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Living in
Laurel.
Laurel is an unincorporated community in Sarasota County, FL. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Laurel
Laurel is a community of 11,868 people in Florida. The median household income is $92,340, median rent runs about $1,323 per month, and median home values are around $478,900. Unemployment is low at 4.3%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Laurel at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
63.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.6%
Foreign-Born
10.7%
Broadband Internet
93.9%
of households
Median household income
Demographics10.7% foreign-born, most often from Germany
Who lives in Laurel: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Laurel, the largest foreign-born group is from Germany (13.6%), and 4.3% of residents speak Russian/Slavic at home.
Under 18
10.2%
of residents
65 and Older
46.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
11.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.2%
of households
Married Couples
59.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
1.99
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 21% below FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Laurel
In Laurel, rent runs 21% below the FL average, and home values are 33% above the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
35.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
24.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
102.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,449
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
91.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1983
median year built
Vacant Homes
18.0%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts above FL average
Unemployment in Laurel
Unemployment in Sarasota County, which includes Laurel, is 0.4 percentage points higher than the FL average.
Unemployment rate
Laurel: Sarasota County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Sarasota County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Laurel is about 3% of Sarasota County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Laurel Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute24.8 min avg
How Laurel residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Laurel, most residents drive alone to work (68%), and 62% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 19 mi
Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ)
Small hub2.2M passengers boarded in 2025
- 59 mi
Tampa International Airport (TPA)
Major hub12.1M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 71% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, which covers Laurel, runs 71% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
95
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
744
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Sarasota County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 1 event in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
98.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Sarasota County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Sarasota County, which includes Laurel, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 1 recorded event in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5,000 |
| 2024 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10.8M |
| 2023 | 3 | Tropical Storm | $10,000 |
| 2022 | 7 | Tornado | $2001.1M |
| 2021 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $252,000 |
| 2020 | 7 | Tornado | None reported |
| 2019 | 3 | Thunderstorm Wind | $90,000 |
| 2018 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $52,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Sarasota County, county-wide
Laurel is about 3% of Sarasota County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality46 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Sarasota County, which includes Laurel, is typically good — 236 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
46
Good Days
236
per year
Moderate Days
129
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Sarasota County, county-wide
Laurel is about 3% of Sarasota County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate91°F summers, 54°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Laurel has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and warm winters (avg low 54°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
83°/63°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/74°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
85°/67°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
74°/54°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
51.3"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
120
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
1
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
107
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 72°F | 52°F | 2.68" |
| Feb | 75°F | 54°F | 2.00" |
| Mar | 78°F | 58°F | 2.97" |
| Apr | 83°F | 63°F | 2.47" |
| May | 87°F | 68°F | 3.25" |
| Jun | 90°F | 73°F | 7.81" |
| Jul | 92°F | 74°F | 7.39" |
| Aug | 92°F | 75°F | 8.34" |
| Sep | 90°F | 73°F | 7.16" |
| Oct | 86°F | 68°F | 3.35" |
| Nov | 80°F | 60°F | 1.54" |
| Dec | 75°F | 55°F | 2.31" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Laurel
Uninsured
5.1%
of residents
No hospitals inside Laurel's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Sarasota Memorial Hospital - Venice
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.1 mi away · North Venice
HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.6 mi away · Sarasota
Sarasota Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.8 mi away · Sarasota
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education42.2% college degree rate
Schools and degree attainment in Laurel
Public Schools
0
none inside city limits; students attend nearby district schools
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
42.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Laurel (within 15 miles)
Galen Health Institutes-Sarasota
14.6 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 2-year · 574 students · in-state tuition $18,790 · median earnings $69,188 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: De Soto National Memorial, 30 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Laurel
Laurel has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being De Soto National Memorial (30 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
De Soto National Memorial
National Memorial
30 mi awayCities Near Laurel
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Laurel?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Laurel FAQ
Is Laurel, Florida affordable?⌄
Laurel's median rent is $1,323/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $92,340/year. Median home value is $478,900.
Is Laurel, Florida safe?⌄
Laurel is policed by the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 95 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 744 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Laurel, Florida?⌄
Sarasota County, which includes Laurel, has an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Laurel, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Laurel is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,323/month and median household income is $92,340/year. The median home value is $478,900. About 36% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Laurel, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Laurel is 25 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from