Signals
California
La Plata
Opportunity
63 · Top 35%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Climate
77 · Top 22%
vs76 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
92 · Top 10%
vs91 · Top 10%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 15%
vs94 · Top 22%
Schools
56 · Top 44%
vs55 · Top 45%
Access
65 · Bottom 9%
vs79 · Bottom 21%
Economic stability
75 · Top 18%
vs67 · Top 35%
Measured values
| Metric | California | La Plata | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,136 | 10,683 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $119,855 | $121,208 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $60,197 | $55,175 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,021/sq mi | 1,338/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $346,800 | $428,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,927 | $1,559 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.9% | 80.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -3.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.8% | 35.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.9% | 6.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 87°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.3" | 41.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 61 mi | 38 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 40.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.0 | 41.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.58 | 15.76 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 18.3% | 12.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 22.6% | 26.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 52.5% | 36.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
California
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, drought, strong wind.
La Plata
Elevated or high exposure: drought.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
California
75
Your Score
—
Area Score
La Plata
70
Your Score
68
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: California, MD · La Plata, MD · How this is calculated: methodology