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Living in
South Laurel.
South Laurel is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, MD. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in South Laurel
Living in South Laurel means settling into a solidly middle-class suburban community where you're paying reasonable housing costs for the DC metro region—median homes around $458,000 and rentals averaging $1,795 monthly. The job market is stable with unemployment at 4.4%, and your median commute will run about 32 minutes, which is manageable if you're heading toward DC or Baltimore. The community is genuinely diverse across racial and economic lines, with over 40% of residents holding college degrees, creating a neighborhood that feels established and settled rather than transient.
South Laurel at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
11.8%
Foreign-Born
29.6%
Broadband Internet
94.2%
of households
Population Growth
-3.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics29.6% foreign-born, most often from Nigeria
Who lives in South Laurel: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In South Laurel, the largest foreign-born group is from Nigeria (13.6%), and 17.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
26.5%
of residents
65 and Older
11.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
34.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.5%
of households
Married Couples
36.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.59
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 7% above MD average
Rent, home values, and income in South Laurel
In South Laurel, rent runs 7% above the MD average, and home values are 9% above the MD average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
53.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
29.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,340
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
40.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1977
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.3%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts above MD average
Unemployment in South Laurel and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Prince George's County, which includes South Laurel, is 0.4 percentage points higher than the MD average.
Unemployment rate
South Laurel: Prince George's County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Prince George's County (county-wide) · Annual averages
South Laurel is about 3% of Prince George's County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What South 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
Commute32.5 min avg
How South Laurel residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In South Laurel, most residents drive alone to work (70%), and 44% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 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 19% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Prince George's County Police Department, which covers South Laurel, runs 19% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
265.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,919.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Prince George's County Police Department (county-wide rate)
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 South 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
South 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 South 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
South 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
South 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 South Laurel
Uninsured
8.7%
of residents
No hospitals inside South Laurel's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Ctr, Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.2 mi away · Lanham
Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.2 mi away · Columbia
Holy Cross Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · 10.6 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.
Education13.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in South Laurel
South Laurel's student/teacher ratio is 13.8:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 40.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
40.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in South Laurel
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 315 students · in-state tuition $28,258 · 50% graduate · median earnings $100,085 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
University of Maryland Global Campus
10.9 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
7.6 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
14.9 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
12.6 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, 3 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for South Laurel
South Laurel has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Baltimore-Washington Parkway (3 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Parkway
3 mi awayGreenbelt Park
Park
6 mi awayCivil War Defenses of Washington
National Park Site
12 mi awayKenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens
National Park Site
12 mi awayRock Creek Park
Park
13 mi awayAfrican American Civil War Memorial
National Park Site
14 mi awayCarter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
14 mi awayFort Dupont Park
National Park Site
14 mi awayCities Near South Laurel
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to South Laurel?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
South Laurel FAQ
Is South Laurel, Maryland affordable?⌄
South Laurel's median rent is $1,830/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $88,933/year. Median home value is $458,100.
Is South Laurel, Maryland safe?⌄
South Laurel is policed by the Prince George's County Police Department, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 265 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1919 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in South Laurel, Maryland?⌄
Prince George's County, which includes South 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 South Laurel, Maryland?⌄
The cost of living in South Laurel is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,830/month and median household income is $88,933/year. The median home value is $458,100. About 54% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in South Laurel, Maryland?⌄
The average commute in South Laurel is 33 minutes, which is longer than 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