How many people live in Charles County, MD?
Updated Apr. 6, 2026Refreshed annually
In 2024, there were about 174,500 people living in Charles County, MD. That makes Charles County the 10th-most populous county in Maryland. It is home to 2.8% of people living in the state.
174K
population of Charles County, MD (2024)
2.8%
County share of the Maryland population (2024)
About 174,500 people lived in Charles County, MD in 2024.
Population estimates, 2000–2024
What are Charles County, MD’s age demographics?
About 25,400 Charles County residents are aged 65 and older in 2024. That represents 14.6% of its population. For comparison, the age group represents 17.7% of Maryland’s population and 18% in the US overall.
Another 40,900 Charles County residents, or 23.4% of the population, were children under 18. For comparison, the age group represents 22% of Maryland’s population and 21.6% in the US overall.
A lower share of Charles County, MD's population is aged 65 or older than the US as a whole.
Population estimates by age group, (2024)
What are Charles County, MD’s racial and ethnic demographics?
Non-Hispanic Black or African American residents make up 53.3% of the Charles County, MD population, higher than the national share of 12.6%. Charles County, MD also has a larger share of people identifying as non-Hispanic two or more races (3.6%) than the US overall (2.5%).
In contrast, Charles County’s non-Hispanic white population accounts for 30.2%, below the 57.5% nationwide, and the Hispanic population makes up 8.7% of the county, compared with 20% nationally.
Racial and ethnic make up differ based on location. These figures reflect how people identified their race alone (not in combination with other races), and separate out Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, following Census reporting standards.
Charles County, MD has a higher share of a non-Hispanic Black or African American population than Maryland as a whole.
Population estimates by race and ethnicity, (2024)
The largest city or town in Charles County, MD is La Plata with about 11,400 residents in 2024.
Cities and towns in Charles County, MD ranked by population
Population (2024), includes only portions within county
| City or town | Population | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | La Plata | 11,374 |
| 2. | Indian Head | 4,247 |
| 3. | Port Tobacco Village | 21 |
| 4. | Balance of Charles County | 158,836 |
Keep exploring
Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
