Waldorf is a census-designated place in Charles County, Maryland, United States. Located south-southeast of Washington, D.C., Waldorf is part of Southern Maryland. Its population was 81,410 at the 2020 census. Waldorf has experienced dramatic growth, increasing its population 16-fold from fewer than 5,000 residents in 1980 to its current population. It is now the largest commercial and residential area in Southern Maryland as well as a major suburb in the Washington metropolitan area.
History
thumb|left|The community is named after [[William Waldorf Astor, whose great-grandfather hailed from Walldorf, Germany.]]
What is now the Waldorf area was originally part of the territory of the Piscataway Indian Nation, along with all of Southern Maryland, including Charles County. Close to the current western Waldorf area, the presence of villages, Indian grave sites (holding remains of over 1,000 people) and hunting encampments of Native American / Indian peoples have been confirmed, by archeological study of evidence dating from 1690 back to 6,000 years ago.
Europeans and African Americans first settled in the area in the 1600s. Booth later received medical attention for his broken leg from Dr. Samuel A. Mudd at his home in Waldorf, before continuing his flight. In 1880, the General Assembly of Maryland by an act changed the name to "Waldorf" in honor of William Waldorf Astor (1848–1919), the great-grandson of John Jacob Astor (1763–1848), who was born in Walldorf, Palatinate, Germany. On July 29, 1908, the city of Plumb Valley in Waseca County, Minnesota, changed its name to Waldorf after Waldorf, Maryland.
Once a tobacco market village, Waldorf came to prominence in the 1950s as a gambling destination after slot machines were legalized in Charles County in 1949. The boom lasted until 1968, when gambling was once again outlawed. Its subsequent substantial growth as a residential community began with a 1970 loan package from the Department of Housing and Urban Development which fueled the giant planned community of St. Charles, within Waldorf.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.7%, is water.
The soils of Waldorf are known to contain various amounts of Marlboro Clay, a type that is only found in Southern Maryland. It can be either red or grey in color.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cold winters. The area gets yearly snowfall, but only gets major blizzards every few years. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Waldorf has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. The area has a tropical storm / hurricane season (late August through September). <br/>It gets frequent thunderstorms in the summer, some severe, and the area on rare occasion gets serious tornadoes.