Signals
Highland Springs
Laurel
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 23%
vs50 · Bottom 37%
Climate
75 · Top 28%
vs75 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 16%
vs85 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 34%
vs71 · Bottom 36%
Schools
11 · Bottom 2%
vs21 · Bottom 12%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs94 · Top 40%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 27%
vs71 · Top 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Highland Springs | Laurel | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,296 | 18,721 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,599 | $73,609 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,401 | $38,535 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,793/sq mi | 3,475/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $227,300 | $283,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,269 | $1,616 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.3% | 51.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.0% | 29.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.0% | 8.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 90°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 29°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.5" | 45.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 3 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.8 min | 24.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 35.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.15 | 16.64 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 10.4% | 36.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 26.4% | 51.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 87.3% | 83.4% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Highland Springs
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Laurel
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
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Highland Springs
61
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Area Score
Laurel
67
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Highland Springs, VA · Laurel, VA · How this is calculated: methodology