La Plata, MD: Population, ZIP Codes & Nearby Cities
Looking for facts about La Plata? It is an incorporated town-sized municipality in Charles County, Maryland, with an estimated 9,631 people according to our dataset. It lies at 38.535°N, 76.970°W in Eastern time. The sections below cover its size, ZIP codes, neighbors and distances.
What are the key facts about La Plata, MD?
| Place | La Plata |
|---|---|
| Type | Incorporated town-sized municipality |
| State | Maryland |
| County | Charles County (FIPS 24017) |
| Estimated population | 9,631 |
| Density | 1,295 per sq mi (500 per sq km) |
| Coordinates | 38.5352, -76.9701 |
| Time zone | Eastern time (UTC−5, America/New_York) |
| ZIP codes | 1 (20646) |
| Rank in state | 135th of 510 listed places |
| Nearest city over 100,000 | Alexandria, VA (21 mi) |
What is the population of La Plata, MD?
La Plata has an estimated population of 9,631. That makes it the 135th largest of the 510 places we list in Maryland, and the 3rd largest of 13 places in Charles County. The typical place in Maryland has about 2,304 residents, so La Plata is roughly 4.2 times the size of a typical neighbor in the state.
Estimates for places of this size carry wider margins of error than those for big cities, so treat the figure as a guide to scale. Our guide to understanding city population numbers explains why sources disagree.
Places in Maryland with a similar population include Scaggsville (9,751), Chesapeake Ranch Estates (9,702), Chevy Chase (9,622), Jessup (9,509), Mount Airy (9,458). Comparing these pages is a quick way to see how La Plata differs from communities of the same scale.
How dense is La Plata?
La Plata has about 1,295 people per square mile (500 per square kilometer), which we classify as suburban. Within Maryland, it is denser than about 48% of the listed places. Land at this level is usually a mix of single-family neighborhoods, shopping corridors and parks, where driving is common but destinations are close. Read how to interpret population density to see how we draw these lines.
What ZIP codes does La Plata use?
The postal data lists a single ZIP code for La Plata: 20646. A single code usually means a compact delivery area, but the same code may also serve addresses just outside the town line. Codes beginning with 2 are assigned to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast coast (D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the Carolinas). Learn more in our guide to how ZIP codes work or check any code with the ZIP code lookup.
What time zone is La Plata in?
La Plata is in the Eastern time zone, which is UTC−5 from Coordinated Universal Time in standard time (IANA zone America/New_York). The area observes daylight saving time, so clocks move forward in March and back in November. The nearest listed place in a different time zone is Fairfield Glade, TN, about 468 miles away, which gives a sense of how far the nearest zone boundary may be. Current local time: see the Eastern time hub. For the rules behind these zones, read US time zones explained.
Where is La Plata located in Maryland?
La Plata lies in the southern part of Maryland, at 38.535° north latitude and 76.970° west longitude. The state capital, Annapolis, is about 39 miles to the northeast. The closest listed place in another state is Mount Vernon, VA, roughly 14 miles to the northwest, which shows how near La Plata is to a state line. For big-city services, the nearest place with more than 100,000 people is Alexandria, VA, 21 miles to the north.
Which cities are near La Plata, MD?
The closest listed place to La Plata is Waldorf, MD, 5.8 miles to the northeast. Of the eight nearest places below, 3 are in the same county. Distances are straight-line (great-circle) miles measured between place centers; see how distance is calculated.
| Place | Distance | Direction | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waldorf | 5.8 mi | Northeast | 75,489 |
| Bensville | 6.0 mi | North | 13,227 |
| Bryans Road | 8.3 mi | Northwest | 7,847 |
| Accokeek | 9.8 mi | North | 11,647 |
| Brandywine | 12.1 mi | North | 9,849 |
| Fort Washington | 13.9 mi | North | 24,237 |
| Mount Vernon, VA | 14.3 mi | Northwest | 13,113 |
| Fort Hunt, VA | 14.7 mi | North | 16,973 |
Which county is La Plata in?
La Plata is in Charles County, which has the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) code 24017. The county contains 13 places in our data, 4 of which have their own page here and 9 smaller communities that appear only in county and state lists. Other places in the county include Waldorf (75,489), Bensville (13,227), Bryans Road (7,847), Indian Head (3,802), Hughesville (2,279). Codes like this one help separate places that share a name; see the guide to counties and FIPS codes.
How far is La Plata from major US cities?
Among six major hubs, La Plata is closest to New York, NY at about 220 miles and farthest from Los Angeles, CA at about 2,307 miles in a straight line. Road distances are usually 10 to 30 percent longer. Try the distance calculator for any other pair.
| Major city | Straight-line distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | 220 mi | Northeast |
| Los Angeles, CA | 2,307 mi | West |
| Chicago, IL | 609 mi | Northwest |
| Houston, TX | 1,211 mi | Southwest |
| Atlanta, GA | 530 mi | Southwest |
| Denver, CO | 1,492 mi | West |
Are there other places called La Plata?
Yes. Our data lists 2 other places named La Plata: La Plata, MO (1,308), La Plata, NM (503). When you search for La Plata, add the state or county so you land on the right one. This page covers the La Plata in Charles County, Maryland.
Planning a move to La Plata?
If you are weighing La Plata, start with the practical numbers: how far it is from where you live, whether it changes your time zone, and how its size and density compare with your current city. Use the distance calculator to measure the trip from where you live. The radius search tool lists every place within any distance of it. Our checklist for comparing cities explains what to check next.
Where to go next
Population and density come from a compiled dataset and are estimates. They may differ from official Census Bureau counts. Verify important figures at census.gov.