City profile · Maryland · Census ACS 2023

South Laurel, MD

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

27,736
Residents
$90,715
Median income
$443,100
Median home
$1,857
Median rent (state)

South Laurel - the verdict

Nationally, South Laurel sits in the 71st percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

71st
percentile, household income
81st
percentile, home value
78th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: South Laurel, MD

Maryland's South Laurel is a small city, with 27,736 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in South Laurel brings in $90,715 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.9%. Typical homes in South Laurel are valued around $443,100, and the median resident age is 36.1 years. About 41.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 68.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

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. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Maryland run around $255, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. The average commute for South Laurel workers runs 28.5 minutes, with 69.8% driving alone and 11.9% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 72.4 out of 100 (High).

Population

27,736 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Maryland

Median Household Income

$90,715 /yr

Poverty 8.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Maryland average

How does South Laurel compare to other US cities?

South Laurel measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 71% higher than other cities
Home value 81% pricier than other cities
Median rent 78% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares South Laurel against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Maryland only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Maryland-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places South Laurel toward the top of Maryland's cities

Among the 479 Maryland cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, South Laurel ranks #103 - the 78th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares South Laurel only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#265 of 445
40th percentile in Maryland
Median Gross Rent
#180 of 479
38th percentile in Maryland
Median Home Value
#149 of 450
67th percentile in Maryland
Poverty Rate
#103 of 479
78th percentile in Maryland
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#181 of 479
62nd percentile in Maryland

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Maryland only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

71stIncome percentile

71st percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How South Laurel's home value compares nationally

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

$443,100 19th percentile more affordable than 19% 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%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $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. South 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 - South Laurel, MD South Laurel, MD's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not South 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 South Laurel, MD median $90,715/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%
South 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 South Laurel, MD. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 41.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 68.9%

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

Population
27,736
Median Income
$90,715
Median Home Value
$443,100
Median Age
36.1
Poverty Rate
8.9%
Labor force participation
68.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
41.2%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
28.5 minutes
Drive Alone
69.8%
Carpool
7.4%
Public Transit
5.8%
Walk
0.8%
Work from Home
11.9%
Other
4.3%

Based on 14,830 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 South 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

Reisterstown
27,764 people
Lochearn
27,591 people
Ilchester
27,552 people
Carney
28,624 people
Perry Hall
28,908 people
Clarksburg
29,246 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to South Laurel's 27,736 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

East Haven, CT
27,729 people
Tualatin, OR
27,710 people
Alvin, TX
27,700 people
McHenry, IL
27,774 people
Homewood, AL
27,697 people
Madison, MS
27,775 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to South Laurel's $90,715 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

New Munich, MN
$90,714 median income
Lakeville, NY
$90,716 median income
Slabtown, PA
$90,714 median income
San Ysidro, NM
$90,724 median income
Gillette, WY
$90,699 median income
Olga, FL
$90,733 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - South 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 South Laurel, MD - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 14.1% 59.2% 13.4% 7.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 19.6% White 14.1% Black or African American 59.2% Asian 5.7% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 13.4% Two or more races 7.2% 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 South 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
South Laurel (this city) 27,736 $90,715
Reisterstown 27,764 $79,812
Lochearn 27,591 $76,256
Ilchester 27,552 $150,783
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about South Laurel, MD?

What is the population of South Laurel, MD? +

South Laurel, MD has a population of 27,736 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in South Laurel is $90,715 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in South Laurel? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for South 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.

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

Homes in South Laurel carry a median value of $443,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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

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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.