A haven for first-time, life-long owners and renters
Cheverly, a Prince George’s County suburb of Washington, D.C., delivers a small-town lifestyle right on the edge of the nation’s capital. Commuters naturally take to Cheverly thanks to its multiple Metro stops and convenient location — just about 9 miles from D.C. Despite the neighborhood’s inside-the-Beltway location, this isn’t a bedroom community — it’s an established community where the first-time houses become lifelong homes. “There are a lot of first-time owners and original owners,” says Realtor Terry Catalano of Re/Max Leading Edge. She has sold homes in the area for nearly 40 years.
Brick homes dominate the housing stock
Cape Cod, colonial revival, ramblers and ranch-style single-family houses line parkways and cul-de-sacs. Housing costs range between $231,000 and $647,000. Catalano says many of the homes, built between the 1950s and 1960s, are brick and modestly sized, 2,200 square feet, particularly the rooms and closets. “When these homes were built, people didn’t have 50 pairs of jeans.” Green lawns stretch across average-sized lots, 6,970 square feet, with driveways and front hedges. Architectural historians often comb Cheverly’s housing stock to find an original mid-1920s Sears and Roebuck kit house, vestiges of the town’s earliest days as a 1900s-planned suburb. People visit neighbors or stroll on the community’s paved sidewalks. One-way streets help to limit vehicle traffic, making certain blocks quiet and somewhat sequestered. Cheverly bursts with mature trees. And, Catalano adds that Cheverly does not have a HOA.
Gladys Noon Spellman Elementary School features a sustainability program
Gladys Noon Spellman Elementary School, part of Prince George’s County Public School system, teaches kindergarten through sixth-grade students. Here, student art shows and a “go-green” campus sustainability initiative showcase Cheverly’s creativity and outside-the-box thinking. The school has a C-rating from Niche. G. James Gholson Middle School is a D-plus school, according to Niche. Students finish up their education journey at Bladensburg High School, a C-minus institution. With four universities, University of Maryland-University College, University of Maryland, Gallaudet University and Catholic University, within 7 miles of the neighborhood, it’s no surprise that more than 40% of properties in Cheverly are rented.
Lots of green space is in the area
Cheverly’s appeal includes natural attractions and shared spaces that can bring neighbors together or let them retreat for some private time. For example, you can meander through the wooded Cheverly Nature Park and listen to the sounds of the historic Crawford Adventure Spring, reportedly used by British Troops during the Revolutionary War. Town Park is a quintessential small-town feature with a playground, playing fields and a reservable pavilion. Children can fly their banners high at the castle-themed playscape in the Cheverly Euclid Street neighborhood park.
Three shopping centers provide eating, shopping options
Cheverly Terrace, Kent Village and Crestview Square shopping centers are all within 2 miles of the community. Crestview Square Shopping Center offers a Value Village grocery store, a Dollar Store and a Pizza Hut. At the Galaxy Liquor Crab House in the Kent Village Shopping Center, patrons can pick their favorite wine, rum, beer and crustaceans. De Ranch Restaurant and Bar serves up West African cuisine at the Cheverly Terrace Shopping Center and features a CVS as well as an Aldi.
Ten rail stations alleviate commuting woes
Five Metrorail Stations within 5 miles provide commuters access to the Orange, Blue and Silver lines. There are also five MARC commuter rail stations within 10 miles of Cheverly. Ronald Reagan Washington National and Baltimore-Washington International airports are within 13 and 26 miles, respectively. Highways and byways include Maryland routes 201 and 202, Route 50, Interstate 295 and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.
Kid-centric events highlight holiday season
Holidays bring out the community to the multiple events that cater mostly to children. The Christmas holiday season is marked by the Children’s Holiday Party, Santa’s Secret Shop and the annual Christmas Tree Lighting. A visit from the Easter Bunny highlights the annual Easter Egg Hunt. The Halloween Parade and Party also features crafts, treats and a party at the Gast “Tot” Park Community Center.
Grassroots activism is a community priority
Grassroots activism and neighborliness go hand-in-hand in Cheverly. A homegrown effort in every sense, the Community Market on Forest Road was started in 2007 by residents who wanted to promote collaboration as well as healthy food. Catalano says that a rise in carjackings in D.C. is one of the main reasons people are flocking to Cheverly. There were 439 carjackings in 2022; in 2023, there were 906, an increase of more than 50%, according to the Metropolitan Police Department. The EPA warns that particle pollution, which is airborne dust and dirt, is moderate in the region and recommends that those affected should limit their time outdoors. There are three hospitals local to the neighborhood, including Doctors Community Hospital.
Written By
Mary Katheryn Luther
Photography Contributed By
Jack Adams
