Columbia vs Laurel
Columbia, Maryland versus Laurel, Maryland: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Columbia and Laurel score about the same overall (43 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Columbia | Laurel |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $125k | $92k |
| Cost of Living | $68k | $68k |
| Home Value | $459k | $354k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.27% | 1.26% |
| Income Tax | 9.00% | 9.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.67% | 15.83% |
| Unemployment | 4.0% | 5.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 36°F | 36°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.7 in | 47.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.5 in | 15.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 180 days | 180 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 76 days | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 26.8 | 6.6 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 48 AQI |
| School Quality | 79.5 | 83.8 |
| Violent Crime | 1298/100k | 854/100k |
| Property Crime | 1315/100k | 3324/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 106,600 | 29,581 |
| Median Age | 38.8 | 36.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.67 | 0.67 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 0.83 |
| Political Leaning | D+46 | D+46 |
| White (%) | 44.4% | 16.6% |
| Black (%) | 27.7% | 50.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.1% | 18.3% |
| Asian (%) | 13.0% | 9.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.8% | 5.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 30 min | 34 min |
| Walkability | 13.7/20 | 14.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 11 mi | 12 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.8% | 96.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 33.49 | 87.56 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Columbia or Laurel more affordable?
- Laurel has the lower cost of living: its index is $68k, compared with Columbia's $68k and Laurel's $68k. Median rent is $2k in Columbia versus $2k in Laurel.
- Is Columbia or Laurel safer?
- Laurel has the lower violent crime rate. Columbia reports 1298/100k and Laurel reports 854/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Columbia or Laurel?
- The median home value is $459k in Columbia and $354k in Laurel, so homes are more affordable in Laurel.