City profile · Maryland · Census ACS 2023

Laurel, MD

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Laurel - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

29,594
Residents
$94,063
Median income
$367,300
Median home
$1,857
Median rent (state)

Laurel - the verdict

Laurel ranks in the 74th percentile for household income and the 3rd percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

74th
percentile, household income
74th
percentile, home value
78th
percentile, median rent
3rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Laurel, MD

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 29,594 residents in Laurel, a small city within Maryland. Laurel households earn a median of $94,063 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.3%. Typical homes in Laurel are valued around $367,300, and the median resident age is 36.6 years. About 44.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 72.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 32 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Slowing), down 20% from five years earlier. Laurel's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 5255.2 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 57.1°F with 47.5 inches of precipitation per year.

Maryland carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Maryland at 105.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,857 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $255 across Maryland, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Laurel report an average commute of 27.6 minutes, with 68.3% driving alone and 14.3% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 72.4 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

29,594 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Maryland

Median Household Income

$94,063 /yr

Poverty 7.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Maryland average

How does Laurel compare to other US cities?

Where Laurel sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 74% higher than other cities
Home value 74% pricier than other cities
Median rent 78% pricier than other cities
Safety 3% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Maryland, Laurel ranks #64 of 70 Maryland cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Laurel's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Maryland, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

74thIncome percentile
3rdSafety percentile

74th percentile nationally for median household income · 3rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Laurel's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Laurel's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 34 Avg. percentile National median
Laurel's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Laurel's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$367,300 26th percentile more affordable than 26% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Laurel $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Laurel, MD Laurel, MD's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Laurel, MD-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Laurel, MD median $94,063/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Laurel, MD's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Laurel, MD. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 44.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 72.4%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
29,594
Median Income
$94,063
Median Home Value
$367,300
Median Age
36.6
Poverty Rate
7.3%
Labor force participation
72.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
44.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
5255.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
393.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
4861.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
57.1°F
Annual Precipitation
47.5"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
19
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
29,000 residents29,500 residents30,000 residents30,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 29,977 residents 30,254 residents ▲ +0.9%
Laurel's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
32
housing units authorized
Single-Family
32
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 40
2020 27
2021 125
2022 222
2023 208
2024 32

Permit volume decreased 20% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
27.6 minutes
Drive Alone
68.3%
Carpool
9.6%
Public Transit
2.6%
Walk
1.8%
Work from Home
14.3%
Other
3.4%

Based on 16,951 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Maryland - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$55
avg/month
Total Utilities
$255
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Maryland state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Maryland state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Laurel sits in

Cost of Living Index
105.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,857/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
72.4 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Maryland

Crofton
29,878 people
Clarksburg
29,246 people
Perry Hall
28,908 people
Parkville
30,423 people
Carney
28,624 people
Eldersburg
30,626 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Laurel's 29,594 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Raytown, MO
29,593 people
Central, LA
29,603 people
Anderson, SC
29,563 people
Schererville, IN
29,627 people
Southgate, MI
29,551 people
Hobart, IN
29,646 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Laurel's $94,063 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Jericho, VT
$94,063 median income
Naples, UT
$94,048 median income
North Redington Beach, FL
$94,044 median income
Poncha Springs, CO
$94,028 median income
Swepsonville, NC
$94,028 median income
Spanaway, WA
$94,028 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Laurel, MD Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Laurel, MD - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 16.3% 51.2% 9.6% 12.0% 8.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 22.4% White 16.3% Black or African American 51.2% Asian 9.6% American Indian 2.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 12.0% Two or more races 8.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Laurel compares to nearby Maryland cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Laurel (this city) 29,594 $94,063
Crofton 29,878 $147,250
Clarksburg 29,246 $178,641
Perry Hall 28,908 $104,709
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MD FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Laurel, MD?

What is the population of Laurel, MD? +

Laurel, MD counts 29,594 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Laurel, MD? +

In Laurel, the typical household earns $94,063 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Laurel? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Laurel; the closest available measure is the Maryland state average, a cost of living index of 105.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Maryland vary by metro area.

Is Laurel, MD safe? +

Laurel has a total crime rate of 5255.2 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Laurel, MD? +

The median home value in Laurel is $367,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Laurel? +

Laurel has an average annual temperature of 57.1°F, 47.5 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.