Bowie vs. Mitchellville: What’s Actually Different
Mitchellville and Bowie share ZIP codes, roads and stores, so buyers mix them up all the time. Here’s what really changes when a house is in one or the other: government, property taxes, services and prices. Checked October 2026.
Side by side
| Inside the City of Bowie | Mitchellville (unincorporated County) | |
|---|---|---|
| Government | City of Bowie plus Prince George’s County | Prince George’s County only |
| Property tax | Pays City of Bowie tax ($0.58 per $100 of assessed value for FY2027) | No City tax. Pays the County’s rate for unincorporated areas |
| Trash | City, twice a week | County collection |
| Police | Bowie Police plus County police | County police |
| Building permits | County plus City for many projects | County only |
| ZIP codes | 20715, 20716, 20720, 20721 | Mostly 20721, with parts of 20716 and 20720 |
The property tax math
Inside Bowie, you pay the City’s rate, and the County charges a slightly lower rate than it does in unincorporated areas. For fiscal 2026, Maryland’s published rates put the combined rate at about $1.708 per $100 inside Bowie and about $1.486 per $100 in unincorporated County areas like Mitchellville. On a home assessed at $500,000, that’s roughly $1,110 a year more inside the City, before credits.
For fiscal 2027, the City raised its rate from $0.40 to $0.58 per $100, its first increase in 16 years, and puts the combined rate for Bowie residents at $1.89. Confirm any home’s actual bill on Maryland SDAT, and see our Bowie utilities and taxes guide.
Prices
- All Bowie ZIP codes: $500,000 median sale price, April to September 2026.
- ZIP 20721: $557,000 median, 115 sales, 16 median days on market.
- Homes listed under the Mitchellville subdivision name: $649,900 median.
Bright MLS closed sales, April to September 2026. See the Mitchellville guide and Woodmore.
What’s nearby, and what people get wrong
- Woodmore Towne Centre isn’t in Mitchellville. The Wegmans and Costco center at I-495 and Landover Road is in the City of Glenarden.
- The old Six Flags America site: the park closed for good after the 2025 season. An investment group bought the roughly 515-acre property on Central Avenue in April 2026 and is weighing uses such as entertainment, restaurants, offices, parks, medical and education. Nothing final has been announced.
- “South Bowie” and Mitchellville overlap. The original Mitchellville area is now counted as part of the Bowie census area, which is part of why the names blur.
Common questions
Is Mitchellville part of Bowie?
No. Mitchellville is an unincorporated area of Prince George’s County, tracked by the Census as a census-designated place with 11,136 residents in 2020. It has no city government. The two share ZIP code 20721.
Is Mitchellville, MD a city?
No. Mitchellville isn’t incorporated, so there’s no Mitchellville city government. Prince George’s County provides services such as police, trash and permits.
Are property taxes lower in Mitchellville than in Bowie?
Usually, yes, because Mitchellville homes don’t pay the City of Bowie property tax. For fiscal 2026, Maryland’s published rates put the combined rate at about $1.708 per $100 inside Bowie and about $1.486 per $100 in unincorporated County areas. Bowie raised its City rate for fiscal 2027.
Is Woodmore Towne Centre in Mitchellville?
No. Woodmore Towne Centre, with Wegmans and Costco, is in the City of Glenarden at I-495 and Landover Road.
What’s happening with the Six Flags site in Bowie?
Six Flags America closed after the 2025 season. An investment group bought the roughly 515-acre site in April 2026 and is considering uses such as entertainment, restaurants, offices, parks, medical and education. No final plan has been announced.
Not sure which side a house is on?
Send Bruno the address. He’ll tell you whether it’s inside Bowie, what the tax bill really looks like, and what similar homes nearby sold for. Call or text (240) 418-3809, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.