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Laurel vs Osprey

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+39.4 pts in Laurel) and home values (+57% in Osprey).

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Laurel, FLKnown for its schoolsFlorida · 11,741 people
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Osprey, FLKnown for its schoolsFlorida · 5,943 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

LaurelKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 86%of FL districts HealthHealthier than 71%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Outdoors#83 most trails in FL12 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves All about Laurel →
OspreyKnown for its schools
Schools#1 for schools in FLof 488 towns Housing$656K typical home75% above the FL typical home Outdoors#71 most conserved land in FL4.7 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves All about Osprey →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Growth since 2010+39.4 pts
Laurel has grown faster since 2010
Laurel +49.1%Osprey +9.7%
Home values+57%
Homes cost more in Osprey
Osprey $750,000Laurel $478,900
Property tax bill+52%
Tax bills are bigger in Osprey
Osprey $5,256Laurel $3,449
Trails2.5×
Laurel has more miles of trail
Laurel 11.6 miOsprey 4.7 mi
Bachelor’s degree++14.5 pts
More adults in Osprey have a degree
Osprey 56.7%Laurel 42.2%
Jobs per worker+89%
Osprey is more of a job hub
Osprey 0.83Laurel 0.44
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,020 more a month in Osprey

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.

Laurel$2,800/mo
Typical home $479K (Census) · tax rate 0.72% · or rent about $1,323/mo · Housing →
Osprey$3,820/mo
Typical home $656K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.70% · or rent about $2,196/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,020 a month, about $12,300 a year, between Osprey and Laurel.

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.

Where they are

Laurel and Osprey share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

LaurelOspreyLaurelOsprey
Laurel ↔ Osprey3.0 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
58 Laurel residents work in Osprey (1.3% of its workers)
Work & commute in Laurel →
Report cards

Osprey places higher on 10 of 19 FL lists

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

Schools
ALaurelBetter than 86% of districts in the state AOspreyBetter than 86% of districts in the state
Health
B+LaurelHealthier than 71% of U.S. towns A−OspreyHealthier than 77% of U.S. towns
7Laurel
10Osprey

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Cheapest rentCost of living · 626 towns #173#557 Fastest growingGrowth · 614 towns #44#319 Most walkableOutdoors · 635 towns #283#416 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 635 towns #58#173 Most educatedPeople · 635 towns #166#54 Lowest property taxCost of living · 626 towns #463#570 Most affordableCost of living · 630 towns #493#600 Most conserved landOutdoors · 578 towns #150#71

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

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
LaurelOsprey
Snow a year0″0″
January low52°F52°F
July high92°F92°F
Growing season (days)365d365d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)88th86th
Outdoors & history
LaurelOsprey
Trails12 mi5 mi
Conserved land7.3%13.6%
National Register places13
Archive photos—8
Community
LaurelOsprey
Library hours a week—31 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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.

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.

LaurelOsprey
People
Population 11,741Highest 5,943Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +49.1%Highest FL: +14.6% +9.7%Lowest FL: +14.6%
Median age 63.7±1.4Lowest 50% above FL 64.5±1.6Highest 51% above FL
Osprey and Laurel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 10.2%±2.7 FL: 19.5% 10.2%±2.9 FL: 19.5%
Age 65+ 46.8%±2.3Lowest FL: 21.3% 48.4%±4.5Highest FL: 21.3%
Osprey and Laurel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 42.2%Lowest FL: 34.1% 56.7%Highest FL: 34.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.3%±1.2Lowest FL: 6.1% 3.5%±2.1Highest FL: 6.1%
Osprey and Laurel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $92,340±$9kLowest 24% above FL $103,516±$8kHighest 39% above FL
Osprey and Laurel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $478,900±$31kLowest 33% above FL $750,000±$61kHighest 109% above FL
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,323±$350Lowest 21% below FL $2,196±$902Highest 32% above FL
Osprey and Laurel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,449Lowest 26% above FL $5,256Highest 93% above FL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 47.5%±33.7Lowest FL: 60.1% 56.4%±12.4Highest FL: 60.1%
Osprey and Laurel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 5.6%Lowest FL: 12.6% 8.1%Highest FL: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 91.4%Highest FL: 67.6% 86.6%Lowest FL: 67.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1983Lowest 5 yrs older than FL 1998Highest 10 yrs newer than FL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minHighest 11% below FL 23 minLowest 17% below FL
Work from home 23.7%±5.8Lowest FL: 15.7% 27.2%±5.4Highest FL: 15.7%
Osprey and Laurel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 6.3%Lowest 8.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 13.8 miHighest 11.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.44Lowest 0.83Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Sarasota (12%)Sarasota (15%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 1% work in OspreyFew work in Laurel
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 7.3%Lowest 13.6%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 11.6 miHighest 4.7 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.1 miHighest 0.8 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Lowest 3Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 81.3Highest 56.8Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#1 of 488 in FL
Florida 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.

Laurel neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Laurel’s Town Square.

Osprey neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Osprey’s Town Square.

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Bordering Laurel

N
+ Compare
Nokomis3,452 people · $232K homes
+ Compare
Venice27,479 people · $435K homes

Towns like Laurel

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Fort Myers Beach5,513 people · $642K homes
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Punta Gorda20,278 people · $518K homes
M
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Marco Island16,205 people · $896K homes
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Wildwood17,608 people · $452K 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.

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