Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Maryland ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety

–FairlandNot graded DLaurelSafer than 6% of U.S. towns

Schools

B+FairlandBetter than 72% of districts in the state DLaurelBetter than 8% of districts in the state

Health

A−FairlandHealthier than 81% of U.S. towns B+LaurelHealthier than 67% of U.S. towns

12Fairland

9Laurel

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 92 towns #79#16 Most conserved landOutdoors · 260 towns #40#210 Lowest obesityHealth · 262 towns #63#181 Highest graduation rateSchools · 258 towns #88#192 Fastest growingGrowth · 250 towns #125#37 Most walkableOutdoors · 261 towns #100#22 Shortest commuteGetting around · 262 towns #191#119 Most affordableCost of living · 259 towns #170#100

Left end = #1 in Maryland. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Fairland’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Fairland$2,840/mo

Typical home $477K (Census) · tax rate 0.85% · or rent about $1,894/mo · Housing →

Laurel$2,950/mo

Typical home $473K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.18% · or rent about $1,873/mo · Housing →

The difference: $110 a month, about $1,300 a year, between Laurel and Fairland.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

FairlandLaurel

Snow a year16″16″

January low25°F 25°F

July high87°F 87°F

Growing season (days)202d 202d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)4th 1st

Outdoors & history

FairlandLaurel

Trails9 mi 6 mi

Conserved land18.3%3.5%

Settled—1870

National Register places—3

Archive photos—12

Famous people born here—28

Community

FairlandLaurel

Library hours a week—48 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 1

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

5 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

FairlandLaurel

Fairland ↔ Laurel5.0 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Maryland average

FairlandLaurel

People

Population 26,231Lowest 29,798Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +7.2%Lowest MD: +7% +19.7%Highest MD: +7%

Median age 38.5±1.7Highest about the MD average 36.3±1.1Lowest 8% below MD

Fairland and Laurel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 23%±2.3Highest MD: 22.2% 21.2%±2.6Lowest MD: 22.2%

Fairland and Laurel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 13.6%±1.6Highest MD: 16.7% 11.5%±1.7Lowest MD: 16.7%

Fairland and Laurel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 46.4%Lowest MD: 43.4% 47.7%Highest MD: 43.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 8.3%±1.7 MD: 6.9% 8.3%±1.4 MD: 6.9%

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $98,800±$10kLowest 5% below MD $100,504±$8kHighest 3% below MD

Laurel and Fairland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $477,300±$54kHighest 14% above MD $385,500±$18kLowest 8% below MD

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,894±$66Highest 11% above MD $1,873±$53Lowest 10% above MD

Fairland and Laurel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $4,039Lowest about the MD average $4,549Highest 11% above MD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 60.6%±7.7Highest MD: 51.5% 45%±7.4Lowest MD: 51.5%

Below poverty line 10.4%Highest MD: 9.4% 9%Lowest MD: 9.4%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 46%Highest MD: 67.6% 44.2%Lowest MD: 67.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1985 6 yrs newer than MD 1985 6 yrs newer than MD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 35 minHighest 13% above MD 31 minLowest about the MD average

Work from home 17.5%±3.9Highest MD: 19.3% 17.1%±3.2Lowest MD: 19.3%

Fairland and Laurel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 2.3%Lowest 4.6%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.8 miLowest 13.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.41Lowest 0.83Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Washington (18%)Washington (16%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in LaurelFew work in Fairland

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 18.3%Highest 3.5%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 8.7 miHighest 5.8 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.7 miHighest 1.2 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 14Highest 12Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 76.2Lowest 135Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #81 of 235 in MD #136 of 235 in MD

School district Montgomery County Public SchoolsPrince George's County Public Schools

High school in town Paint Branch HighLaurel High

Students per teacherat that high school 15.6Lowest 18.5Highest

Maryland average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Fairland neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Fairland’s Town Square.

Laurel neighborsTown Square →

T Weaver · 4d

Laurel's Ordinary Days

1 neighbor in Laurel can answer.

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Set another town beside Fairland and Laurel

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Bordering Fairland

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Burtonsville10,203 people · $489K homes

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Colesville14,519 people · $617K homes

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Calverton17,624 people · $477K homes

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Cloverly16,646 people · $665K homes

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Takoma Park17,632 people · $749K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Fairland vs Laurel

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Fairland places higher on 12 of 21 MD lists

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

5 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Laurel's Ordinary Days

Set another town beside Fairland and Laurel

Bordering Fairland

Towns like Fairland

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