West Laurel, MD Area Profile

West Laurel, Maryland Area, MD

Cost of Living

A quick read on everyday affordability around West Laurel, with the main cost drivers separated for scanning.

Composite Index

95.8

Grocery Index

9.1

Housing Index

8.6

Transportation Index

7.2

Cost of living summary
Metric	Value
Composite cost index	95.8
Grocery index	9.1
Housing index	8.6
Transportation index	7.2

What to Watch

The first pass on West Laurel should separate fixed housing costs from bills that move month to month.
Home values are elevated enough that taxes and financing terms can move the total cost.
Use Burtonsville, MD as a same-state comparison point before treating one MD value as typical.

View Maryland cost of living report

Utilities

Monthly utility patterns and baseline household costs for power, water, gas, and fuel.

Electric Rate Consumption

Monthly electric index
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
22	28	34	45	62	74	48	56	67	82	61	57

Water Consumption

Monthly water index
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
66	48	44	36	30	26	34	37	33	55	49	58

Gas Rate (CCF)

Monthly gas index
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
28	36	43	52	61	47	55	63	49	45	52	57

Everyday utility costs
Metric	Value
Electricity rate	$0.359/kWh
Gasoline price	$3.28/gal
Water bill avg	$48/mo
Gas rate	$1.18/CCF

View Maryland utilities report

Demographics

Population, age mix, education, and income context for understanding the local community.

Population Age Pyramid

Age mix index
Age band	Male	Female
0-9	68	64
10-19	75	71
20-34	83	78
35-49	92	90
50-64	100	97
65-74	84	88
75+	72	79

Income Distribution

Income bracket index
Bracket	Index
Under $35k	72
$35k-$49k	88
$50k-$74k	100
$75k-$99k	79
$100k+	52

Annual Income Distribution

Median household$63,200

Per capita$33,900

Poverty rate9.8%

Community snapshot
Measure	Estimate
Population	4,231
Median age	41.5
Bachelor+	46.8%

Schools

School performance and classroom context in a compact local snapshot.

Test Score Trends

Test score trend
2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
42	48	51	57	59	64

Grocery Index

9.1

Housing Index

8.6

Transportation Index

7.2

Utility Index

7.9

School snapshot
Indicator	Value
Math proficiency	53%
Reading proficiency	58%
Student-teacher ratio	14:1

Helpful Context

School comparisons around West Laurel are most useful when paired with district boundaries and commute patterns.
A single score rarely explains the full school picture for West Laurel; program fit and attendance zones matter too.
Nearby city pages can help separate West Laurel-specific signals from broader Maryland patterns.

Local Economy

A simple labor-market snapshot showing local job mix, wages, and workforce size.

Industry Job Types

Manufacturing31%

Agriculture26%

Healthcare19%

Retail14%

Other Services10%

Industry job mix
Industry	Share	Index
Manufacturing	31%	74
Agriculture	26%	64
Healthcare	19%	52
Retail	14%	39
Other Services	10%	31

Local economy snapshot
Metric	Value
Unemployment	4.4%
Median wage	$160,692
Labor force	264

Climate

Winter avg: 15 degrees F - Summer avg: 82 degrees F - Snowfall: 43 in

Local Takeaways

Household income runs high enough that housing choice can dominate affordability in West Laurel.
The median household income value is $160,692 when ACS data is available for this place.
Use the economy card with housing and taxes to judge whether West Laurel works for a specific household budget.

Real Estate

Home values, property taxes, and rental context in one housing-focused snapshot.

Median Home Value Trend

Median home value trend
2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
$154k	$161k	$172k	$181k	$186k	$189k

Property Tax Breakdown

County levy: 42%
School district: 34%
City/other: 24%

Housing and tax snapshot
Indicator	Value
Median home value	$487,200
Median property tax paid	$6,046
Estimated state sales tax rate	7.39%
Rent (2-bed)	$975/mo

View Maryland property tax report

Climate

A compact view of weather patterns and natural-risk context for the area.

Precipitation

31.5 in/year

Water Stress Index

Low

Avg High (Jul)82°F

Avg Low (Jan)8°F

Humidity72%

Climate Snapshot

Reference

Now--

Condition--

Wind--

Today--

Climate context is provided for planning and comparison.

Climate snapshot
Measure	Value
Sunny days	196
Annual snowfall	43 in
NOAA hazard risk score	Moderate

Planning Notes

For West Laurel, weather risk is best read with insurance, roof age, drainage, and commute routes together.
Utility planning matters because electricity is a high-cost line item for households that use a lot of cooling or appliances.
Compare climate and insurance sections together before using West Laurel as a relocation shortlist.

Insurance

Location-based risk and cost pressure signals that can affect insurance pricing.

Risk IndexModerate

Weather RiskMedium

Cost PressureLow

Insurance summary
Indicator	Estimate
Insurance cost index	95
NOAA hazard risk score	Moderate
Primary local risk	Winter weather

What Affects Rates

Median property tax paid is $6,046, so taxes should be checked with insurance and mortgage assumptions.
Local claims history, coverage limits, deductibles, and property condition can outweigh broad MD averages.
Compare with Burtonsville, MD for a broader read on Maryland insurance pressure.

View Maryland insurance report

West Laurel Facts

Fast factual reference points for West Laurel, combining available ACS, EIA, and BLS signals.

West Laurel, MD facts
Fact	Value	Source context
Population	4,231	ACS place estimate
Median household income	$160,692	ACS household estimate
Median home value	$487,200	ACS housing estimate
Median age	41.5	ACS demographic estimate
Bachelor+ share	46.8%	ACS education estimate
Residential electric rate	$0.359/kWh	EIA state residential rate

Helpful Context

West Laurel is treated as a small-town profile in this dashboard.
City-specific ACS values are used when the place matches; state-level API values fill statewide measures.
Use these facts as a fast MD screen before checking address-level records or provider quotes.

West Laurel Local Data Brief

This section is generated from cached city metrics and clearly labeled state-level benchmarks. It is meant to make the West Laurel page less generic and more useful for comparing housing, income, utilities, taxes, insurance, demographics, and nearby alternatives.

West Laurel, MD local metrics and source context
Metric	Value	How to read it
Population	4,231	West Laurel is treated as a small-town place for comparison.
Median household income	$160,692	Household income runs high enough that housing choice can dominate affordability.
Median home value	$487,200	Home values are elevated enough that taxes and financing terms can move the total cost.
Median property tax paid	$6,046	Property tax should be read with mortgage, insurance, and home value.
Residential electric rate	$0.359/kWh	This is a state-level EIA benchmark, not a city utility quote.
Unemployment	4.4%	This is a state-level BLS labor-market benchmark.
Median age	41.5	Age mix can affect housing demand, commute needs, and school planning.
Bachelor+ share	46.8%	Education mix can help frame labor-market and school-context questions.

Affordability Summary

Population is 4,231, so West Laurel should be compared with similar-size places before using broader Maryland averages. Median household income is $160,692, so the best affordability read for West Laurel is income versus housing, taxes, utilities, and insurance together.

Median home value is $487,200, so ownership costs in West Laurel should be checked with mortgage, property tax, insurance, and maintenance assumptions. Two-bedroom rent is not available in the current cache, so renters can compare West Laurel against ownership costs and nearby rental markets.

Housing and Income Context

For West Laurel, household income runs high enough that housing choice can dominate affordability. Home values are elevated enough that taxes and financing terms can move the total cost.

Use the home value, rent, and income fields together before deciding whether West Laurel looks more favorable for renting, buying, or comparing with Burtonsville, MD.

Utility Cost Context

The residential electricity benchmark is $0.359/kWh, so West Laurel households should treat usage, home size, heating, and cooling as the practical bill drivers. The electricity value shown for West Laurel is a Maryland state-level EIA benchmark, so it should not be read as a local provider tariff.

For West Laurel, utility planning is stronger when the electric benchmark is paired with home age, square footage, insulation, HVAC equipment, and household occupancy.

Property Tax Context

Median property tax paid is $6,046, so West Laurel buyers should still verify parcel-specific tax records before budgeting. Parcel boundaries, exemptions, school districts, and reassessment rules can move the actual bill for a West Laurel address.

Compare the property tax field with home value rather than reading it by itself; a lower tax bill can still pair with a different assessment base or exemption profile.

Insurance and Risk Context

Insurance costs in West Laurel depend on address-level factors such as roof condition, structure age, coverage limits, claims history, deductible choice, and carrier underwriting.

Home value, tax burden, and insurance exposure should be reviewed together for West Laurel, especially when comparing with Burtonsville, MD.

Population and Demographics

Median age is 41.5, so West Laurel may have different school, commute, healthcare, and housing demand patterns than a statewide average. Bachelor+ share is 46.8%, so West Laurel education context can be useful when reading labor-market and school sections.

Unemployment is 4.4%, so West Laurel wage and job-market context should be compared with commute options and regional employment centers.

Nearby Maryland comparison pages
Place	Population	Home value	Electric benchmark
Scaggsville, MD	10,441	$630k	$0.359/kWh
Laurel, MD	29,594	$367k	$0.359/kWh
Burtonsville, MD	10,063	$482k	$0.359/kWh
North Laurel, MD	25,201	$443k	$0.359/kWh

Source Notes

City-specific Census ACS values are used when a matching place row exists in the cached city metrics file.
Electricity and unemployment fields are state-level EIA and BLS benchmarks, so they are labeled as planning context rather than city quotes.
The page should be used as a comparison screen before checking provider rates, parcel records, insurance quotes, school boundaries, and address-level details for West Laurel.

West Laurel Cost Drill-Down

This dashboard keeps the fast local overview on one page, while the linked category reports go deeper into one decision at a time. For West Laurel, the strongest local signals in the current cache are population 4,231, median household income $160,692, median home value $487,200, rent --, property tax paid $6,046, and the Maryland residential electric benchmark $0.359/kWh.

West Laurel category drill-down links and metric context
Category	Primary value	Second value	Why it matters here
Cost of living	$160,692	$487,200	West Laurel affordability is mostly a housing-versus-income read: household income runs high enough that housing choice can dominate affordability and home values are elevated enough that taxes and financing terms can move the total cost.
Utility costs	$0.359/kWh	--	West Laurel utility planning should pair the Maryland electric benchmark with home size, cooling load, appliance use, and occupancy.
Property taxes	$6,046	$487k	West Laurel tax planning should compare the tax-paid field with home value, exemptions, assessment rules, and parcel-level records.
Insurance costs	41.5	46.8%	West Laurel insurance context should be read with housing age, replacement cost, roof condition, claim history, and nearby risk patterns.

Budget Fit

West Laurel should be read as a small-town place where income, home value, rent, taxes, utilities, and insurance need to be checked together. Household income runs high enough that housing choice can dominate affordability, and home values are elevated enough that taxes and financing terms can move the total cost.

Monthly Bills

The electricity value on this page is a Maryland state-level EIA benchmark, not a city utility tariff. For West Laurel, that benchmark becomes useful when paired with home square footage, cooling load, HVAC age, insulation, and household usage.

Ownership Costs

Median property tax paid is $6,046 and median home value is $487,200. That makes the ownership read stronger than a single price estimate because taxes, insurance, maintenance, and financing terms can move the real monthly cost.

Comparison Angle

Use Burtonsville, MD as a local comparison before using a broad MD average. The nearby table below keeps the comparison tied to home value, taxes, and electric benchmarks instead of alphabetical city links.

Labor and Demographics

Unemployment is 4.4%, median age is 41.5, and bachelor-plus share is 46.8%. These fields help frame school demand, commute patterns, wage fit, and service-provider availability around West Laurel.

Source Discipline

City-specific ACS values are used where the place matches the cache. State-level EIA and BLS fields are labeled as benchmarks, so this page does not pretend those values are address-level or city-utility quotes.

Nearby comparison context for West Laurel
Place	Distance	Home value	Property tax	Electric benchmark
Scaggsville, MD	2 mi	$630k	$7,829	$0.359/kWh
Laurel, MD	2 mi	$367k	$4,544	$0.359/kWh
Burtonsville, MD	2 mi	$482k	$4,436	$0.359/kWh
North Laurel, MD	3 mi	$443k	$5,333	$0.359/kWh
Fulton, MD	3 mi	$848k	$9,288	$0.359/kWh

Data Freshness

This West Laurel, Maryland dashboard was generated on 2026-06-18. The city metrics cache was refreshed on 2026-06-16; the nearby-city coordinate cache was refreshed on 2026-06-17.

City metrics: Census ACS place fields are city-specific where a matching place record exists.
State benchmarks: EIA electricity and BLS unemployment values are state-level context, not city provider tariffs or city labor surveys.
Nearby comparisons: Distance uses cached Census Gazetteer place coordinates when available.

Compare Nearby Cities

Enter another Maryland city or ZIP code, or start with one of the nearby places below.

Scaggsville, MD

Use Scaggsville, MD as a comparison point for housing, utilities, taxes, and local cost signals. Population is 10,441, home value is $630k, and the electric benchmark is $0.359/kWh.

Distance: 2 mi
Best for: Distance-based comparison

City page

Laurel, MD

Use Laurel, MD as a comparison point for housing, utilities, taxes, and local cost signals. Population is 29,594, home value is $367k, and the electric benchmark is $0.359/kWh.

Distance: 2 mi
Best for: Distance-based comparison

City page

Burtonsville, MD

Use Burtonsville, MD as a comparison point for housing, utilities, taxes, and local cost signals. Population is 10,063, home value is $482k, and the electric benchmark is $0.359/kWh.

Distance: 2 mi
Best for: Distance-based comparison

City page

North Laurel, MD

Use North Laurel, MD as a comparison point for housing, utilities, taxes, and local cost signals. Population is 25,201, home value is $443k, and the electric benchmark is $0.359/kWh.

Distance: 3 mi
Best for: Regional context

City page

Fulton, MD

Use Fulton, MD as a comparison point for housing, utilities, taxes, and local cost signals. Population is 5,946, home value is $848k, and the electric benchmark is $0.359/kWh.

Distance: 3 mi
Best for: Regional context

City page

Fairland, MD

Use Fairland, MD as a comparison point for housing, utilities, taxes, and local cost signals. Population is 26,183, home value is $441k, and the electric benchmark is $0.359/kWh.

Distance: 4 mi
Best for: Regional context

City page

Savage, MD

Use Savage, MD as a comparison point for housing, utilities, taxes, and local cost signals. Population is 8,284, home value is $406k, and the electric benchmark is $0.359/kWh.

Distance: 4 mi
Best for: Regional context

City page

Regional Data Explorer

Zoom out from West Laurel to nearby cities, Maryland Area, and Maryland benchmarks.

Open Explorer

Nearby Cities Maryland Hub Maryland Cost Benchmarks

Benchmark Preview

West Laurel 95.8

Home value: $189k
Property tax: $2,190
Electric rate: $0.154/kWh

County Avg 97.4

Home value: $178k
Property tax: $2,240
Electric rate: $0.158/kWh

MD Avg 101.2

Home value: $286k
Property tax: $3,180
Electric rate: $0.162/kWh

Local Service Cost Guides

Use these contractor-cost guides with the West Laurel dashboard to compare local housing, utility, tax, climate, and repair-cost context.

Plumber Rates for West Laurel $85-$165/hr planning range. Leak, drain, fixture, water heater, and emergency plumbing cost planning. Opens the deepest available state guide for West Laurel, Maryland. Open state guide HVAC Installation for West Laurel $5,500-$14,500 planning range. AC, furnace, heat pump, ductwork, and seasonal system replacement planning. Opens the deepest available national guide for West Laurel, Maryland. Open national guide Roof Replacement for West Laurel $8,000-$24,000 planning range. Roof replacement, leak repair, flashing, ventilation, and storm-exposure planning. Opens the deepest available national guide for West Laurel, Maryland. Open national guide Electrician Rates for West Laurel $90-$175/hr planning range. Panel, outlet, EV charger, lighting, wiring, and inspection cost planning. Opens the deepest available national guide for West Laurel, Maryland. Open national guide

Data note: City-profile values are local estimates for comparison and planning context.