Rethink College Park

College Park Patch reported earlier today that College Park has been named by Bloomberg Businessweek as “Best Place to Raise Kids in Maryland.” The nice little blurb includes the following:

“Home to the University of Maryland, College Park was developed starting the late 1800s. Part of the city is part of the Calvert Hills Historic District, and a number of historic sites are in the area, including College Park Airport, the oldest continuously operated airport in the world. According to longandfoster.com, many families move to College Park for its good schools (four elementary schools, three middle schools, and four high schools) and its proximity to Washington, D.C., about 10 miles away and accessible by metro. The area’s population is 37.7 percent black and 12.2 percent Hispanic, according to data from Onboard Informatics.”

Patch notes that the school count isn’t entirely accurate—some of those 11 schools do fall outside of the city’s boundaries. And, despite the cultural diversity and attractive historic sites, College Park does leave some things to be desired. Improved streetscapes and bike paths, as well as better pedestrian infrastructure, would be welcomed, and there’s a demand for more businesses (UMD students wishing for bars notwithstanding!).

Overall, however, we won’t quibble too much with the distinction. It’s an honor, after all!