Median Income
$67,988
household / year
Median Home Value
$257,200
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,415
gross / month
Cost of Living
98
national avg = 100

Is Laurel, VA a Good Place to Live?

Laurel is a small city of 18,480 in Virginia, with a median household income of $67,988 and a 4.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is 2% below the national average.

Strengths: Laurel stands out for solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. 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: 98.0

Laurel's overall cost of living index is 98.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Laurel costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.

Metric Laurel, VA National Avg
Median Home Value $257,200 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,415 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 51.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $67,988 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Laurel's violent crime rate is 201.6 per 100,000 residents — 47% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
201.6 /100k
Property Crime
2444.5 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Laurel is served primarily by Henrico County Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Laurel, VA National Avg
School District Henrico County Public Schools —
Elementary Schools 46 —
Middle Schools 12 —
High Schools 9 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 14.9:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 29.7% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 90.1% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Laurel sees average highs of 47.2°F in January and 88.7°F in July, with 47.1 inches of annual precipitation and 14.7 inches of snow per year.

MetricLaurel, VA
Average High — January47.2°F
Average High — July88.7°F
Annual Precipitation47.1"
Annual Snowfall14.7"

Demographics

MetricLaurel, VANational Avg
Population18,480—
Median Age35.138.9
Unemployment Rate4.1%3.7%
Avg Commute Time20.4 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)46.5%59.3%
Black or African American31.1%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino9.0%18.9%
Asian10.1%6.3%
Under 1819.3%22.2%
65 and over12.5%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Dumbarton, VA 2 mi Lakeside, VA 2 mi Glen Allen, VA 2 mi Innsbrook, VA 4 mi Chamberlayne, VA 4 mi

ZIP Codes in Laurel

Laurel, VA is covered by 2 ZIP codes:

23228 23294

Laurel vs Other Cities

Laurel, VA vs Dumbarton, VA Laurel, VA vs Lakeside, VA Laurel, VA vs Glen Allen, VA Laurel, VA vs Innsbrook, VA Laurel, VA vs Chamberlayne, VA

Frequently Asked Questions

Laurel's cost of living index is 98, where 100 is the national average. That makes Laurel roughly 2% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $257,200 and median rent is $1,415/month.
Laurel's violent crime rate is 201.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2444.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Laurel are operated by Henrico County Public Schools. The district has 46 elementary, 12 middle, and 9 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.9:1. 29.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Laurel, VA has a population of 18,480, a median household income of $67,988, and an unemployment rate of 4.1%. 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 47.2°F in January and 88.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 47.1 inches with about 14.7 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Laurel, VA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 23228, 23294.
The population of Laurel, Virginia is 18,480 with a median age of 35.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Laurel: cost of living index 98 (100 = US average), median home $257,200, median household income $67,988, crime index 78 (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.