How Laurel compares across Maryland
Laurel is ranked on 37 lists against the 262 Maryland towns with 2,500+ residents. It makes the top 10 on 0 and the top quarter on 4.
Fewer homes per newcomer than 100% of Maryland
Not better or worse, just Laurel’s character, from the lists where neither end is the “good” one. The most distinctive come first.
The lists Laurel does best on
Each list ranks every MD town with 2,500+ residents. Tap one to see the whole list with Laurel marked.
Laurel lands in the top half on 10 of 23 lists
Each dot is Laurel’s spot on one list: the left end is #1 in MD, the right end is last. Areas where Laurel does best come first.
2 spots from the top 10 for new homes
Lists where Laurel sits just outside a milestone, and what it would take to get in.
Laurel out-ranks 3 of its 5 ranked neighbors
Head to head on the lists where both towns are ranked: a point for each list where one town places higher. Tap a town for its own rankings.
Every MD list, and where Laurel lands
38 lists from Census, school, health, library, crime, climate and land data. Tap any list to see every town on it.
Outdoors
Most conserved land#1 Forest Heights · 49.9%
#210
Most trails#1 Hampton · 7.0 mi / sq mi
#55
Most walkable#1 Mount Rainier · 228 / sq mi
#22 Health
Healthiest#1 Bethesda · 100 / 100
#151
Lowest obesity#1 Travilah · 19%
#181
Fewest smokers#1 Chevy Chase · 5%
#98
Most active#1 Chevy Chase · 12%
#159
Fewest uninsured#1 Chevy Chase · 4%
#207
K
Lowest depression#1 Konterra · 13%
#47
Closest to a top hospital#1 Towson · 0.5 mi
#180 Cost of living
Most affordable#1 Cumberland · 1.2 yrs
#100
Cheapest rent#1 Emmitsburg · $635/mo
#142
C
Lowest property tax#1 Cresaptown · $1,360/yr
#156
Rent easiest to afford#1 Mays Chapel · 27.2%
#16 Housing
Vacation-home towns#1 Ocean City · 83.1%
#65
Most new homes#1 Delmar · 19.9 per 1,000
#12
Fastest-rising home prices#1 Snow Hill · +74.8%
#89
Housing hasn't kept up#1 Laurel · 21.9 per home
#1 People
Most educated#1 Chevy Chase · 95.2%
#93
Youngest#1 Naval Academy · 21.0
#60
Oldest#1 Leisure World · 76.0
#202
Most residents 65+#1 Leisure World · 77.4%
#220
A
Most kids#1 Andrews AFB · 36.5%
#175 Getting around
Shortest commute#1 Naval Academy · 7.2 min
#119 
Safety
Safest#1 Frostburg · 3.3
#41 
The number on the right is Laurel’s spot. All of Maryland’s rankings, with the map → · National lists and other states: all rankings.
Do the numbers ring true?
The lists count what can be counted. Neighbors know the rest.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
- 2,500+ residents. Census estimates for smaller towns carry margins of error too wide to rank fairly, so they sit out every MD list.
- One town, one row. A city that is both a city and a town in Census data, or a village inside a town, is counted once.
- Ties share a rank. Towns on one weather station, one school district or one CDC estimate share a figure, so they share a spot (T).
- No “worst” lists. Lists rank toward the good end, and share cards are made only for the top half. Age, snow and the like are character, not grades.
U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, 2010 and 2020 censuses, Building Permits Survey), U.S. Department of Education, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, CDC PLACES, Medicare Care Compare, IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FHFA House Price Index, NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. Each list explains its own method.