Signals
La Plata
Ballenger Creek
Climate
76 · Top 25%
vs74 · Top 30%
Physical resilience
91 · Top 10%
vs89 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 22%
vs85 · Top 43%
Schools
55 · Top 45%
vs51 · Top 50%
Access
79 · Bottom 21%
vs84 · Bottom 28%
Economic stability
67 · Top 35%
vs73 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | La Plata | Ballenger Creek | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,683 | 26,390 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $121,208 | $108,944 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $55,175 | $46,569 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,338/sq mi | 2,444/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $428,400 | $387,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,559 | $1,987 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 80.4% | 64.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.4% | 46.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.6% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 88°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 27°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.0" | 43.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 38 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 40.9 min | 35.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 34.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.76 | 15.34 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 12.7% | 12.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 26.5% | 23.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 36.9% | 55.9% | 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
La Plata
Elevated or high exposure: drought.
Ballenger Creek
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
La Plata
70
Your Score
68
Area Score
Ballenger Creek
76
Your Score
—
Area Score
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Full profiles: La Plata, MD · Ballenger Creek, MD · How this is calculated: methodology