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

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

Schools

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

Health

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

9Laurel

12Fairland

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

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

Left end = #1 in Maryland. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Laurel’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%

Laurel$2,950/mo

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

Fairland$2,840/mo

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

LaurelFairland

Snow a year16″16″

January low25°F 25°F

July high87°F 87°F

Growing season (days)202d 202d

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

Outdoors & history

LaurelFairland

Trails6 mi 9 mi

Conserved land3.5%18.3%

Settled1870 —

National Register places3 —

Archive photos12 —

Famous people born here28 —

Community

LaurelFairland

Library hours a week48 hrs —

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined1 0

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.

LaurelFairland

Laurel ↔ Fairland5.0 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

LaurelFairland

People

Population 29,798Highest 26,231Lowest

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

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

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

Kids under 18 21.2%±2.6Lowest MD: 22.2% 23%±2.3Highest 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+ 11.5%±1.7Lowest MD: 16.7% 13.6%±1.6Highest 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+ 47.7%Highest MD: 43.4% 46.4%Lowest MD: 43.4%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $100,504±$8kHighest 3% below MD $98,800±$10kLowest 5% 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 $385,500±$18kLowest 8% below MD $477,300±$54kHighest 14% above MD

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,873±$53Lowest 10% above MD $1,894±$66Highest 11% 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 $4,549Highest 11% above MD $4,039Lowest about the MD average

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

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

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 44.2%Lowest MD: 67.6% 46%Highest 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 31 minLowest about the MD average 35 minHighest 13% above MD

Work from home 17.1%±3.2Lowest MD: 19.3% 17.5%±3.9Highest 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 4.6%Highest 2.3%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 13.8 miHighest 11.8 miLowest

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

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

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in FairlandFew work in Laurel

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 3.5%Lowest 18.3%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 5.8 miLowest 8.7 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.2 miLowest 1.7 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 12Lowest 14Highest

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

Schools

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

School district Prince George's County Public SchoolsMontgomery County Public Schools

High school in town Laurel HighPaint Branch High

Students per teacherat that high school 18.5Highest 15.6Lowest

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.

Laurel neighborsTown Square →

T Weaver · 4d

Laurel's Ordinary Days

1 neighbor in Laurel can answer.

Fairland neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Fairland’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Laurel and Fairland

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Laurel

+ Compare

Maryland City19,186 people · $425K homes

+ Compare

Konterra3,641 people · $460K homes

+ Compare

South Laurel29,272 people · $458K homes

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North Laurel25,563 people · $450K homes

Towns like Laurel

+ Compare

Hyattsville20,966 people · $482K homes

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Greenbelt24,678 people · $255K homes

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Gaithersburg69,825 people · $497K homes

+ Compare

Westminster20,445 people · $338K 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.

Laurel vs Fairland

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 Laurel and Fairland

Bordering Laurel

Towns like Laurel

Post to Laurel

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