Marlboro Village could have very well been known as "Marlborough Village" if not for a postal clerk who didn't like the look of the "ugh" at the end of the original name. He omitted the offending letters when he made the rubber postage stamp, and the unofficial spelling eventually stuck.
Located in Prince George's County, Marlboro Village began as a part of the town of Upper Marlboro. It separated in 2010, taking much of Upper Marlboro's residential property with it. The town is bounded by the 202 to the east, Route 4 to the south and the western branch of the Patuxent River to the West. It features horse farms, luxury estates, single-unit homes and apartments, all within 3.9 square miles. Marlboro Village lies on the edge of the sprawling DC Metro Area, putting you within 20 minutes of the big city to the west as well as the Chesapeake Bay to the east.
Renting in Marlboro Village
Marlboro Village offers a lot of rental choices, including one, two and three-bedroom apartments, as well as townhouses and single-unit rental houses. It is the DC area, so you'll pay a premium for proximity to the surrounding region. Rentals are readily available, but this area is known for high incomes and stable government employment, so there aren't any shortages of qualified renters. Good credit and references will help you find a place without much hassle. If your financials are less than stellar, you can still qualify if you have a co-signer and agree to a larger security deposit. Month-to-month leases are available from the professionally managed apartment complexes in town as well as private owners offering single-unit homes, condos and townhouses for rent.
Breaking down Marlboro Village
Like many suburbs in the area, Marlboro Village doesn't necessarily break down into distinct neighborhoods, but each area of town offers a little something different.
North: The north end of Marlboro Village is the least populated region. Much of this part of the city consists of farmland and woods, but there are a couple of new developments of luxury single-unit homes as you get closer to the center of town.
West: Spacious single-unit homes built in the 2000s dominate the west side of the city. It's also home to the local elementary school. Large properties such as these are probably the best places to find basement studio apartments for rent.
South: This part of town is also sparsely populated, with Federal Spring Park taking up most of this area. However, you can find single-unit rental houses with good-sized lots at this end of Marlboro Village. As one of the older parts of town, the south side features homes that were built in the 1970s and 1980s.
Center: This serves as the downtown area. Here you'll find most of the townhouses, condos and apartments for rent in Marlboro Village, some of which feature wood-burning fireplaces and private garages. This is also where you'll find the shopping center, which houses a grocery store, gas station, drug store, pizza place and other restaurants.
Living in Marlboro Village
Sitting at the junction of three major roadways -- Routes 301, 202 and 4 -- Marlboro Village is a convenient spot for commuters who work in DC and the surrounding suburbs. A lack of public transit means most residents get around by car. The town also lacks a robust shopping and entertainment scene, so you'll have to travel to nearby Bowie to catch a movie or head into the Nation's Capital for a night of clubbing.
That doesn't mean that there's nothing to do in town. The Amish Farmers Market at John Rogers Boulevard and Brown Station Road is open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday offering meats, cheeses, produce, baked goods and gifts. Horse lovers can enjoy events at the Equestrian Center, which also hosts the Prince Georges County Fair and an annual antique show. Residents are less than half an hour away from the beaches of the Bay, which offer fishing, swimming and other water activities.