Location
Bowie is a city in Prince George's County, in the Washington-Arlington metro area of central Maryland. The surrounding areas include Northern Virginia to the west, Montgomery County to the northwest, Calvert County to the southeast, Charles County to the south, Howard County to the north, and Anne Arundel County to the east. Prince George’s County is immediately north, east, and south of Washington, D.C.
Geography/Terrain
The city of Bowie has a total area of 16.1 square miles, 16.06 square miles of which is land and 0.04 square miles of which is water. It sits at an altitude of 152 feet above sea level. The Patuxent River flows along the county's eastern border. The Little Patuxent River joins the Patuxent River just northeast of Bowie, and beautiful Chesapeake Bay is to the east of the city.
Distance to 3 Closest Major Cities
Ideally situated, Bowie is 22 miles south of Baltimore, 16 miles northeast of Washington, D.C., and 15 miles west of Annapolis.
Jobs
An explosion of growth and development has occurred in Bowie over the past several years, aided by the development of the new Bowie Town Center. This region boasts a friendly business climate, and skilled workers. The County has the second highest number of high-tech companies, as well as defense and aerospace companies in Maryland. Major employers in the area are the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Computer Sciences Corporation, the University of Maryland at College Park, the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, and Verizon.
Educational, health and social services provide19.0% of the employment in the area; public administration provides 17.6%; and professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services provide14.6%. With an unemployment rate of 4.8%, unemployment is at its lowest in four years. In addition, there has been a 2.64% increase in available jobs within the last year. The average commute time to work in Bowie is 36 minutes. The median household income is $82,536 and the average per capita income is $31,460.
Housing
There are a variety of homes available in Bowie, and in all price ranges. Inventory is improving, with both older homes and new communities to choose from. There has been substantial growth of attractive residential communities. Buyers have more options at this time and can take the time they need to choose. The choices available include lovely apartments, condominiums, as well as town homes, single-family detached homes and magnificent luxury estates. Your home can be situated in a quiet residential community on a large lot, or near a golf course, to mention some of the options. This is a great time to buy in Bowie.
Parks/Sports/Recreation/Golf
With nearly 2,000 acres set aside as parks or open space, Bowie has been nationally recognized nationally as a winner in Tree City and Plant City USA competitions. The16 city parks provide ball fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, playground equipment, a stocked lake, and picnic areas. Allen Pond Park encompasses 85 acres, and is equipped with an ice arena, an amphitheater, a boathouse, a 10-acre stocked pond, 6 ball fields, walking and biking trails, a basketball court, a fitness station and several playground areas. Tanglewood Park is a 128-acre park with hiking trails, while Veterans Park is primarily a memorial site.
Bowie boasts 72 ball fields, three community centers, an ice arena, a golf course, a senior citizens center and a gymnasium. Bowie Community Center hosts tournaments, clubs, camps, special events, workshops, after-school programs, and cultural activities.
Huntington Community Center is equipped with a multi-purpose room, a fitness room, a lounge, an arts and crafts room, a kitchen, and two conference rooms. Outside the center there is a basketball court and play equipment. South Bowie Community Center has playground equipment, two tennis courts, a ball wall, and a softball/football field. The three community centers offer programs and classes in the areas of sports, arts, fitness, dance, crafts, cooking, computers, drama, games, hobbies, martial arts, and music.
The Gymnasium in Bowie boasts two full sized basketball courts overlaid with two intermediate basketball courts and overlaid with five volleyball courts. The city has a newly renovated Ice Arena, at Allen Pond Park, which offers ice-skating all year round. The arena offers skating for all ages, group and private lessons, and day camps. The Bowie Skate Park is a 10,000 square foot concrete skating facility that is open for skateboard and inline skating, and is designed to offer both fun and challenge for all skill levels.
Avid golfers can enjoy their favorite sport at the Bowie Golf and Country Club. This semi-private course has a flat front nine and a hilly back nine. The course has a short and tight overall layout. Nearby Annapolis offers three excellent courses, and Prince George’s County boasts 11 scenic public courses for your golfing pleasure.
Special Attractions/Events
Lively, first-rate entertainment is available in Bowie. The Playhouse is a 150-seat theater where quality live theater entertainment is regularly featured. It is also home to 10 different performing arts groups, including the Bowie Community Theatre, which present a range of plays, concerts and dance performances. The Bowie Center for the Performing Arts is a new regional arts facility with two performance areas: an 800-seat auditorium and a 150-seat Bowie Blade-News Recital Hall/Community Room. Here you can enjoy everything from opera to off-Broadway shows and school plays.
Some of the nearby attractions Bowie residents and visitors can enjoy include: Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center; NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; National Wildlife Visitor Center; Rosecroft Raceway; Show Place Arena; The Sports and Learning Complex; Andrews Air Force Base; and Unique Museums and Historic Landmarks. And of course, Six Flags America is a must-see, as one of the top attractions in the area. Combining two parks in one, you have the theme park featuring Looney Tunes Movie Town, an amazing collection of roller coasters, kids rides, and great shows. Then at the waterpark there is a million gallon wave pool, waterslides and flumes and a relaxing river at Paradise Island.
Several special festivities are enjoyed through the seasons in Bowie. In April celebrate Old Town Bowie Spring Fling Street Fest. In May there is Bowie Heritage Day, celebrating history and horseracing, and a Memorial Day Parade. BowieFest is enjoyed in June with entertainment, children’s rides, crafters and a business expo. In July listen to music at the Old Town Bowie Summer Concert Series and Sunday Sunset Concerts at Allen Pond Park, as well as the biggest 4th of July celebration in the county. September brings the Antiques and Craft Fall Fling Street Fest. In October the Bowie International Festival celebrates many diverse cultures with food, music, and the arts. In November, participate in Trainspotting Day at the Railroad as you view unusual trains go by, and you can visit Santa at the Railroad Station and Welcome Center. During the holiday season, saunter through Old Bowie listening to carolers and shop for that special gift at one of the antique dealers. For a glimpse of 18th, 19th, and 20th century holiday traditions and decorations, take in Candlelight at Belair Mansion and Stable museums. The season would not be complete without Tree Lighting at Bowie City Hall, with Children’s crafts, caroling, entertainment and Holiday House Decorating Contest. The Bowie International Festival is celebrated in October, and Fall Fest is in September. Town Green in Old Town Bowie is the site of the annual Saturday Afternoon Summer Concerts.
Interesting Facts/Historic Buildings and Places
Bowie is home to the Bowie Baysox, an eastern league professional baseball team affiliated with the Baltimore Orioles. The community was named after Governor Oden Bowie.One well-known resident of Bowie was Jan Scruggs, who was the founder of the Vietnam Veterans National Memorial. Actress Kathie Lee Gifford also called Bowie home for a time, and graduated from Bowie Senior High School, as did the late vocalist Eva Cassidy, and internationally famous guitar manufacturer Paul Reed Smith. Former Nsync member JC Chasez was raised and attended school in Bowie.
History buffs will enjoy browsing through the Belair Mansion, the Belair Stable Museum, and the Bowie Railroad Station and Huntington Museum, with all their collections and exhibits. The Belair Mansion dating back to 1745 was the beautiful five-part Georgian plantation house of Samuel Ogle, Provincial Governor of Maryland. Until it closed in 1957, Belair Stable was the oldest continually operated horse farm in the nation, where horses were raised for racing purposes. It is the site of the Belair Stud, a premier racing stable in the 1930s to the 1950s. Its history stretches over two hundred and fifty years. The Town of Bowie grew up around the Bowie Railroad Station. In the 1990’s it was relocated from its original site across the railroad tracks and restored.
- NUMBER1EXPERT™ 
