Prince George's County, Maryland

Living in Laurel, MD

Among Prince George's County's 16 largest communities, Laurel has the second-newest housing (typical home built 1985) and the second-shortest average commute (31 minutes). With about 30,100 residents, it's Prince George's County's 5th-largest community. Below: prices, housing and getting around, and how Fred works here.

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Median home value: $386K; Census, 2020–2024
Median rent: $1,873; per month
Own their home: 44%; of households
Avg. commute: 31 min; one way

At a glance

Homes, prices & getting around.

The median home in Laurel is valued at $386K, slightly below the Prince George's County median of $426K — around the middle of the 16 Prince George's County communities compared on this site. Median rent is $1,873 a month (county: $1,799).

Housing here is a mix — 21% detached houses, 29% townhouses and 50% condos and apartments. Most homes are rented (56%, against 38% across Prince George's County). The typical home was built in 1985, newer than the Prince George's County median of 1977.

Laurel has no Metro station of its own; the closest is Greenbelt (Green Line), about 6.4 miles away. MARC commuter trains stop at Laurel, about a mile away.

Homes by type of building

Detached houses 21%
Townhouses 29%
2–9 unit buildings 14%
10+ unit buildings 37%

Residents: 30,060; 2020 Census
Homes: 12,964; 2020 Census
Typical home built: 1985; median year
Avg. commute: 31 min; one way
Transit commuters: 1%; of workers
Work from home: 17%; of workers
Price-to-rent: 17; Prince George's County: 20

Straight-line distance to major job centers

Fort Meade: 6 mi
Bethesda / NIH: 14 mi
Downtown D.C.: 16 mi
Downtown Baltimore: 19 mi
Tysons: 23 mi
Dulles Airport: 33 mi

As the crow flies from the community's Census center point; drive times vary with traffic — Fred can map your real commute.

Questions

Living in Laurel: common questions.

Is Laurel a city? What county is it in?

Yes — Laurel is an incorporated city in Prince George's County, Maryland, with its own local government alongside the county's.

What is the median home value in Laurel?

$386K, based on owners' own estimates in the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey, compared with $426K across Prince George's County. These figures trail today's prices — request a valuation or a current Laurel market report for recent sales.

Do more people rent or own in Laurel?

44% of households own their home and 56% rent (ACS 2020–2024), compared with 62% owners across Prince George's County. Fred can run the rent-versus-buy numbers for a specific Laurel home.

How far is Laurel from downtown D.C.?

Laurel is about 16 miles from downtown D.C. and about 19 miles from downtown Baltimore in a straight line. The average one-way commute from here is 31 minutes.

Which schools serve Laurel?

Public schools are assigned by home address. Laurel is served by Prince George's County Public Schools; check the district's boundary tools for any specific address, and see school-level results on the Maryland Report Card.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Laurel?

A rough guide is the price-to-rent ratio — the median home value divided by a year of median rent. Here it's about 17 (Prince George's County: 20); the higher it is, the more renting tends to win on monthly cost. It's only a starting point — taxes, rates and how long you'll stay matter more. Fred runs the real numbers for specific homes.

Are there first-time buyer programs for Laurel?

Yes: Maryland Mortgage Program — the state's down-payment assistance and first-time buyer loans. Eligibility and limits change, so confirm with a participating lender — Fred can introduce one.

Is Laurel the same as South Laurel?

No. Laurel and South Laurel are separate communities in the Census Bureau's records — see the South Laurel page for its own numbers. Mailing addresses often cross these lines, so Fred checks the exact location of any home you're considering.

Can Fred help me buy or sell in Laurel?

Yes. Fred Mohseni is a Realtor® licensed in Maryland, Virginia and D.C. with The ONE Street Company at Samson Properties. Call (202) 704-5931 or send a note.

How Fred helps

Your Laurel real estate agent.

Whether you're buying, selling, investing or relocating in Laurel, you work directly with Fred — a Realtor® licensed in Maryland, Virginia and D.C., with an accountant's eye for the numbers.

Buying

Tours, offers and negotiation in Laurel, with a patient, jargon-free guide from pre-approval to closing day.

Selling

Pricing from recent Laurel sales, then preparation and marketing for the strongest possible offer.

Investing

Rent-versus-own math, cash-flow analysis and neighborhood selection from an accounting and finance background.

Relocating

New to the area? Fred compares Laurel with nearby towns and runs remote tours before you arrive.

Nearby

Laurel and its neighbors.

The closest places on this site, across county and state lines. South Laurel is about 2.5 miles away, Maryland City is about 3 miles away, Beltsville is about 5 miles away.

Community	Population	Median home value	Median rent	Own their home	Typical home	Avg. commute
Laurel	30,060	$386K	$1,873	44%	Mixed	31 min
South Laurel	29,602	$458K	$1,830	41%	Mixed	32 min
Maryland City	19,153	$425K	$2,421	61%	Townhouses	30 min
Beltsville	20,133	$416K	$1,963	55%	Condos & apartments	32 min
Fairland	25,396	$477K	$1,894	46%	Mixed	35 min
Greenbelt	24,921	$255K	$1,848	47%	Condos & apartments	34 min
Seabrook	19,627	$412K	$1,840	66%	Mostly houses	34 min

ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates. * = wide margin of error. “Typical home” is the most common kind of building. On smaller screens some columns are hidden; open on a laptop for population, home type and commute.

Next step

Thinking about Laurel?

Ask Fred for a current Laurel market report — recent sales, what's listed and what it means for your budget. Or call (202) 704-5931.

Request the Laurel market report Compare Prince George's County

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; D.C. Office of Planning neighborhood clusters and regional rail stations (D.C. GIS). Home values are owners' own estimates averaged over 2020–2024, so they trail today's prices. This product uses Census Bureau data but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau. Data updated November 2026.