Signals
South Laurel
Bethesda
Climate
73 · Top 36%
vs72 · Top 42%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 29%
vs85 · Top 17%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 22%
vs71 · Bottom 36%
Schools
20 · Bottom 11%
vs86 · Top 7%
Access
95 · Top 34%
vs91 · Bottom 48%
Economic stability
69 · Top 31%
vs74 · Top 19%
Measured values
| Metric | South Laurel | Bethesda | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,272 | 69,397 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $88,933 | $192,237 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,070 | $120,363 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,626/sq mi | 5,233/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $458,100 | $1,169,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,830 | $2,469 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 40.7% | 64.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.2% | 87.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.8% | 4.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 89°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.0" | 41.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.5 min | 30.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.2 | 42.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.44 | 16.97 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 3.3% | 41.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 13.6% | 59.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 92.7% | 14.4% | 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.
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South Laurel
66
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Area Score
Bethesda
80
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Area Score
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Full profiles: South Laurel, MD · Bethesda, MD · How this is calculated: methodology