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City · 11,741 residents · Sarasota County, Florida

Laurel , Florida

In Laurel, a typical home is worth $478,900 and typical rent is $1,323 a month. Compared with all of Sarasota County, typical rent is 27% lower, the typical home value is 16% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 15 points higher.

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  • Typical home value

    $478,900

    16% above the county

    33% above Florida

    • Laurel
    • Sarasota
    • Florida

  • Typical rent

    $1,323a month

    27% below the county

    21% below Florida

    • Laurel
    • Sarasota
    • Florida

  • Typical household income

    $92,340a year

    11% above the county

    24% above Florida

    • Laurel
    • Sarasota
    • Florida

  • Households that own their home

    91%

    15 points above the county

    24 points above Florida

    • Laurel
    • Sarasota
    • Florida

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Laurel is in Sarasota County. The FHA loan limit ($547,400 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Sarasota County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Laurel apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Laurel has the 22nd highest homeownership rate of the 481 cities in Florida with more than 5,000 people (91%).

  2. Nearby, in South Venice, the typical home value is $337,300: 30% less than in Laurel ($478,900).

  3. The typical rent in Laurel is $1,323 a month, 27% less than in Sarasota County as a whole ($1,818).

  4. The typical home in Laurel is worth $478,900, 16% more than in Sarasota County as a whole ($411,800).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Laurel

What homes there are in Laurel, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In Laurel, 7 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses; in Sarasota County, 6.

Mobile homes are 19% of homes in Laurel, more than in Sarasota County (8%).

Year built

The typical home in Laurel was built in 1983, 5 years before the typical one in Sarasota County.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

With an FHA loan, the cap for Sarasota County is $547,400. About 57% of owner-occupied homes in Laurel are worth less than that.

Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$2,705 a month

Sarasota County: $1,976 a month

Without a mortgage

$847 a month

Sarasota County: $783 a month

Owners with a mortgage

42%

Sarasota County: 48%

Owning costs more in Laurel: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $2,705 a month; in Sarasota County, $1,976. Without one, $847.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Laurel does not have the same boundaries as in 2015–2019: that is why there is no change to compare. For reference, in Sarasota County the typical home value rose 64%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureLaurelSarasota CountyFloridaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate6.1%7.6%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate1.0%1.4%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.6%3.3%3.4%
People per household 1.992.132.512.53
Drive alone 68%72%70%69%
Carpool 6%9%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate0%1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate2%2%3%
Work from home 24%17%16%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate2%2%2%
Typical commute 20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Fewer people live in each home here: 1.99 on average, against 2.13 in Sarasota County.

Many people here do not commute at all: 24% work from home; in Sarasota County, 17%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Laurel?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Laurel, worth $478,900, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 50% of the typical household income in Laurel, which is $92,340 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $166,464 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Sarasota County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Laurel. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $16,762 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$3,884

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$470,225
Total interest
$676,544
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $8,087 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,155 a month

  • Tight

    $2,155 to $2,770 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,770 a month

    Your payment · 50%

Compared with the typical household income in Laurel ($92,340 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$3,884
Principal & interest$3,185
Property tax$287
Home insurance$200
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$212

You need at least $16,762 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Laurel and Sarasota County

Laurel is in Sarasota County, Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Laurel's own numbers

Typical home value
$478,900
Typical monthly rent
$1,323
Typical yearly household income
$92,340
Households that own their home
91%
Effective property tax rate
0.72%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Sarasota County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$547,400
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$2,188
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+52%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
20%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Sarasota County.

Everything about Sarasota County

Buying

Buying a home in Laurel

A typical home in Laurel is worth $478,900: 16% above the county and 33% above Florida. With the typical household income in Laurel ($92,340 a year), a typical home costs 5.2 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Laurel 5.2 years
  • Sarasota 4.9 years
  • Florida 4.8 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Sarasota County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Sarasota County rose 111% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Sarasota County.

Period County Florida U.S.
Last year (2025) −4.4% −0.5% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +52% +60% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +111% +127% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Laurel next to Sarasota County, Florida and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Laurel $478,900
  • Sarasota $411,800
  • Florida $359,000
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Laurel $1,323
  • Sarasota $1,818
  • Florida $1,669
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Laurel $92,340
  • Sarasota $83,416
  • Florida $74,568
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Laurel next to Sarasota County and Florida
Measure Laurel Sarasota County Florida U.S.
Typical home value $478,900 $411,800 $359,000 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,323 $1,818 $1,669 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $92,340 $83,416 $74,568 $80,734
Households that own their home 91% 77% 68% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $3,449 $3,106 $2,730 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.72% 0.75% 0.76% 0.94%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Sarasota County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Laurel

For a typical $478,900 home in Laurel, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Laurel's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $3,884a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $16,762
    Cash to close
    $31,129
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $212

  • Conventional, 5% down $3,796a month

    Down payment
    $23,945
    Cash to close
    $38,312
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $227

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $3,082a month

    Down payment
    $95,780
    Cash to close
    $110,147
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $3,525a month

    Down payment
    $71,835
    Cash to close
    $86,202
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Laurel and for Sarasota County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Laurel

0.72%of the home’s value each year

$3,449 a year for the typical owner in Laurel.

  • Laurel 0.72%
  • Sarasota 0.75%
  • Florida 0.76%

What Florida publishes Homestead exemption (Florida Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Florida

Flood risk in Sarasota County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Sarasota County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
20%
41,803
Of those, with NFIP insurance
42%
County Florida U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 20% 13% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 42% 67% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Laurel

Typical rent in Laurel is $1,323 a month: 27% below the county.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Sarasota County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($2,188 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $42.08 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Sarasota County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,749 $33.63 $69,960
1 bedroom $1,876 $36.08 $75,040
2 bedrooms $2,188 $42.08 $87,520
3 bedrooms $2,775 $53.37 $111,000
4 bedrooms $3,309 $63.63 $132,360

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Laurel

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Laurel is in ZIP code 34275.

For 2 bedrooms it is $2,120: $68 less than the fair market rent for Sarasota County ($2,188).

  • 34275 $2,120$2,690

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Laurel when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Laurel

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Sarasota County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A man leans over the armchair where a girl is reading a book.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Laurel

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Laurel or Sarasota County. The ones below are statewide in Florida: they work in Laurel the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Florida

Housing counselors near Laurel

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Laurel, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Rooted Communities, Inc.

    8466 Lockwood Ridge Rd, Sarasota · 17 miles away

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • and 1 more
    (941) 809-2231

  • Step Up Suncoast, Inc. F/K/A Manatee Community Action Agency, Inc.

    6428 Parkland Dr, Sarasota · 20 miles away · Spanish

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 4 more
    (941) 827-0118

  • Florida Home Partnership Inc

    201 14th Ave SE, Ruskin · 38 miles away · Spanish

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 3 more
    (813) 672-7860

All counseling agencies in Florida

Help in Spanish near Laurel

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Laurel

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in Sarasota County is named for Laurel or Sarasota County.

2 other authorities have an office in Sarasota County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Sarasota County

These cities are also in Sarasota County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Sarasota County Housing in Florida
See 4 more cities in Sarasota County, with prices and rents

Every city has its own page with prices, rents and help.

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Laurel, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Sarasota County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Laurel.

All guides
A mother holds hands with her two daughters on the beach at sunset.

Questions

Housing questions about Laurel

Short answers with the numbers for Laurel and all of Sarasota County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Laurel?

The typical home value in Laurel is $478,900, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Sarasota County it is $411,800.

How much does it cost to rent in Laurel?

Typical rent in Laurel is $1,323 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Sarasota County is $2,188.

What is the FHA loan limit in Laurel?

Laurel uses the FHA limit for all of Sarasota County (2026): $547,400 for a one-unit home and $1,052,700 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Laurel?

The typical homeowner in Laurel pays $3,449 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.72% of the home’s value; in Sarasota County, the rate is 0.75%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Laurel?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Sarasota County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).