Median Income
$117,065
household / year
Median Home Value
$396,300
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,539
gross / month
Cost of Living
109
national avg = 100

Is La Plata, MD a Good Place to Live?

La Plata is a small city of 10,283 in Maryland, with a median household income of $117,065 and a 3.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 109 (US average = 100), which is 9% above the national average.

Strengths: La Plata stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+).

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes. Whether La Plata is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All La Plata city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 108.6

La Plata's overall cost of living index is 108.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in La Plata costs roughly 9% more than the average American city.

Metric La Plata, MD National Avg
Median Home Value $396,300 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,539 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 78.5% 65.9%
Median Household Income $117,065 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

La Plata's violent crime rate is 215.9 per 100,000 residents — 43% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
215.9 /100k
Property Crime
1754.5 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

La Plata is served primarily by Charles County Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.4:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric La Plata, MD National Avg
School District Charles County Public Schools —
Elementary Schools 23 —
Middle Schools 9 —
High Schools 8 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 14.4:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 34.4% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 93.1% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

La Plata sees average highs of 44.2°F in January and 85.3°F in July, with 46.9 inches of annual precipitation and 15.1 inches of snow per year.

MetricLa Plata, MD
Average High — January44.2°F
Average High — July85.3°F
Annual Precipitation46.9"
Annual Snowfall15.1"

Demographics

MetricLa Plata, MDNational Avg
Population10,283—
Median Age42.038.9
Unemployment Rate3.0%3.7%
Avg Commute Time39.6 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)54.2%59.3%
Black or African American37.4%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino1.1%18.9%
Asian2.5%6.3%
Under 1819.8%22.2%
65 and over15.9%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Port Tobacco Village, MD 3 mi Pomfret, MD 4 mi Bensville, MD 5 mi Waldorf, MD 5 mi Bryantown, MD 7 mi

ZIP Codes in La Plata

La Plata, MD is covered by 1 ZIP code:

20646

La Plata vs Other Cities

La Plata, MD vs Port Tobacco Village, MD La Plata, MD vs Pomfret, MD La Plata, MD vs Bensville, MD La Plata, MD vs Waldorf, MD La Plata, MD vs Bryantown, MD

Frequently Asked Questions

La Plata's cost of living index is 109, where 100 is the national average. That puts La Plata roughly 9% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $396,300 and median rent is $1,539/month.
La Plata's violent crime rate is 215.9 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1754.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in La Plata are operated by Charles County Public Schools. The district has 23 elementary, 9 middle, and 8 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.4:1. 34.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
La Plata, MD has a population of 10,283, a median household income of $117,065, and an unemployment rate of 3.0%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
La Plata averages 44.2°F in January and 85.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 46.9 inches with about 15.1 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
La Plata, MD is covered by 1 ZIP code: 20646.
The population of La Plata, Maryland is 10,283 with a median age of 42.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in La Plata: cost of living index 109 (100 = US average), median home $396,300, median household income $117,065, crime index 68 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare La Plata side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.