Signals
Punta Gorda
Laurel
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 36%
vs61 · Top 39%
Climate
80 · Top 18%
vs81 · Top 14%
Physical resilience
4 · Bottom 1%
vs6 · Bottom 2%
Housing affordability
68 · Bottom 30%
vs76 · Bottom 43%
Access
85 · Bottom 30%
vs94 · Top 42%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 7%
vs42 · Bottom 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Punta Gorda | Laurel | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,278 | 11,741 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,779 | $92,340 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $58,036 | $61,451 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,313/sq mi | 1,293/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $518,100 | $478,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,410 | $1,323 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.7% | 91.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.7% | 42.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 5.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 93°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 51°F | 52°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.0" | 49.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 31 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.5 min | 25.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 66.3 | 63.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 1 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.83 | 14.42 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 38.8% | 36.1% | 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
Punta Gorda
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Laurel
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
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Punta Gorda
54
Your Score
51
Area Score
Laurel
60
Your Score
—
Area Score
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Full profiles: Punta Gorda, FL · Laurel, FL · How this is calculated: methodology