Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Maryland ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety

–FriendlyNot graded C+La PlataSafer than 39% of U.S. towns

Schools

DFriendlyBetter than 8% of districts in the state C+La PlataBetter than 40% of districts in the state

Health

B−FriendlyHealthier than 53% of U.S. towns B+La PlataHealthier than 70% of U.S. towns

8Friendly

11La Plata

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest graduation rateSchools · 258 towns #192#25 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 262 towns #16#177 Cheapest rentCost of living · 252 towns #210#72 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 262 towns #194#68 Most remote workersWork · 256 towns #30#142 Most conserved landOutdoors · 260 towns #80#191 Lowest depressionHealth · 262 towns #9#113 Best schoolsSchools · 235 towns #141#56

Left end = #1 in Maryland. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Friendly’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $280 more a month in La Plata

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Friendly$2,680/mo

Typical home $438K (Census) · tax rate 1.06% · or rent about $2,306/mo · Housing →

La Plata$2,960/mo

Typical home $479K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.13% · or rent about $1,559/mo · Housing →

The difference: $280 a month, about $3,400 a year, between La Plata and Friendly.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

FriendlyLa Plata

Snow a year13″12″

January low—28°F

July high—88°F

Growing season (days)—226d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)8th 2nd

Outdoors & history

FriendlyLa Plata

Trails0 mi 3 mi

Conserved land12.4%4.8%

Settled—1888

National Register places—5

Archive photos—12

Famous people born here—16

Community

FriendlyLa Plata

Library hours a week—52 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

15 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

FriendlyLa Plata

Friendly ↔ La Plata15 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Maryland average

FriendlyLa Plata

People

Population 11,119Highest 10,683Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +7.4%Lowest MD: +7% +16.1%Highest MD: +7%

Median age 47.5±4.4Highest 21% above MD 41.7±2.3Lowest 6% above MD

Friendly and La Plata are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 20.4%±2.5Highest MD: 22.2% 19.8%±4Lowest MD: 22.2%

Friendly and La Plata are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 20.7%±2.7Highest MD: 16.7% 17.5%±3.1Lowest MD: 16.7%

Friendly and La Plata are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 29.7%Lowest MD: 43.4% 35.4%Highest MD: 43.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.7%±1.6Lowest MD: 6.9% 9.2%±3.1Highest MD: 6.9%

La Plata and Friendly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $127,670±$30kHighest 23% above MD $121,208±$22kLowest 17% above MD

Friendly and La Plata are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $437,800±$23kHighest 4% above MD $428,400±$14kLowest about the MD average

Friendly and La Plata are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,306±$216Highest 35% above MD $1,559±$296Lowest 9% below MD

Property taxmedian, yearly $4,634Lowest 13% above MD $4,852Highest 19% above MD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 47.7%±12.7Highest MD: 51.5% 33.2%±16.4Lowest MD: 51.5%

Friendly and La Plata are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 3%Lowest MD: 9.4% 6.6%Highest MD: 9.4%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 89.2%Highest MD: 67.6% 80.4%Lowest MD: 67.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than MD 1995Highest 16 yrs newer than MD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 37 minLowest 19% above MD 40 minHighest 27% above MD

Work from home 28.9%±6.5Highest MD: 19.3% 16.7%±5.9Lowest MD: 19.3%

Friendly and La Plata are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 1%Lowest 13.1%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.8 miLowest 25.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.11Lowest 1.65Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Washington (25%)Washington (15%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in La PlataFew work in Friendly

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 12.4%Highest 4.8%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miLowest 3.4 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.4 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Lowest 5Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 45.9Lowest 72.2Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #141 of 235 in MD #56 of 235 in MD

School district Prince George's County Public SchoolsCharles County Public Schools

High school in town Friendly HighLa Plata High School

Students per teacherat that high school 14.7Lowest 16.4Highest

Maryland average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Friendly neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Friendly’s Town Square.

La Plata neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to La Plata’s Town Square.

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Bordering Friendly

+ Compare

Clinton38,376 people · $431K homes

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Oxon Hill17,893 people · $360K homes

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Camp Springs22,544 people · $415K homes

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Fort Washington25,134 people · $480K homes

Towns like Friendly

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Hampstead6,251 people · $333K homes

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Walkersville6,414 people · $488K homes

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Manchester5,439 people · $376K homes

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Glenarden6,344 people · $410K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Friendly vs La Plata

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

La Plata places higher on 11 of 19 MD lists

A typical home costs $280 more a month in La Plata

What daily life feels like in each

15 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Friendly and La Plata

Bordering Friendly

Towns like Friendly

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