Signals
Petersburg
Laurel
Opportunity
25 · Bottom 3%
vs50 · Bottom 37%
Climate
75 · Top 28%
vs75 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
59 · Top 49%
vs85 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 33%
vs71 · Bottom 36%
Schools
18 · Bottom 9%
vs21 · Bottom 12%
Access
87 · Bottom 35%
vs94 · Top 40%
Economic stability
37 · Bottom 13%
vs71 · Top 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Petersburg | Laurel | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 33,537 | 18,721 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $50,698 | $73,609 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,418 | $38,535 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,476/sq mi | 3,475/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $189,000 | $283,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,174 | $1,616 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 38.6% | 51.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.4% | 29.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.7% | 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 | 21 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 24.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.8 | 35.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.40 | 16.64 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 30.5% | 36.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 41.2% | 51.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 87.1% | 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
Petersburg
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake.
Laurel
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Petersburg
52
Your Score
49
Area Score
Laurel
67
Your Score
—
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Petersburg, VA · Laurel, VA · How this is calculated: methodology