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Charles County, the gateway to historic Southern Maryland, is a place where you can find first-class fishing, a dense population of nesting Bald Eagles, acres of beautiful forest land, 300 miles of spectacular shoreline, enough history to fill several books, sumptuous fresh seafood, top-flight golf and the wildest wildlife this side of the Potomac.
Less than an hour from our Nation's capital and historic Annapolis, nature lovers are invited to come explore Charles County and experience our history, wildlife and natural beauty. Charles County is located 20 miles south of Washington, DC, and less than an hour’s drive from Annapolis in Historic Southern Maryland. It’s bordered on the north by Prince George’s County, on the south and west by 150 miles of the Potomac River shoreline and on the east by the Patuxent River and both Calvert and St. Mary’s Counties.
Charles County is a community that respects heritage while welcoming and celebrating the diversity of new residents. We are blessed with a natural environment that still includes beautiful open spaces, rural areas, wildlife and wildlife habitats, scenic rivers, and waterfront vistas. We are also proud of our growing urban areas and the amenities and opportunities that are part of smart growth and dynamic development.
The future of Charles County depends upon creating and sustaining a solid foundation of quality public education, public safety, economic development and comprehensive planning, which will enable our County to thrive and prosper. To achieve these goals, we concentrate our funding in these areas. Our highest priorities are public education and public safety, which receive the majority of new revenue that is available to the County. However, there are other critical functions that government must perform, from emergency services to road maintenance to parks and recreation to social programs. Adequate resources for these and programs and services are required for quality of life for all of our citizens.
The County continues to develop and implement public/private partnerships and policies that attract business and industry that will bring quality, high-paying jobs to the County and provide the needed infrastructure to improve our economic base. Standards for development were adopted to improve property values and enhance neighborhoods, as well as assure that adequate public facilities are available to accommodate growth, i.e., schools, water and sewer services, and roads. We are implementing a comprehensive transportation strategy to expand, improve, and expedite the construction of the County’s road system to complement the decision on the upgrade of U.S. 301 through Waldorf and a future Western Bypass of Waldorf within the County. In addition, we have added several recreational amenities, including a state-of-the-art Skatepark, constructed a new public safety communications system and a new comprehensive high school, and consistently increased the number of sworn officers in the Sheriff’s Office.
Take time to smell the roses in Charles County where residents have easy access to all parts of Washington, D.C. as well as commercial and residential growth, comfortable suburban living, an abundance of nature trails, more than 50 museums, arts and culture opportunities, parks, spectator sports, and golf courses. Charles County is a great place to raise your family. The public schools offer a good student-teacher ratio and public education is a top priority. Charles County spends approximately $7,000 per student. Charles County is in the south central portion of of Maryland. Its county seat is La Plata. The county was named for Charles Calvert (1637-1715), third Lord Baltimore. Calvert lived in Maryland from 1661 to 1684, when he returned to England.This county is a part of the Washington-Baltimore Metropolitan Area.
As of 2000, the population was 120,546. The median income for a household in the county was $62,199, and the median income for a family was $67,602.
Charles County includes three municipalities, classified as towns under Maryland law:
- Indian Head (incorporated 1920)
- La Plata (incorporated 1888)
- Port Tobacco Village (incorporated 1888) (Note: despite its name, Port Tobacco Village is a town, not a village)
There are also many unincorporated areas, which are also considered towns by many people:
- Bennsville
- Bryans Road
- Hughesville
- Potomac Heights
- Saint Charles
- Waldorf
About La Plata, MD : La Plata is located in the Charles County seat with a population that hovers around 16,400 and covers 6.9 square miles. La Plata is 18.4 miles from Alexandria and 25.5 miles from D.C. The median age is 36.4 years old. The number of college graduates and white-collar professionals was higher in La Plata than the national average.
About Waldorf, MD : Waldorf is located in Charles County and has a population of approximately 22,400 covering 12.8 square miles. Waldorf is 13.8 miles from Alexandria and 19.4 miles from D.C. The median age is 32.8 years old. The number of college graduates and white-collar professionals was greater in Waldorf than the national average.
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