Laurel, Maryland
Among the top 19% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 9% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 6% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 57% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 81% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 63% of US places
- top 1% for natural disaster risk
- top 2% for walkability
- bottom 5% for property crime
Laurel is a mid-size city in Maryland with about 30,000 residents. It grades B+ for getting around and F for weather. Standout strengths include natural disaster risk, walkability, and airport distance. It rates lower on cost of living and property crime.
Official websitecityoflaurel.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
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57%47%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.2 in3.4 in
muggy 79%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$92k81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$68kbetter than 6% of US places
Home Value$354k83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 8% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 15% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.26%better than 36% of US places
Income Tax9.00%better than 17% of US places
State 5.80% + Local 3.20%
Sales Tax6.00%better than 86% of US places
Estimated total tax burden15.83%better than 15% of US places
Unemployment5.9%better than 32% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)36°F62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation47.5 in69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall15.8 inbetter than 52% of US places
Sunny Days180 daysbetter than 9% of US places
Summer Humidity66°Fbetter than 38% of US places
Comfortable Days76 daysbetter than 34% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk6.6better than 99% of US places
Air Quality48 AQIbetter than 41% of US places
School Quality83.8better than 78% of US places
Violent Crime854/100kbetter than 43% of US places
Property Crime3324/100kbetter than 5% of US places
Community
Population29,58195th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age36.428th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6797th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.8320th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+464th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)16.6%7th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)50.4%96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)18.3%84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)9.5%95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.1%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time34 minbetter than 12% of US places
Walkability14.6/20better than 98% of US places
Airport Distance12 mibetter than 95% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access96.9%better than 88% of US places
Amenities Nearby87.56better than 52% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 33% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Laurel an affordable place to live?
- Laurel is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $68k, better than 6% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Laurel?
- The median home value in Laurel is $354k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Laurel?
- Median household income in Laurel is $92k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Laurel?
- Median gross rent in Laurel is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Laurel safe?
- Laurel is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 854/100k (better than 43%). Property crime is 3324/100k.
- What is the weather like in Laurel?
- Laurel averages 80°F in July and 36°F in January, with 47.5 in of annual precipitation and about 180 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Laurel?
- Public-school quality in Laurel is above average, scoring better than 78% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Laurel?
- The average one-way commute in Laurel is 34 min.
Other places in Howard County
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)