Living in Lexington Park & California, Maryland: A Relocation Guide
Moving to Southern Maryland for NAS Patuxent River, work or a new opportunity? Here’s what to know about living, commuting and buying a home in Lexington Park and California.
If you’re moving to Southern Maryland for NAS Patuxent River, a defense contractor, a new job or simply a change of pace, two names will come up quickly in your home search: Lexington Park and California, Maryland.
They sit next to each other in southern St. Mary’s County, but searching for a home here can be confusing when you don’t know the area.
Where does Lexington Park end and California begin? How close will you actually be to Pax River? Where are the stores and restaurants? Can you live near the water? What kinds of homes will you find? And should you look here—or expand your search into Hollywood, Great Mills, Leonardtown or another nearby community?
Those are better questions than simply asking which ZIP code is “best.”
At The Mark Frisco Team, we help buyers and relocating families understand Southern Maryland beyond the listing photos—so you can choose a location that works for your commute, lifestyle and priorities.
Southern Maryland in 60 Seconds
- St. Mary’s County
- Lexington Park, California, Great Mills, Hollywood and Leonardtown are all here. NAS Patuxent River is in the southern part of the county.
- Calvert County
- Across the Patuxent River from St. Mary’s. Solomons sits immediately across the Thomas Johnson Memorial Bridge, with Lusby just beyond it.
- Charles County
- Northwest of St. Mary’s and part of the broader Southern Maryland region.
- Washington, D.C.
- NAS Patuxent River is roughly 65 miles south of Washington, D.C., according to the Navy—but this should not be interpreted as a typical close-in D.C. suburban commute.
First, Understand Lexington Park and California
Lexington Park and California form much of the commercial and employment center of southern St. Mary’s County.
The communities sit along the MD Route 235 corridor, with Lexington Park extending toward the main entrance of Naval Air Station Patuxent River and California generally lying farther north along the corridor.
But this doesn’t feel like moving between two traditional downtowns with clearly defined edges.
Instead, you’ll find a mix of established neighborhoods, newer subdivisions, apartment and townhome communities, shopping areas, defense and technology businesses, wooded residential roads and pockets that quickly become more rural as you move away from the main corridor.
That’s one of the first things newcomers should understand about St. Mary’s County:
A relatively short drive can completely change the feel of your surroundings.
You can go from a major shopping corridor to a quiet residential road, wooded acreage or the waterfront surprisingly quickly.
NAS Patuxent River Shapes This Part of St. Mary’s County
You can’t really understand the Lexington Park/California area without understanding Naval Air Station Patuxent River.
Pax River is a major center for naval aviation research, development, testing and evaluation. It hosts the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) and numerous other activities.
It is also the largest employer in St. Mary’s County, with a workforce that includes active-duty military, federal civilian employees and contractors.
That creates something unusual for an area that still feels distinctly Southern Maryland: a substantial concentration of aerospace, engineering, technology and defense-related employment surrounded by water, farmland and comparatively low-density communities.
For someone relocating because of Pax River, Lexington Park and California naturally become two of the first areas to consider because of their proximity to the base and the businesses surrounding it.
What Is the Commute to Pax River Like?
For many relocating buyers, this is the question that drives everything else.
Lexington Park offers some of the closest residential options to NAS Patuxent River. California is farther north but still positioned along the primary Route 235 corridor leading toward the base.
Route 235 is one of the area’s principal north-south roads and carries a significant amount of commuter and commercial traffic. St. Mary’s County has invested in projects such as FDR Boulevard specifically to provide an alternative route and help reduce congestion along portions of the Route 235 corridor.
The practical lesson for a relocating buyer is simple:
Look at the commute from the actual house—not just the town name.
Two homes with the same mailing city can have very different daily routes.
If your job is connected to Pax River, we recommend evaluating prospective homes based on the route you’ll actually drive during your expected commuting hours.
California Is the Everyday Shopping Hub
One reason California is popular with relocating buyers is convenience.
Much of the area’s larger retail and everyday shopping is concentrated along Route 235 and the surrounding commercial corridors. The California/Lexington Park area is where you’ll find many of the national retailers, grocery stores, restaurants, services and other conveniences people use regularly.
For someone arriving from a larger metropolitan area, it’s helpful to understand that California functions as one of Southern Maryland’s major commercial centers even though it doesn’t resemble a conventional city center.
That convenience can be a major factor when comparing California with some of St. Mary’s County’s more rural communities.
What Kind of Homes Will You Find?
This is where the Lexington Park/California area becomes interesting.
There isn’t one dominant housing type.
Depending on the specific neighborhood and price point, buyers may encounter:
- established single-family neighborhoods
- newer subdivisions
- townhomes
- condos
- homes with larger wooded lots
- properties outside HOAs
- homes in planned communities
- older houses with renovation potential
- newer construction
- occasional waterfront and water-oriented properties
Rather than starting with “Lexington Park or California?”, it often makes more sense to start with your housing priorities.
- Do you want a newer home?
- More land?
- No HOA?
- A shorter commute?
- A neighborhood setting?
- Water access?
- Room for a boat or RV?
- A home that requires less maintenance?
Once those priorities are clear, we can widen or narrow the map accordingly.
Neighborhood Feel Can Change Quickly
One of the mistakes buyers can make when relocating is forming an opinion of an entire ZIP code after driving down one road.
That doesn’t work particularly well here.
The Lexington Park/California area contains a wide range of development patterns. Some locations are close to shopping and major roads. Others are tucked into established residential communities. Move farther from the main corridors and the environment can become wooded and lower-density.
That means the neighborhood matters at least as much as the mailing address.
When we’re helping someone relocate, we don’t want to simply send a list of houses.
We want to understand what “home” is supposed to feel like.
Yes, You Can Still Be Close to the Water
Living near the employment and retail center doesn’t mean giving up the Southern Maryland waterfront lifestyle.
The Patuxent River forms the eastern side of this part of St. Mary’s County, and creeks and tributaries run throughout the surrounding area.
One particularly useful local resource is Myrtle Point Waterfront Park in California, a 192-acre county park with Patuxent River views, hiking, fishing, beach access and other outdoor recreation.
St. Mary’s County also maintains numerous parks, public landings and waterfront recreation areas throughout the county.
For buyers who want to actually own waterfront, that’s a different search. Water depth, piers, shoreline condition, flood considerations and access can become important parts of the purchase.
Read our Southern Maryland Waterfront Buyer GuideSchools: Verify the Address, Not the Town
Families relocating with school-age children understandably ask which schools serve Lexington Park and California.
St. Mary’s County Public Schools operates elementary, middle and high schools throughout this part of the county, but school assignment should always be verified using the specific property address.
That’s particularly important because SMCPS has been implementing approved phased redistricting, and school boundary information can change or require additional verification for certain properties.
Rather than publishing a list that could become outdated, we recommend checking each home you’re considering through the current SMCPS school and bus locator.
Getting Around
Southern Maryland is largely a driving-oriented area, and most relocating households will find a vehicle important for everyday life.
Route 235 connects much of the California/Lexington Park corridor, while Route 4 provides connections toward Solomons and Calvert County.
St. Mary’s Transit System also operates public bus routes connecting California, Lexington Park, Great Mills, Leonardtown, Charlotte Hall, Solomons and other communities.
For most home buyers, however, the bigger transportation question is likely to be:
How does this location work with my normal routine?
Work. School. Shopping. Childcare. Activities. The gym. The water. Weekend trips.
That’s a better test than simply looking at mileage on a map.
Don’t Limit Your Search to Lexington Park and California
This may be the most useful advice in the entire guide.
If you’re relocating to work at Pax River, you do not necessarily need to live in Lexington Park or California.
Depending on your priorities, nearby communities may also deserve consideration.
Great Mills
Immediately adjacent to Lexington Park, Great Mills can provide additional residential options while keeping buyers close to the Pax River employment corridor.
Hollywood
North of California, Hollywood can appeal to buyers looking for more space or a more rural/residential feel while remaining reasonably connected to the Route 235 corridor.
Leonardtown
Farther west, Leonardtown offers a more traditional town setting with its own shops, restaurants and community identity. Buyers may accept a longer commute in exchange for that environment.
Solomons and Southern Calvert County
Cross the Thomas Johnson Memorial Bridge and you’re in Calvert County. Solomons and the Lusby area can be worth considering for buyers who want a different community or waterfront lifestyle and are comfortable with a commute across the bridge.
Communities farther south and west
Depending on lifestyle and commute tolerance, buyers may also explore areas such as Callaway, Valley Lee, Piney Point, Park Hall and Ridge.
The goal isn’t to find the closest house to your job. It’s to find the part of Southern Maryland where your daily life makes sense.
What Is There to Do Outside of Work?
This is another place where people unfamiliar with Southern Maryland can underestimate the area.
St. Mary’s County is surrounded by the Patuxent River, Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay and has a strong connection to boating, fishing, kayaking and other outdoor recreation.
From Lexington Park and California, residents can explore places such as waterfront parks, public landings, Historic St. Mary’s City and communities throughout the Patuxent and Potomac corridors.
And because California is one of the county’s main commercial areas, everyday shopping and dining are nearby rather than requiring a drive to another county.
This combination is a big part of what makes the area unusual:
Your workday can revolve around one of the country’s major naval aviation centers, while your weekend can revolve around the water.
Who Might Like Living Here?
Lexington Park and California can make sense for buyers who prioritize:
- proximity to NAS Patuxent River and surrounding employers
- convenient access to shopping and everyday services
- a range of housing options
- access to Southern Maryland’s waterways and outdoor recreation
- staying close to the employment corridor while still having the ability to choose between neighborhood, suburban, wooded and more rural settings nearby
Someone looking specifically for a walkable urban lifestyle may have different priorities.
Someone who wants significant acreage, a historic town environment or an extremely rural setting may find a better fit elsewhere in St. Mary’s County.
That’s why our relocation approach isn’t:
“Here’s where everyone moving to Pax River lives.”
It’s:
“Tell us how you want to live, and we’ll help you understand which areas fit.”
Lexington Park or California? Start With Your Life, Not the ZIP Code
For most people relocating to Southern Maryland, choosing where to live isn’t really a decision between two town names.
It’s a balance.
- How close do you want to be to work?
- How much house or land do you want?
- What do you want around you every day?
- How important is the water?
- How much commute are you willing to trade for a different lifestyle?
Lexington Park and California put you close to the center of St. Mary’s County’s employment and commercial activity while keeping the rest of Southern Maryland within reach.
But they’re only the beginning of the search.
The Mark Frisco Team helps buyers relocating to NAS Patuxent River and throughout Southern Maryland understand the communities behind the listings—from commute considerations and neighborhood settings to waterfront options and the differences between Calvert, St. Mary’s and Charles Counties.
Whether you’re receiving PCS orders, accepting a civilian or contractor position, or simply moving to Southern Maryland, we’ll help you figure out where your life fits before we worry about which house checks the boxes.
A note for relocating buyers: Commute times, school assignments, transportation routes, community amenities and property conditions can change and vary by specific address. Buyers should verify information important to their move with the appropriate school system, government agency, employer, HOA or other authoritative source.