Laurel vs South Laurel
Laurel, Maryland versus South Laurel, Maryland: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Laurel and South Laurel score about the same overall (43 vs 42 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Laurel | South Laurel |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $92k | $83k |
| Cost of Living | $68k | $68k |
| Home Value | $354k | $431k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.26% | 1.13% |
| Income Tax | 9.00% | 9.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.83% | 16.82% |
| Unemployment | 5.9% | 5.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 36°F | 36°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.5 in | 47.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 15.8 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 | 6.6 | 6.0 |
| Air Quality | 48 AQI | 49 AQI |
| School Quality | 83.8 | 83.8 |
| Violent Crime | 854/100k | 1298/100k |
| Property Crime | 3324/100k | 1315/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 29,581 | 28,427 |
| Median Age | 36.4 | 35.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.67 | 0.56 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.83 | 0.89 |
| Political Leaning | D+46 | D+46 |
| White (%) | 16.6% | 12.6% |
| Black (%) | 50.4% | 62.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 18.3% | 14.7% |
| Asian (%) | 9.5% | 5.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.1% | 4.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 34 min | 33 min |
| Walkability | 14.6/20 | 12.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 12 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 96.9% | 91.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 87.56 | 71.06 |
| 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 Laurel or South Laurel more affordable?
- South Laurel has the lower cost of living: its index is $68k, compared with Laurel's $68k and South Laurel's $68k. Median rent is $2k in Laurel versus $2k in South Laurel.
- Is Laurel or South Laurel safer?
- Laurel has the lower violent crime rate. Laurel reports 854/100k and South Laurel reports 1298/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Laurel or South Laurel?
- The median home value is $354k in Laurel and $431k in South Laurel, so homes are more affordable in Laurel.