Signals
Laurel
Petersburg
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 37%
vs25 · Bottom 3%
Climate
75 · Top 28%
vs75 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 16%
vs59 · Top 49%
Housing affordability
71 · Bottom 36%
vs69 · Bottom 33%
Schools
21 · Bottom 12%
vs18 · Bottom 9%
Access
94 · Top 40%
vs87 · Bottom 35%
Economic stability
71 · Top 27%
vs37 · Bottom 13%
Measured values
| Metric | Laurel | Petersburg | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,721 | 33,537 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,609 | $50,698 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,535 | $29,418 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,475/sq mi | 1,476/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $283,600 | $189,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,616 | $1,174 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.8% | 38.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 5.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.8% | 25.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 21.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 89°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 29°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.8" | 45.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 26.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 35.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.64 | 14.40 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 36.2% | 30.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 51.1% | 41.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 83.4% | 87.1% | 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
Laurel
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Petersburg
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake.
Your best match
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Laurel
67
Your Score
—
Area Score
Petersburg
52
Your Score
49
Area Score
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Full profiles: Laurel, VA · Petersburg, VA · How this is calculated: methodology