Laurel, VA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Laurel, VA Summary

Cost of living in Laurel research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Laurel is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Virginia, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Laurel is 107, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Laurel is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Laurel ranks as the #58 cheapest in Virginia out of 190.

  • Laurel ranks as the #3,374 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Laurel is $305,714.

  • The median income in Laurel is $69,932.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
107
Laurel's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Laurel, VA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Laurel has an overall cost of living index of 107, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Virginia, Laurel has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Virginia's index of 110.

The standard of living in Laurel ranks as #58 most affordable out of the 190 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies Laurel ranks as the #132 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.

For more reading on life in Laurel, check out:

58 out of 190
In Virginia
3,374 out of 6,489
In America

Laurel Cost Of Living Vs. Virginia

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Laurel. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Laurel is 101.

  • The Groceries index in Laurel is 99.

  • The Health index in Laurel is 95.

  • The Housing index in Laurel is 117.

  • The Transportation index in Laurel is 102.

  • The Utilities index in Laurel is 107.

Living Expense Laurel Virginia National Average
Overall 107 110 100
Services 101 101 100
Groceries 99 99 100
Health 95 98 100
Housing 117 130 100
Transportation 102 94 100
Utilities 107 104 100
For more reading on cost of living around Virginia, check out:
Laurel Cost of Living Vs. VA

Laurel, VA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Virginia, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Laurel is $305,714.

  • The Median Rent in Laurel is $1,497.

  • The Median Income in Laurel is $69,932.

  • The Home Value To Income in Laurel is 4.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Laurel is 0.26x.

Statistic Laurel Virginia United States
Median Home Value $305,714 $404,962 $303,400
Median Rent $1,497 $1,514 $1,348
Median Income $69,932 $90,974 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.4x 4.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.26x 0.2x 0.21x
$305,714
Median Home Value
$1,497
Median Rent
$69,932
Median Income

Laurel, VA Costs By Category

Detailed Laurel Services Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Laurel Virginia
Shampoo $1.26 $1.28
Movie $13.31 $12.13
Bowling $24.17 $18
Haircut $20.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $54.17 $45.56

Detailed Laurel Groceries Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Laurel Virginia
Ground Beef $5.54 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.44 $1.57
Milk $4.63 $4.67
Potatoes $5.27 $4.93
Pizza $12.72 $12.09
Beer $10.64 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.72 $3.7

Detailed Laurel Health Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Laurel Virginia
Optometrist $95.44 $125.68
Doctor $122.83 $135.78
Dentist $109.67 $113.29

Detailed Laurel Transportation Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Laurel Virginia
Gasoline $3.27 $3.46
Tire Balancing $60.0 $59.92

Detailed Laurel Utilities Costs Vs. Virginia

Item Laurel Virginia
All Electricity $227.22 $193.99
Phone $185.33 $192.25

Laurel SnackAbility

7.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
5
Diversity
9.5
Safety
N/A
Amenities
9
Education
7
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Laurel

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Laurel. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Richmond, VA has a cost of living index of 106, 1.0x Laurel.

  • Tuckahoe, VA has a cost of living index of 118, 1.1x Laurel.

  • Mechanicsville, VA has a cost of living index of 112, 1.0x Laurel.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Laurel
Richmond, VA 227,595 106 1.0x
Tuckahoe, VA 48,610 118 1.1x
Mechanicsville, VA 38,437 112 1.0x
Short Pump, VA 28,177 131 1.2x
Bon Air, VA 17,302 114 1.1x
Glen Allen, VA 16,630 108 1.0x
East Highland Park, VA 16,071 96 0.9x
Brandermill, VA 13,938 112 1.0x
Lakeside, VA 12,845 104 1.0x
Wyndham, VA 12,084 150 1.4x

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