Median Income
$92,035
household / year
Median Home Value
$354,400
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,831
gross / month
Cost of Living
109
national avg = 100

Is Laurel, MD a Good Place to Live?

Laurel is a small city of 29,581 in Maryland, with a median household income of $92,035 and a 5.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 109 (US average = 100), which is 9% above the national average.

Strengths: Laurel stands out for solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Laurel is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Laurel city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 108.6

Laurel's overall cost of living index is 108.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Laurel costs roughly 9% more than the average American city.

Metric Laurel, MD National Avg
Median Home Value $354,400 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,831 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 44.3% 65.9%
Median Household Income $92,035 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Higher than Average

Laurel's violent crime rate is 393.7 per 100,000 residents — 4% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
393.7 /100k
Property Crime
4861.5 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Laurel is served primarily by Prince George's County Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Laurel, MD National Avg
School District Prince George's County Public Schools —
Elementary Schools 139 —
Middle Schools 25 —
High Schools 25 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 14.1:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 45.4% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 88.4% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Laurel sees average highs of 42.7°F in January and 88.6°F in July, with 47.5 inches of annual precipitation and 15.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricLaurel, MD
Average High — January42.7°F
Average High — July88.6°F
Annual Precipitation47.5"
Annual Snowfall15.8"

Demographics

MetricLaurel, MDNational Avg
Population29,581—
Median Age36.438.9
Unemployment Rate5.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time33.5 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)20.2%59.3%
Black or African American51.4%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino13.9%18.9%
Asian9.5%6.3%
Under 1823.7%22.2%
65 and over11.0%16.8%

Nearby Cities

West Laurel, MD 2 mi Konterra, MD 2 mi South Laurel, MD 2 mi North Laurel, MD 2 mi Maryland City, MD 3 mi

ZIP Codes in Laurel

Laurel, MD is covered by 1 ZIP code:

20707

Laurel vs Other Cities

Laurel, MD vs West Laurel, MD Laurel, MD vs Konterra, MD Laurel, MD vs South Laurel, MD Laurel, MD vs North Laurel, MD Laurel, MD vs Maryland City, MD

Frequently Asked Questions

Laurel's cost of living index is 109, where 100 is the national average. That puts Laurel roughly 9% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $354,400 and median rent is $1,831/month.
Laurel's violent crime rate is 393.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 4861.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Laurel are operated by Prince George's County Public Schools. The district has 139 elementary, 25 middle, and 25 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.1:1. 45.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Laurel, MD has a population of 29,581, a median household income of $92,035, and an unemployment rate of 5.9%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Laurel averages 42.7°F in January and 88.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 47.5 inches with about 15.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Laurel, MD is covered by 1 ZIP code: 20707.
The population of Laurel, Maryland is 29,581 with a median age of 36.4. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Laurel: cost of living index 109 (100 = US average), median home $354,400, median household income $92,035, crime index 155 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Laurel side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.