Signals
South Laurel
Waldorf
Climate
73 · Top 36%
vs72 · Top 42%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 29%
vs91 · Top 10%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 22%
vs88 · Top 36%
Schools
20 · Bottom 11%
vs23 · Bottom 14%
Access
95 · Top 34%
vs79 · Bottom 21%
Economic stability
69 · Top 31%
vs77 · Top 13%
Measured values
| Metric | South Laurel | Waldorf | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,272 | 82,943 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $88,933 | $116,089 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,070 | $48,929 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,626/sq mi | 2,289/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $458,100 | $407,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,830 | $1,995 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 40.7% | 74.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.2% | 34.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.8% | 7.7% | 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 | 37 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.5 min | 44.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.2 | 36.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.44 | 15.01 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 3.3% | 5.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 13.6% | 13.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 92.7% | 56.9% | 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
South Laurel
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Waldorf
Elevated or high exposure: drought.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
South Laurel
66
Your Score
—
Area Score
Waldorf
72
Your Score
—
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: South Laurel, MD · Waldorf, MD · How this is calculated: methodology