Signals
Laurel
Richmond
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 37%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Climate
75 · Top 28%
vs75 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 16%
vs82 · Top 21%
Housing affordability
71 · Bottom 36%
vs58 · Bottom 18%
Schools
21 · Bottom 12%
vs21 · Bottom 12%
Access
94 · Top 40%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
71 · Top 27%
vs52 · Bottom 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Laurel | Richmond | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,721 | 229,359 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,609 | $64,587 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,535 | $45,790 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,475/sq mi | 3,827/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $283,600 | $353,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,616 | $1,372 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.8% | 43.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.8% | 45.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 18.2% | 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 | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 52 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.64 | 12.69 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 36.2% | 26.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 51.1% | 36.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 83.4% | 90.4% | 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
Laurel
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Richmond
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Laurel, VA · Richmond, VA · How this is calculated: methodology