Neighborhoods, Prince George's, Howard and Anne Arundel
Laurel, MD homes across three counties
The City of Laurel is in Prince George's County, but Laurel addresses spill into Howard County (North Laurel) and Anne Arundel County (Maryland City). Which side a home is on changes the tax rate and the rental rules.
Where Laurel is
The City of Laurel was incorporated in 1870 as a mill town at the Patuxent River's fall line. North Laurel (Howard County) and Maryland City (Anne Arundel County) are unincorporated areas that share Laurel addresses.[1]
Main roads are I-95, US 1, MD 198, MD 197 and MD 216.[1]
Housing stock
Inside city limits there are 13,124 homes with a median year built of 1985, 27% of them from the 1980s. Half are in condo and apartment buildings, 29% are townhouses and 21% detached houses.[2]
Getting around
- MARC Camden Line, Laurel station: about 30 to 43 minutes to Washington Union Station and 29 to 51 minutes to Camden Station on weekdays. Laurel Racetrack station runs about 39 to 41 minutes to Union Station.[3]
Before you buy or rent here
- Inside the City of Laurel, every rental unit needs a city license: $40 per unit a year, one-year term, free initial inspection.[4]
- On the Howard County side, Howard's rental housing license and inspection apply. On the Anne Arundel side, single-family rentals need no county license, but buildings with two or more units do. Unincorporated Prince George's addresses fall under the county license.[5][6][7]
- Before you compare two Laurel homes, look up each one in SDAT to see which county and whether it is inside city limits. A city home and a North Laurel home at the same price can have tax bills hundreds of dollars apart.[8]
- Maryland's state transfer tax is 0.5% of the price. When the buyer is a first-time Maryland homebuyer who will live in the home, the state rate drops to 0.25%, paid entirely by the seller.[9]
Public schools: Prince George's County Public Schools (city), Howard County Public School System or Anne Arundel County Public Schools, depending on the address. Check any address with Prince George's School Finder (for Howard or Anne Arundel addresses, use that district's locator).
Parks and landmarks
- Patuxent Research Refuge, established in 1936, covers about 13,000 acres. The National Wildlife Visitor Center is on the South Tract (5 miles of trail); the North Tract has 25 miles.[10]
- Laurel Park racetrack, opened in 1911, sits on the Anne Arundel side. The state agreed in January 2026 to buy it, with plans to make it a training facility once the Pimlico rebuild is done.[11]
- City parks include Granville Gude Lake, Emancipation Park and Centennial Community Park.[12]
Our work in Laurel
We cover all three sides of Laurel from our Columbia office, and we price a Laurel home against comparable sales on the same side of the county line.
Homes for sale in Prince George's County
Live from Bright MLS. Most listed homes are not our own listings.
The real estate listing information is provided by Bright MLS for the consumer's personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties the consumer may be interested in purchasing. Any information relating to real estate for sale or lease referenced on this website comes from the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) program of Bright MLS. This website references real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than the broker and/or agent who owns this website.
The accuracy of all information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be personally verified through personal inspection by and/or with the appropriate professionals. Properties in listings may have been sold or may no longer be available. The data contained herein is copyrighted by Bright MLS and is protected by all applicable copyright laws. Any unauthorized collection or dissemination of this information is in violation of copyright laws and is strictly prohibited. Copyright © 2026 Bright MLS, Inc. All rights reserved.
Listings marked "Listing courtesy of" are held by the brokerage named. The Wilson Home Team of Samson Properties. Samson Properties, 7067 Columbia Gateway Dr, Suite 280, Columbia, MD 21046, 443-542-2251. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Homes for sale in Prince George's County
Live from Bright MLS. Most listed homes are not our own listings.
The real estate listing information is provided by Bright MLS for the consumer's personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties the consumer may be interested in purchasing. Any information relating to real estate for sale or lease referenced on this website comes from the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) program of Bright MLS. This website references real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than the broker and/or agent who owns this website.
The accuracy of all information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be personally verified through personal inspection by and/or with the appropriate professionals. Properties in listings may have been sold or may no longer be available. The data contained herein is copyrighted by Bright MLS and is protected by all applicable copyright laws. Any unauthorized collection or dissemination of this information is in violation of copyright laws and is strictly prohibited. Copyright © 2026 Bright MLS, Inc. All rights reserved.
Listings marked "Listing courtesy of" are held by the brokerage named. The Wilson Home Team of Samson Properties. Samson Properties, 7067 Columbia Gateway Dr, Suite 280, Columbia, MD 21046, 443-542-2251. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Laurel questions
Which county is Laurel, MD in?
The City of Laurel is in Prince George's County. Laurel addresses also cover North Laurel in Howard County and Maryland City in Anne Arundel County, each with its own tax rate and rental rules.
What is the property tax rate in the City of Laurel?
For FY2027, $0.71 per $100 for the city plus $0.867 for the county inside Laurel and $0.112 for the state, $1.689 in all.
Do I need a rental license in Laurel?
Inside city limits, yes: the City of Laurel charges $40 per unit a year. Howard County side homes need Howard's rental license, and unincorporated Prince George's homes need the county license. Single-family homes on the Anne Arundel side need none.
Which MARC stations serve Laurel?
Laurel and Laurel Racetrack on the Camden Line. Weekday trains from Laurel take about 30 to 43 minutes to Washington Union Station.
Read next: Maryland property taxes, how buying a house in Maryland works, Maryland landlord-tenant rules , Howard County vs Anne Arundel County: Living Compared, Living Near a MARC Station: Maryland Towns by Line, Maryland Rental License Rules by County (2026 Table), Central Maryland Housing Market: September 2026 Update, Down Payment Assistance in Maryland, County by County.
Sources
Each source was opened and checked on October 26, 2026. Rates, fees and rules change; confirm with the agency before you rely on a number.
- 1.Wikipedia, "Laurel, Maryland", revision of Oct. 19, 2026; used for history and geography only
- 2.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, City of Laurel (tables B25024, B25034, B25035), via Census Reporter, 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- 3.Maryland Transit Administration, MARC schedule data (GTFS), feed of Oct. 11, 2026, weekday service of Oct. 26, 2026
- 4.City of Laurel, Residential Rental Licenses, current page
- 5.Maryland People's Law Library, Rental license requirements by county, city and town, updated Sept. 22, 2026
- 6.Anne Arundel County Inspections and Permits, Multiple Dwelling License, current page
- 7.Maryland People's Law Library, Prince George's County rental and housing laws, updated March 26, 2026 (County Code §§ 13-144 to 13-147, 13-181)
- 8.Maryland SDAT, 2026-2027 Tax Rates and Homestead Credit Caps, FY2027 rates, July 1, 2026 bills
- 9.Maryland Code, Tax-Property § 13-203 (state transfer tax), current statute text
- 10.U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Patuxent Research Refuge, current page
- 11.Wikipedia, "Laurel Park Racecourse", revision of Oct. 2026; used for history and geography only
- 12.City of Laurel, Parks and Playgrounds, current page
- 13.Howard County Department of Finance, Real Property Tax, rates effective July 1, 2026
- 14.Anne Arundel County Office of Finance, Current Tax Rates, FY2027 (July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027)
- 15.Comptroller of Maryland, Local Income Tax Withholding Rates for 2026, tax year 2026 (memo of Feb. 4, 2026)
- 16.Maryland REALTORS, September 2026 Housing Statistics (Bright MLS data), September 2026 settlements, data current as of Oct. 12, 2026
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