Laurel, MD vs Rochester, NY

Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.

Score Snapshot

No universal winner

Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.

Laurel

66.4

#1547 nationally

Rochester

71.9

#953 nationally

Laurel leads in median household income ($92,035 vs $42,124). Rochester leads in average commute (21.2 min vs 33.5 min). Rochester leads in cost of living index (88 vs 125).

Metric-by-Metric Breakdown

Metric	Laurel, MD	Rochester, NY
WhereAtHome Score	66.4 (#1547)	71.9 (#953)
Population	29,400	211,328
Typical Home Value (ZHVI)	$478,130	$249,152
Median Household Income	$92,035	$42,124
Average Commute	33.5 min	21.2 min
Walk Score	53	59
Crime Level	10.8	High
School Rating	N/A	4.2
Cost of Living Index	125	88
Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored	D+13.9	D+19.1