Jobs, pay and daily life in Laurel, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Laurel is a city in Delaware with 4,152 residents. The median household earns $48,644 a year and the median rent is $1,056 a month, which is 26.1% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Laurel compares. Among the 30 largest places in Delaware, Laurel is #24 by population, #30 for household income (#1 = highest), #30 for college degrees (#1 = most), #30 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Sussex County, is #3 of 3 counties for average pay ($55,078).
Laurel has 4,152 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.4% of the population of Delaware. It covers 3 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,499 people per square mile. The median age is 33.0, 21% younger than the state median (33.0 against 41.6).
The median gross rent is $1,056 a month (rent plus utilities), 25% below the state median ($1,056 against $1,401). Over a year that is 26.1% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $230,300, which is 4.7 times the median household income ($48,644). 39.6% of households own their home, 46% below the state average (39.6% against 73.0%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Sussex County was 4.2%. 58.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Sussex County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 67.9% drive alone, 6.2% use public transit, 2.5% walk, 2.6% work from home. 47.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 204% above the state average (47.1% against 15.5%).
4.6% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 87% below the state share (4.6% against 35.8%). 18.1% of residents were born outside the United States, 69% above the state share (18.1% against 10.7%). The poverty rate is 34.6%, 233% above the state rate (34.6% against 10.4%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 79°F (26.1°C), and the coolest is Jan at 35°F (1.4°C). About 1,175 mm (46 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (121 mm) and Jan the driest (75 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Seaford (6 miles, rent 11% higher); Georgetown (13 miles, rent 34% higher); Salisbury (14 miles, rent 25% higher); Millsboro (14 miles, rent 21% higher). Rent differences are against Laurel; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Delaware (103) →State guide: DelawareCountry guideSussex CountyDelaware rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 103 federal postings open in Delaware (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 20.9% |
| Manufacturing | 15.7% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 14.7% |
| Retail trade | 13.5% |
| Construction | 11.2% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 6.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 4.9% |
| Public administration | 3.8% |
| Information | 3.4% |
| Other services | 2.9% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 2.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Laurel lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sussex County | 255,626 | $23,356 million | $91,367 | 94,273 | 11,171 | $55,078 | +3.8% | 4.2% | 120,133 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 14,617 | 17.9% | $28,748 | 1.71 |
| Health care and social assistance | 14,175 | 17.4% | $69,371 | 1.05 |
| Retail trade | 13,446 | 16.5% | $38,159 | 1.43 |
| Manufacturing | 11,376 | 14.0% | $57,254 | 1.47 |
| Construction | 6,274 | 7.7% | $64,470 | 1.27 |
| Administrative and waste services | 5,961 | 7.3% | $51,312 | 1.07 |
| Professional and technical services | 3,485 | 4.3% | $98,735 | 0.53 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 3,038 | 3.7% | $43,942 | 1.07 |
| Finance and insurance | 2,387 | 2.9% | $96,449 | 0.62 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 2,124 | 2.6% | $31,489 | 1.34 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,881 | 2.3% | $88,330 | 0.51 |
| Real estate and rental | 1,546 | 1.9% | $62,584 | 1.06 |
| Information | 615 | 0.8% | $111,836 | 0.35 |
| Educational services | 379 | 0.5% | $42,060 | 0.19 |
| Management of companies | 215 | 0.3% | $127,771 | 0.14 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 67.9% |
| Public transit | 6.2% |
| Walk | 2.5% |
| Work from home | 2.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 47.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $48,644 |
| Income per person | $25,176 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,056 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 26.1% |
| Median home value | $230,300 |
| Homeowners | 39.6% |
| Poverty rate | 34.6% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 6.60%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 33.0 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 73.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 4.6% |
| Born abroad | 18.1% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 58.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1.4 | 35 | 75 |
| Feb | 2.6 | 37 | 75 |
| Mar | 6.6 | 44 | 91 |
| Apr | 12.5 | 54 | 91 |
| May | 17.9 | 64 | 96 |
| Jun | 23.2 | 74 | 106 |
| Jul | 26.1 | 79 | 118 |
| Aug | 25.3 | 78 | 121 |
| Sep | 21.7 | 71 | 107 |
| Oct | 15.5 | 60 | 111 |
| Nov | 9.1 | 48 | 83 |
| Dec | 4.3 | 40 | 101 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seaford | DE | 6 mi | 8,485 | $54,016 | $1,176 |
| Georgetown | DE | 13 mi | 7,660 | $49,719 | $1,410 |
| Salisbury | MD | 14 mi | 33,285 | $58,576 | $1,318 |
| Millsboro | DE | 14 mi | 7,424 | $78,707 | $1,277 |
| Milton | DE | 20 mi | 3,567 | $80,875 | $1,310 |
| Harrington | DE | 24 mi | 3,838 | $72,679 | $1,277 |
| Milford | DE | 25 mi | 12,803 | $59,464 | $1,260 |
| Lewes | DE | 27 mi | 3,505 | $96,393 | $381 |
| Camden | DE | 36 mi | 4,106 | $63,267 | $1,836 |
| Rising Sun-Lebanon | DE | 37 mi | 4,163 | $113,529 | $1,755 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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4,152 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,056 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 26.1% of the median household income.
$48,644 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.2% (BLS county, Sussex County (latest month 2026M09)).
Delaware. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.