Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in La Plata, Maryland
A $405,000 home here costs
$3,177per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,082. The real number is $1,095 higher every month — 53% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
La Plata against Charles County and Maryland
| Measure | La Plata | Charles County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $405,200 | $402,300 |
| Median property tax | $4,708 | $4,179 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.162% | 1.039% |
| Median gross rent | $1,483 | $1,897 |
| Population | 10,470 | 168,710 |
The weather behind that power bill
La Plata sits in Charles County, which averages a high of 88.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 28.3°F in its coldest, with 41.03" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,512 cooling and 4,002 heating degree days, which is what sets the $196 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Charles County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Charles County
Full Charles County cost breakdown · Every county in Maryland
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in La Plata?
A $405,000 home in La Plata, Maryland costs approximately $3,177 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,082 principal and interest, $392 property tax, $101 homeowners insurance, $264 utilities and $338 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in La Plata?
La Plata has an effective property tax rate of 1.162%, based on a median home value of $405,200 and median real estate taxes of $4,708. That is higher than the Charles County average of 1.039%.
What is the average home price in La Plata?
The median owner-occupied home value in La Plata, Maryland is $405,200, against $402,300 across Charles County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in La Plata?
Median gross rent in La Plata is $1,483 a month, against $3,177 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for La Plata — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Maryland.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.