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Compare towns

Laurel vs Dumbarton

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: homeowners (+21.5 pts renters in Dumbarton) and kids under 18 (+9.1 pts in Laurel).

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Laurel, VAAn outdoors townVirginia · 18,721 people
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Dumbarton, VAOne of the healthiest townsVirginia · 7,997 people
Swap order
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.

LaurelAn outdoors town
Outdoors#31 most walkable in VA0.3 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 58%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Laurel →
DumbartonOne of the healthiest towns
Health58% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Outdoors#49 most walkable in VA0.2 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Dumbarton →
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.

Homeowners+21.5 pts renters
Dumbarton has more renters
Laurel 51.8%Dumbarton 30.3%
Kids under 18+9.1 pts
Laurel has more kids
Laurel 21%Dumbarton 11.9%
Age 65++6.9 pts
Dumbarton has more people 65 and up
Dumbarton 18.7%Laurel 11.8%
Size2.3×
Laurel is the bigger place
Laurel 18,721Dumbarton 7,997
Rent+14%
Rent runs higher in Laurel
Laurel $1,616Dumbarton $1,421
Property tax bill+17%
Tax bills are bigger in Laurel
Laurel $2,036Dumbarton $1,738
★ What stands out · Where they are

Laurel and Dumbarton share a border

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

LaurelDumbartonLaurelDumbarton
Laurel ↔ Dumbarton1.7 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
114 Dumbarton residents work in Laurel (3% of its workers)
Work & commute in Dumbarton →
Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

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

Schools
C+LaurelBetter than 39% of districts in the state –DumbartonNot graded
Health
BLaurelHealthier than 58% of U.S. towns C+DumbartonHealthier than 42% of U.S. towns
8Laurel
8Dumbarton

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

Most activeHealth · 255 towns #139#181 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 255 towns #189#225 HealthiestHealth · 254 towns #153#187 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 95 towns #81#69 Highest incomeIncome · 255 towns #181#213 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 255 towns #53#26 Lowest obesityHealth · 255 towns #126#152 Shortest commuteGetting around · 255 towns #85#64

Left end = #1 in Virginia. 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.

Laurel$1,660/mo
Typical home $284K (Census) · tax rate 0.72% · or rent about $1,616/mo · Housing →
Dumbarton$1,670/mo
Typical home $291K (Census) · tax rate 0.60% · or rent about $1,421/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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
LaurelDumbarton
Snow a year15″15″
January low27°F27°F
July high87°F87°F
Growing season (days)201d201d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)7th13th
Outdoors & history
LaurelDumbarton
Trails0 mi0 mi
Conserved land0.1%0.1%
Community
LaurelDumbarton
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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.

LaurelDumbarton
People
Population 18,721Highest 7,997Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.3%Lowest VA: +7.9% +8%Highest VA: +7.9%
Median age 35.1±1.8Lowest 10% below VA 37.1±3.7Highest 5% below VA
Dumbarton and Laurel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 21%±2.6Highest VA: 21.7% 11.9%±2.7Lowest VA: 21.7%
Age 65+ 11.8%±1.3Lowest VA: 16.7% 18.7%±4.2Highest VA: 16.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 29.8%Lowest VA: 42.2% 31%Highest VA: 42.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.9%±2.6Highest VA: 6.9% 4.6%±2Lowest VA: 6.9%
Laurel and Dumbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $73,609±$9kHighest 21% below VA $60,169±$9kLowest 35% below VA
Laurel and Dumbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $283,600±$9kLowest 26% below VA $291,300±$41kHighest 24% below VA
Dumbarton and Laurel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,616±$94Highest about the VA average $1,421±$67Lowest 10% below VA
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,036Highest 27% below VA $1,738Lowest 38% below VA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 57.2%±8.6Highest VA: 48.5% 52.2%±6.9Lowest VA: 48.5%
Laurel and Dumbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 8.4%Lowest VA: 9.9% 12.1%Highest VA: 9.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 51.8%Highest VA: 67.3% 30.3%Lowest VA: 67.3%
Typical home builtmedian year 1982Highest 2 yrs older than VA 1973Lowest 11 yrs older than VA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minHighest 12% below VA 23 minLowest 16% below VA
Work from home 15.7%±2.8Lowest VA: 18.3% 17.9%±4.6Highest VA: 18.3%
Dumbarton and Laurel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 3.6%Highest 2.3%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 8.3 miHighest 7.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.44Highest 1.41Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Richmond (20%)Richmond (20%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Dumbarton3% work in Laurel
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.1% 0.1%
Trailsmapped miles 0.3 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 mi 0.1 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 116Highest 100Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #181 of 219 in VA—
School district Department of Education State-Operated Educ Prgms · Henrico County Public Schools—
High school in town Hermitage High—
Students per teacherat that high school 16.7 —
Virginia 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.

Dumbarton neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Local Favorites in Dumbarton

1 neighbor in Dumbarton can answer.

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Bordering Laurel

L
+ Compare
Lakeside12,654 people · $288K homes
+ Compare
Glen Allen17,551 people · $357K homes

Towns like Laurel

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Culpeper20,794 people · $390K homes
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Winchester27,913 people · $343K homes
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Waynesboro22,841 people · $246K homes
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Front Royal15,296 people · $314K 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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