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Living in
Laurel.
About
Life in Laurel
If you're considering Laurel, understand that you're signing up for suburban life with a genuine commute. The average trip to work runs 32 minutes, and while the unemployment rate is healthy at 4.4%, you'll likely be heading toward D.C. or Baltimore regularly. The median home price sits around $386,000 with rents near $1,900, putting it in moderate territory for the region—not cheap, but not the premium you'd pay closer to the urban core.
Laurel at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.0%
Foreign-Born
32.9%
Broadband Internet
97.7%
of households
Population Growth
+0.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics32.9% foreign-born, most often from El Salvador
Who lives in Laurel: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Laurel, the largest foreign-born group is from El Salvador (14.0%), and 17.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.2%
of residents
65 and Older
11.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
36.2%
of households
Married Couples
31.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.37
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 10% above MD average
Rent, home values, and income in Laurel
In Laurel, rent runs 10% above the MD average, and home values are 8% below the MD average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
43.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,549
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
44.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1985
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $468,676 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts above MD average
Unemployment in Laurel and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Laurel is 0.4 percentage points higher than the MD average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Laurel Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area
Commute30.9 min avg
How Laurel residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Laurel, most residents drive alone to work (65%), and 49% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 11 mi
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
Major hub12.3M 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 6% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Laurel runs 6% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
349.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,907.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Laurel Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 25 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
93.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Prince George's County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Prince George's County, which includes Laurel, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 25 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $118,000 |
| 2024 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $273,000 |
| 2023 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $122,000 |
| 2022 | 23 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.9M |
| 2021 | 29 | Thunderstorm Wind | $462,000 |
| 2020 | 45 | Flood | $127,250 |
| 2019 | 42 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 41 | Flood | $1,000 |
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.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Prince George's County, county-wide
Laurel is about 3% of Prince George's County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality40 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Prince George's County, which includes Laurel, is typically good — 306 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
40
Good Days
306
per year
Moderate Days
56
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Prince George's County, county-wide
Laurel is about 3% of Prince George's County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate87°F summers, 29°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Laurel has warm summers (avg high 87°F) and cold winters (avg low 29°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
66°/45°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
87°/67°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
69°/50°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
45°/29°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
47.5"
Annual Snowfall
15.8"
Hot Days/Year
36
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
86
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
112
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 26°F | 3.46" |
| Feb | 46°F | 28°F | 2.73" |
| Mar | 55°F | 35°F | 4.20" |
| Apr | 67°F | 45°F | 3.80" |
| May | 76°F | 55°F | 4.41" |
| Jun | 84°F | 65°F | 4.38" |
| Jul | 89°F | 69°F | 4.17" |
| Aug | 87°F | 68°F | 3.80" |
| Sep | 80°F | 61°F | 4.70" |
| Oct | 69°F | 50°F | 4.41" |
| Nov | 57°F | 39°F | 3.52" |
| Dec | 47°F | 31°F | 3.93" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Laurel
Uninsured
10.2%
of residents
No hospitals inside Laurel's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Ctr, Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.9 mi away · Lanham
Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.4 mi away · Columbia
Holy Cross Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · 10.8 mi away · Silver Spring
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.
Education16.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Laurel
Laurel's student/teacher ratio is 16.4:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 47.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
3
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
47.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Laurel (within 15 miles)
University of Maryland Global Campus
12.6 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 49,664 students · in-state tuition $8,280 · 32% graduate · median earnings $68,110 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Maryland-College Park
8.6 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 30,760 students · in-state tuition $12,290 · 86% graduate · median earnings $89,228 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Maryland-Baltimore County
13.8 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 10,701 students · in-state tuition $13,679 · 71% graduate · median earnings $74,881 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 10,108 students · in-state tuition $38,936 · 69% graduate · median earnings $69,682 (10 yrs after entry)
Prince George's Community College
14.4 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 8,815 students · in-state tuition $4,034 · 13% graduate · median earnings $52,882 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 6,649 students · in-state tuition $4,146 · 21% graduate · median earnings $53,227 (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: Baltimore-Washington Parkway, 5 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Laurel
Laurel has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Baltimore-Washington Parkway (5 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Parkway
5 mi awayGreenbelt Park
Park
8 mi awayCivil War Defenses of Washington
National Park Site
13 mi awayKenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens
National Park Site
13 mi awayRock Creek Park
Park
14 mi awayAfrican American Civil War Memorial
National Park Site
15 mi awayCarter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
15 mi awayAnacostia Park
Park
16 mi awayPublic Libraries in Laurel
Laurel Branch
507 Seventh St., Laurel
Cities 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, Maryland affordable?⌄
Laurel's median rent is $1,873/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $100,504/year. Median home value is $385,500.
Is Laurel, Maryland safe?⌄
Laurel's violent crime rate was 350 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3907 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Laurel, Maryland?⌄
Laurel has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Laurel, Maryland?⌄
The cost of living in Laurel is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,873/month and median household income is $100,504/year. The median home value is $385,500. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Laurel, Maryland?⌄
The average commute in Laurel is 31 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