Manassas Park receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Laurel
Manassas Park
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 37%
vs54 · Bottom 44%
Growth
33 · Bottom 22%
vs39 · Bottom 31%
Climate
73 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 31%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 29%
vs68 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
81 · Top 50%
vs75 · Bottom 41%
Access
96 · Top 33%
vs95 · Top 34%
Economic stability
74 · Top 19%
vs78 · Top 10%
Measured values
| Metric | Laurel | Manassas Park | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,798 | 16,798 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $100,504 | $103,250 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,886 | $44,563 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,261/sq mi | 5,537/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $385,500 | $395,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,873 | $2,146 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.2% | 66.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.0% | -3.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.7% | 26.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.0% | 5.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 64 | 73 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 4.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -23.8% | -37.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.0" | 43.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.1 min | 39.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.3 | 36.5 | 2024 ACS 5-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.
Your best match
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Laurel
66
Your Score
62
Area Score
Manassas Park
69
Your Score
64
Area Score
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Full profiles: Laurel, MD · Manassas Park, VA · How this is calculated: methodology