Residential comparison · 13 facts
Bowie, MD vs South Laurel, MD
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Bowie needs about $78,000 in South Laurel to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from South Laurel, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $92,000 in Bowie.
A few differences
- Bowie is higher on median household income ($141,995 vs $88,933).
- South Laurel is lower on cost of living index (115 vs 121).
- South Laurel is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,842/mo vs $2,271/mo).
Bowie vs South Laurel · facet by facet
| Facet | Bowie, MD | South Laurel, MD |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $459,300 | $458,100 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,271/mo | $1,842/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.05% | 1.05% |
| State & local income tax | 7.6% | 7.4% |
| Sales tax | 6% | 6% |
| Cost of living index | 121 | 115 |
| Groceries index | 105 | 105 |
| Utilities | $190/mo | $190/mo |
| Median household income | $141,995 | $88,933 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% | 2.8% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 6.2/10 | 6.2/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 213 days | 213 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Bowie, MD · South Laurel, MD
Questions & answers
- Is Bowie cheaper than South Laurel?
- South Laurel has the lower day-to-day cost index (115 vs 121 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in South Laurel equals $85,000 in Bowie?
- A household earning $85,000 in Bowie needs about $78,000 in South Laurel to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of South Laurel lifestyle costs about $92,000 in Bowie.