 2 | 0.02% | 0.01% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 13 | 77 | 0.13% | 0.53% |
| Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) | 161 | 455 | 1.65% | 3.13% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 240 | 504 | 2.45% | 3.47% |
| Total | 9,776 | 14,541 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Economy
In the past, some businesses had their main offices in Lake Arbor. For example, The Boulevard at the Capital Centre, a shopping area, was once located here. Also, Crown Books, a bookstore chain, used to have its headquarters in what is now Lake Arbor.
Education
The schools in Lake Arbor are part of the Prince George's County Public Schools system. Students living in Lake Arbor usually attend these schools:
- Lake Arbor Elementary School
- Ernest Everett Just Middle School
- Charles Herbert Flowers High School
Transportation
The Washington Metro provides public transportation to Lake Arbor. The Largo Town Center station is located within the Lake Arbor CDP. This station helps residents travel to other parts of the Washington D.C. area.
See also
In Spanish: Lake Arbor (Maryland) for kids
