Town · Maryland
La Plata, Maryland
La Plata, town, in Charles County, Maryland. La Plata had 12,137 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 19.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 10,159 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 10,683 (±24). GEOID 2445750.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
12,137
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 10,159 · ACS 2020-2024: 10,683 ±24
Median household income
$121,208
±$21,704 (90% margin)
Maryland: $103,678
Median home value
$428,400
±$14,114 (90% margin)
Maryland: $419,900
Median gross rent
$1,559
±$296 (90% margin)
Maryland: $1,705
Where is La Plata and what county is it in?
La Plata is a town in Charles County, Maryland. It covers 8.0 square miles of land, 1,273 residents per square mile in 2020.
La Plata is in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 23 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in La Plata, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 12,137 people lived in La Plata on July 1, 2025, up 19.2% since 2020, faster than Maryland (+1.4%). The 2020 Census counted 10,159 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 10,683 (±24).
| Measure | La Plata | Charles County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 10,683 ±24 | 170,527 | +1,307 |
| Households | 3,941 ±291 | 60,875 | +753 |
| Average household size | 2.56 ±0.19 | 2.78 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 4,201 ±311 | 63,813 | +838 |
La Plata's population since 2000
From 6,551 in 2000 to 12,137 in 2025: up 85.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for La Plata as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in La Plata?
The median resident of La Plata is 41.7 years old; 19.8% are under 18 and 17.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 46.7%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 35.8%. 7.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | La Plata | Charles County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.7 ±2.3 | 38.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 19.8% ±3.5 pts | 23.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.5% ±2.6 pts | 13.7% | – |
| Male | 48.9% ±3.1 pts | 48.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.2% ±3.5 pts | 7.9% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 46.7% ±5.2 pts | 32.0% | −9.3 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 35.8% ±6.4 pts | 48.4% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 3.3% ±2.1 pts | 3.3% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 7.8% ±3.5 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 7.1% ±3.2 pts | 8.5% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.9% ±3.0 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.3% ±2.3 pts | 13.0% | – |
| With a disability | 8.7% ±1.9 pts | 11.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.4% ±2.1 pts | 4.6% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.2% ±1.9 pts | 94.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 35.4% ±5.6 pts | 33.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 16.2% ±3.3 pts | 14.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.4% ±5.3 pts | 89.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.3% ±1.7 pts | 3.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in La Plata earn?
Half of La Plata's 3,941 households earn less than $121,208 a year (±$21,704), against $122,816 in Charles County and $103,678 in Maryland. In 2015-2019 it was $107,115 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 6.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | La Plata | Charles County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $121,208 ±$21,704 | $122,816 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $147,163 ±$18,620 | $141,768 | – |
| Per capita income | $55,175 ±$6,832 | $51,110 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 6.6% ±3.8 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 6.4% ±6.4 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.2% ±4.0 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 99.4% ±0.7 pts | 96.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.8% ±3.4 pts | 93.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in La Plata?
Owners occupy 80.4% of La Plata's occupied homes and renters 19.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $428,400 by its owner (±$14,114). The median renter pays $1,559 a month including utilities, and 33.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | La Plata | Charles County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $428,400 ±$14,114 | $428,500 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,559 ±$296 | $1,920 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 33.2% ±13.4 pts | 40.6% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,527 ±$215 | $2,542 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 80.4% ±3.6 pts | 82.1% | +14.1 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 19.6% ±3.6 pts | 17.9% | – |
| Housing units | 4,201 ±311 | 63,813 | +838 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 16.4% ±13.5 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 48.8% ±5.0 pts | 70.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 7.2% ±2.6 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 15.2% ±4.8 pts | 14.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.1% ±3.5 pts | 3.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is La Plata building?
Builders took permits for 165 new housing units in La Plata in 2025 (165 in single-family houses), 13.6 per 1,000 residents against 2.1 across Maryland.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in La Plata work and get to work?
68.4% of La Plata's workers drive alone and 16.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 39.6 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.4%.
| Measure | La Plata | Charles County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 65.3% ±4.1 pts | 69.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% ±1.8 pts | 4.8% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 68.4% ±6.1 pts | 70.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.4% ±4.2 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 2.8% ±1.8 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Walked | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 16.7% ±6.0 pts | 16.4% | +10.6 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 39.6 min ±3.5 | 41.4 min | +6.2 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in La Plata?
3 census tracts lie mostly in La Plata (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $86,094 (Tract 8510.04) to $165,417 (Tract 8510.03).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 8510.04Charles County | 5,604 | $86,094 |
| Tract 8510.03Charles County | 4,273 | $165,417 |
| Tract 8510.01Charles County | 3,971 | $123,716 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in La Plata) · Census block assignment files
How does La Plata compare with other places in Maryland?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, La Plata is the 2,809th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 22nd-most populous of 157 in Maryland.
La Plata ranks 133rd of 322 places in Maryland with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 22nd | 157 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 6th | 99 |
| Residents per square mile | 243rd | 326 |
| Median household income | 133rd | 322 |
| Per capita income | 132nd | 326 |
| Median home value | 154th | 323 |
| Median gross rent | 200th | 288 |
| Poverty rate | 148th | 230 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 204th | 325 |
| Median age | 126th | 326 |
| Owner-occupied share | 134th | 323 |
| Work from home | 171st | 293 |
| Travel time to work | 30th | 325 |
La Plata's figures with every place in Maryland (CSV)
Every place in Maryland, sortable · Compare La Plata with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for La Plata?
11 of the 57 figures for La Plata on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for La Plata are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in La Plata.