Population 3,416 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West Laurel
Household size in West Laurel
| Period | West Laurel | Laurel | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.68 | 2.61 | 2.73 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.11 | 2.71 | 2.82 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.49 | 2.73 | 2.86 | 2.74 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.10 | 2.64 | 2.77 | 2.68 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.58 | +0.03 | +0.04 | +0.01 | −0.03 |
West Laurel is a place of big households: 3.10 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Household size has dropped from 3.68 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in West Laurel
| Period | West Laurel | Laurel | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.3 | 36.4 | 37.0 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.8 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.8 | 38.1 | 38.5 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.9 | 38.1 | 39.2 | 40.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +9.6 | +1.6 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
The median resident of West Laurel is 42.9 years old, older than the national median of 40.1.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in West Laurel
| Period | West Laurel | Laurel | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.7% | 13.9% | 11.3% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 14.5% | 11.3% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.3% | 12.0% | 10.4% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.7% | 11.4% | 10.4% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | −2.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in West Laurel (9.7%), a little below the national share of 11.6%.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in West Laurel
Renters in West Laurel
| Period | West Laurel | Laurel | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 36.0% | 34.0% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 40.7% | 36.6% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 40.7% | 36.8% | 33.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 12.3% | 43.8% | 36.3% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +7.8 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
West Laurel is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 12.3% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 22.4% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in West Laurel
| Period | West Laurel | Laurel | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.6% | 8.9% | 8.7% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.1% | 6.8% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 6.8% | 6.6% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 5.7% | 5.9% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −3.2 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in West Laurel: just 5.1% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Laurel as a whole looks much the same.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in West Laurel
| Period | West Laurel | Laurel | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1980 | 1977 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1974 | 1981 | 1978 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1972 | 1982 | 1979 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1984 | 1982 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +6 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in West Laurel was built around 1977, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in Laurel overall, where the median home dates to 1984.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in West Laurel
| Period | West Laurel | Laurel | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,388 | $1,276 | $1,470 | $1,249 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,366 | $1,551 | $1,583 | $1,363 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,641 | $1,730 | $1,907 | $1,576 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,190 | $2,032 | $2,236 | $1,869 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$802 | +$756 | +$766 | +$620 | +$606 |
A typical rental in West Laurel costs $2,190 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 29.5% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in West Laurel
Bachelor's degrees in West Laurel
| Period | West Laurel | Laurel | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.4% | 40.6% | 46.6% | 36.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 42.5% | 41.0% | 48.2% | 37.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.0% | 47.5% | 51.0% | 40.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 45.5% | 48.7% | 53.9% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.1 pts | +8.1 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in West Laurel than nationally: 45.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Locally, though, the share is lower than in Laurel overall (48.7%).
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in West Laurel
| Period | West Laurel | Laurel | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.2% | 89.4% | 89.4% | 88.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.2% | 88.2% | 90.2% | 89.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.3% | 91.5% | 90.8% | 90.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.4% | 89.9% | 91.2% | 90.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.3 pts | +0.5 pts | +1.7 pts | +2.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in West Laurel is above the national rate: 93.4% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in West Laurel
| Period | West Laurel | Laurel | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.7% | 5.2% | 5.9% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 6.2% | 6.9% | 8.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 4.9% | 4.7% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 3.9% | 4.8% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in West Laurel than nationally: unemployment was 3.5%, against 5.4%. Laurel as a whole looks much the same. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
West Laurel compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Laurel | 3.10 | 42.9 | 9.7% | 12.3% | 5.1% | 1977 | $2,190 | 45.5% | 93.4% | 3.5% |
| North Laurel | 3.06 | 38.9 | 9.7% | 31.6% | 3.6% | 1992 | $2,408 | 56.5% | 90.3% | 2.1% |
| Savage-Guilford | 2.75 | 34.7 | 6.6% | 36.3% | 3.8% | 1985 | $2,133 | 55.5% | 90.2% | 4.2% |
| Hillandale | 3.39 | 37.8 | 15.9% | 41.2% | 3.7% | 1964 | $2,139 | 36.9% | 76.0% | 4.5% |
| Goddard | 2.89 | 35.3 | 21.4% | 38.8% | 9.1% | 1976 | $1,895 | 31.7% | 88.2% | 6.2% |
| Wheaton-Glenmont | 3.27 | 37.6 | 15.9% | 39.3% | 3.9% | 1976 | $2,213 | 39.6% | 83.5% | 6.7% |
| Langley Park | 4.49 | 28.2 | 39.5% | 77.7% | 4.6% | 1966 | $1,821 | 8.2% | 36.3% | 6.0% |
| New Hampshire Gardens | 2.83 | 39.6 | 10.2% | 42.7% | 6.9% | 1953 | $1,620 | 59.1% | 83.9% | 3.5% |
| Forest Glen | 2.55 | 43.1 | 8.0% | 22.7% | 3.5% | 1957 | $1,655 | 71.7% | 95.3% | 7.0% |
| Lanham-Seabrook | 3.54 | 36.6 | 17.9% | 30.2% | 4.3% | 1970 | $1,869 | 25.8% | 76.7% | 7.1% |
| Green Meadows | 3.35 | 40.9 | 22.8% | 29.2% | 2.9% | 1956 | $1,767 | 18.7% | 64.0% | 5.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Rogers Park, Anchorage, AK · Middletown-Pelham Bay, Bronx, NY · Midway Place, Bryan, TX · Millbrooke Ranch, Pinellas Park, FL · Millview East, San Marcos, TX · Nena, San Bernardino, CA · New Hampshire Gardens, Takoma Park, MD · North Richland, Richland, WA · Northeast Park, St. Petersburg, FL · Orchidlands Estates, Keaau, HI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up West Laurel. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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