CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

39.67° N · 78.83° W · GEOID 2446075

La Vale

Allegany County, Maryland · part of the Cumberland, MD metro

Limited data population under 5,000

MarylandLa Vale, MDLa ValeLa Vale

The short answer

La Vale is home to 4,196 people. Median household income is $77,500 a year and median rent is $871 a month, 13.5% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $170,800, about 2.2x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$871
36% below the median place
Median household income
$77,500
3% below the median place
Median home value
$170,800
47% below the median place
Unemployment
3.3%
33% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about La Vale

  • The median home is worth 2.2 years of the median household's income, fewer than in 91% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 199 Maryland places.
  • Only 26% of renter households spend 30% or more of income on rent, a lower share than in 96% of places its size.
  • 2% of residents were born outside the US, fewer than in 91% of places its size.
  • The median rent takes only 13.5% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 91% of places its size.
  • 4.6% of residents live below the poverty line, fewer than in 88% of places its size.
01

Moving to La Vale

Allegany County gains about 7.5 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in1,933
Moved out1,570
Net+363

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Mineral County, WV296285+11
Garrett County, MD165102+63
Bedford County, PA5364−11

Within Maryland, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within MarylandOther states

Income per tax return

Arrivals$49K
Leavers$53K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Allegany County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
5.3% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.8% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Allegany County report $48,800 a year in income on average; those leaving, $52,700, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$34,800 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $871 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,204 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $170,800.
Getting to work
20 minutes each way on average; 13.8% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Archbald, PA matches it on character. Compare the two
Income of households moving in6
$48,792
31% below the median place
Income of households moving out6
$52,700
25% below the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people6
7.5
above the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureLa ValeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure5.3%8% below
Moved from another state1County figure2.8%41% above
Net movers per 1,000 people6County figure7.5above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in6County figure$48,79231% below
Income of households moving out6County figure$52,70025% below
02

What it costs to live here

Renters paying 30%+ is 26.3%, 48% below the median place.

La Vale13.5%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$34,840
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
13.5%
34% below the median place
Home price to income
2.2x
42% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
13%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$67,500
a year, prices not adjusted
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in La Vale, $871 a month. It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in La Vale.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to La Vale? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Renters paying 30%+1
26.3%
48% below the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$1,204
36% below the median place
Homeownership1
83.5%
26% above the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasureLa ValeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$87136% below
Rent to income113.5%34% below
Property tax rate11.1%18% above
Home price to income12.2x42% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms2County figure$1,01437% below
HUD area median income3County figure$72,70032% below
Property tax paid (median)1$1,82444% below
Median home value1$170,80047% below
Home prices, 1-year change4County figure3.3%4% above
Home prices, 5-year change4County figure45.0%13% below
Homeownership183.5%26% above
Renters paying 30%+126.3%48% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,20436% below
Vacant homes19.2%30% above
Median year built119631% below
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Poverty rate1
4.6%
57% below the median place
Unemployment1
3.3%
33% below the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Mean commute20 min −21%
Income per person$43,704 +9%
Works from home13.8% +11%
Median household income$77,500 −3%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureLa ValeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$77,5003% below
Income per person1$43,7049% above
Unemployment13.3%33% below
Average annual pay5County figure$53,82518% below
Pay growth, 1 year5County figure4.0%8% above
Jobs5County figure26,49382% below
Poverty rate14.6%57% below
Mean commute120 min21% below
Works from home113.8%11% above
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

No health insurance is 2.6%, 59% below the median place.

No health insurance1
2.6%
59% below the median place
Born abroad1
2.4%
72% below the median place
Median age1
45.7
17% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

High school or higher96.0% +4%
Household size2.3 −8%
Homes with broadband91.0% −1%
Bachelor's or higher36.9% +15%
All 8 people measures
MeasureLa ValeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population14,1966646th largest
Median age145.717% above
Bachelor's or higher136.9%15% above
High school or higher196.0%4% above
Household size12.38% below
Born abroad12.4%72% below
No health insurance12.6%59% below
Homes with broadband191.0%1% below
05

Life in La Vale

1 site is on the National Register of Historic Places.

  • La Vale Tollgate House listed 1971

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents28.6 2.8×
Playgrounds per 10k33.4 3.5×
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k62.0 5.6×
Libraries per 10k4.8 5.5×
Named paths and bike trails7 km 3.3×
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars21.6 +4%
Shops36.5 +20%
Arts, recreation and fitness2.4 −41%
Doctors' offices and clinics25.6 +27%
Child care centers1.8 −22%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k7
2.4
41% below the median place
Shops per 10k7
36.5
20% above the median place
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k7
25.6
27% above the median place
All 16 schools and local life measures
MeasureLa ValeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools10County figure22144% above
Public school students10County figure8,11366% above
Students per teacher10County figure13.214% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k7County figure21.64% above
Shops per 10k7County figure36.520% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k7County figure2.441% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k7County figure25.627% above
Child care centers per 10k7County figure1.822% below
Parks per 10k828.6181% above
Playgrounds per 10k833.4255% above
Grocery stores per 10k80.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k862.0above (median 11.2)
Libraries per 10k84.8above (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails86.6230% above
Transit stops per sq mi80.0below (median 0.2)
National Register listings9192% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

Wildfire risk is 21.0, 66% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached La Vale. Larger places are fetched first.

Wildfire risk12
21.0
66% below the median place
Natural hazard risk12
58.5
37% below the median place
Tornado risk12
35.8
56% below the median place
All 9 weather and risk measures
MeasureLa ValeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high11County figure86°F1% below
January average low11County figure22°F13% below
Average temperature11County figure52°F5% below
Annual precipitation11County figure40.6 in7% below
Natural hazard risk12County figure58.537% below
Hurricane risk12County figure67.74% below
Tornado risk12County figure35.856% below
Wildfire risk12County figure21.066% below
Heat wave risk12County figure72.719% below
08

La Vale in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 14% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 13% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$871/mo (2024)$1,110/mo$910 to $1,350/mo+4.1%
Median household income$77,500 (2024)$97,000$82,000 to $115,000+3.8%
Median home value$170,800 (2024)$230,000$167,000 to $316,000+5.0%

The median home would be worth 2.4 years of the median income in 2030, against 2.2 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like La Vale

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Archbald, PA$966$71,936Compare
North Canton, OH$1,029$72,544Compare
Grand Ledge, MI$982$68,980Compare
Lower Burrell, PA$911$84,602Compare
Lower Burrell, PAGrand Ledge, MINorth Canton, OHArchbald, PALa Vale, MDLa ValeArchbaldNorth CantonGrand LedgeLa ValeArchbaldNorth Canton

Common questions

Is La Vale a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. The median home is worth 2.2 years of the median household's income, fewer than in 91% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 199 Maryland places. Only 26% of renter households spend 30% or more of income on rent, a lower share than in 96% of places its size. On cost, space and class size it scores 96 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is La Vale expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 13.5% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $170,800.

What salary do you need to live in La Vale?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $34,840 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to La Vale?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Archbald, PA, North Canton, OH, Grand Ledge, MI and Lower Burrell, PA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  3. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  4. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  5. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  6. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  7. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  8. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  9. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  10. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  11. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  12. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares La Vale with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for La Vale itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/la-vale-maryland

Citytistics. “La Vale, Maryland.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/la-vale-maryland/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.