La Plata is a town in Charles County, Maryland, home to about 10,683 people across 7.4 square miles. Its ZIP code is 20646.
Homes sold for a median of $214 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly La Plata; also Bryans Road and Waldorf
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside La Plata. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up La Plata’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)23 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Washington, DC26 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA143 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of La Plata; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
La Plata had 10,159 residents in the 2020 census, up 55% since 2000.
It’s the 132nd largest of 527 towns in Maryland by population.
Charles County grew from 17,662 residents in 1900 to 166,617 in 2020.
Charles County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 85°F in summer, and winter lows average 25°F. About 48.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 15 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Mechanicsville 5 Ne, MD weather station (14 miles away).
33,675 jobs at 2,793 businesses in Charles County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
247 doctors and other health care providers list an office in La Plata.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 15 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 30 |
| Dentists | 14 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 56 |
| Mental health providers | 81 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 44 |
| Optometrists | 3 |
| Chiropractors | 4 |
| Pharmacies | 11 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (6 nearby)
Grocery stores (3 nearby)
Pharmacies (4 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums
Counts are within about 2 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1888.
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Charles County Public Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F. B. Gwynn Educational CenterLa Plata | Pre-K–8 | — | Alternative Education | 2.6 mi |
| Mary H. Matula Elementary SchoolLa Plata | Pre-K–5 | 610 | Public | 2.2 mi |
| Walter J. Mitchell Elementary SchoolLa Plata | Pre-K–5 | 663 | Public | 1.0 mi |
| Milton M. Somers Middle SchoolLa Plata | 6–8 | 671 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| Phoenix International School of the ArtsLa Plata | 6–8 | 243 | Charter | 0.7 mi |
| La Plata High SchoolLa Plata | 9–12 | 1,217 | Public | 2.4 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archbishop Neale SchoolLa Plata | Pre-K–8 | 285 | Roman Catholic | 0.2 mi |
| Grace Lutheran SchoolLa Plata | Pre-K–8 | 202 | Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod | 1.5 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Bryans Road and Waldorf.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.