Laurel is an incorporated city located midway between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., near Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Lab, Ft. Meade, and the National Security Agency (NSA). Although the incorporated portion of Laurel is bounded entirely within the northern tip of Prince George's County, three other counties are adjacent to the city limits and considered to be parts of the Laurel community - Anne Arundel, Howard, and Montgomery Counties.

Today's Laurel is a busy crossroad for commuters and commerce; homeowners reside in condos, townhomes and detached homes that are modestly priced by area standards.