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

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

Schools

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

Health

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

11La Plata

8Friendly

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

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

Left end = #1 in Maryland. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of La Plata’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%

La Plata$2,960/mo

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

Friendly$2,680/mo

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

La PlataFriendly

Snow a year12″13″

January low28°F —

July high88°F —

Growing season (days)226d —

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

Outdoors & history

La PlataFriendly

Trails3 mi 0 mi

Conserved land4.8%12.4%

Settled1888 —

National Register places5 —

Archive photos12 —

Famous people born here16 —

Community

La PlataFriendly

Library hours a week52 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.

La PlataFriendly

La Plata ↔ Friendly15 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

La PlataFriendly

People

Population 10,683Lowest 11,119Highest

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

Median age 41.7±2.3Lowest 6% above MD 47.5±4.4Highest 21% 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 19.8%±4Lowest MD: 22.2% 20.4%±2.5Highest 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+ 17.5%±3.1Lowest MD: 16.7% 20.7%±2.7Highest 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+ 35.4%Highest MD: 43.4% 29.7%Lowest MD: 43.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 9.2%±3.1Highest MD: 6.9% 5.7%±1.6Lowest 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 $121,208±$22kLowest 17% above MD $127,670±$30kHighest 23% 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 $428,400±$14kLowest about the MD average $437,800±$23kHighest 4% above MD

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

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

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

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 33.2%±16.4Lowest MD: 51.5% 47.7%±12.7Highest 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 6.6%Highest MD: 9.4% 3%Lowest MD: 9.4%

Housing

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

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

Getting to work

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

Work from home 16.7%±5.9Lowest MD: 19.3% 28.9%±6.5Highest 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 13.1%Highest 1%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 25.3 miHighest 11.8 miLowest

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

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

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in FriendlyFew work in La Plata

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 4.8%Lowest 12.4%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 3.4 miHighest 0.4 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.4 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 5Highest 2Lowest

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

Schools

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

School district Charles County Public SchoolsPrince George's County Public Schools

High school in town La Plata High SchoolFriendly High

Students per teacherat that high school 16.4Highest 14.7Lowest

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.

La Plata neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to La Plata’s Town Square.

Friendly neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Friendly’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like La Plata

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Glenarden6,344 people · $410K homes

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Manchester5,439 people · $376K homes

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Walkersville6,414 people · $488K 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.

La Plata vs Friendly

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 La Plata and Friendly

Towns like La Plata

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