Frederick receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Laurel
Frederick
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 37%
vs64 · Top 33%
Growth
33 · Bottom 22%
vs54 · Top 44%
Climate
73 · Top 36%
vs71 · Top 49%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 29%
vs89 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
81 · Top 50%
vs78 · Bottom 47%
Schools
45 · Bottom 42%
vs58 · Top 41%
Access
96 · Top 33%
vs82 · Bottom 24%
Economic stability
74 · Top 19%
vs70 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Laurel | Frederick | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,798 | 83,395 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $100,504 | $97,069 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,886 | $49,823 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,261/sq mi | 3,480/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $385,500 | $401,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,873 | $1,764 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.2% | 58.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.0% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.7% | 43.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.0% | 9.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 64 | 513 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 6.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -23.8% | -56.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.0" | 35.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.1 min | 32.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.3 | 37.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.26 | 15.43 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 10.9% | 16.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 22.4% | 24.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 76.2% | 51.0% | 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.
Full profiles: Laurel, MD · Frederick, MD · How this is calculated: methodology