Harrisonburg, VA vs Laurel, VA

Harrisonburg is moderately more affordable than Laurel, with a 12.4% lower cost of living index. Harrisonburg scores 90 compared to 102 for Laurel, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Laurel can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Harrisonburg is $1,120/month compared to $1,497/month in Laurel — a 25% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Harrisonburg has cheaper rent, Laurel actually has lower median home values ($272,300 vs $278,200).

Median household income in Harrisonburg is $59,752 compared to $69,932 in Laurel (-14.6%). While Laurel is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Harrisonburg spend roughly 22.5% of their income on rent, less than the 25.7% in Laurel.