CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

40.15° N · 80.21° W · GEOID 4240712

Laboratory

Washington County, Pennsylvania · part of the Pittsburgh, PA metro

Limited data population under 5,000, core figures borrowed from county or metro: median_household_income, median_gross_rent

PennsylvaniaLaboratory, PALaboratoryLaboratory

The short answer

Laboratory is home to 664 people. Median household income is $78,958 a year and median rent is $949 a month, 14.4% 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 $183,000, about 2.3x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$949
30% below the median place
Median household income
$78,958
2% below the median place
Median home value
$183,000
43% below the median place
Unemployment
0.0%
below the median place (median 4.9%)

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 Laboratory

  • Household income has grown -14.8% a year across the last five survey releases, slower than in 99% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 271 Pennsylvania places.
  • Only 0% of workers mostly work from home, fewer than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 259 Pennsylvania places.
  • 0% of residents were born outside the US, fewer than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 209 Pennsylvania places.
  • Unemployment averaged 0.0% over the survey period, lower than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 193 Pennsylvania places.
  • The median home is worth 2.3 years of the median household's income, fewer than in 89% of places its size.

Rent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 83 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings.

01

Moving to Laboratory

Washington County gains about 3.6 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in7,351
Moved out6,704
Net+647

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Allegheny County, PA3,2652,019+1,246
Greene County, PA231253−22
Ohio County, WV6469−5

Within Pennsylvania, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within PennsylvaniaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$84K
Leavers$75K

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

Who moves here
0.0% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 0.0% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Washington County report $83,800 a year in income on average; those leaving, $75,200, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$38,000 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $949 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,557 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $183,000.
Getting to work
27 minutes each way on average; 0.0% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Bridgetown, OH matches it on character. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
0.0%
below the median place (median 5.7%)
Moved from another state1
0.0%
below the median place (median 2.0%)
Net movers per 1,000 people7
3.6
above the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureLaboratoryAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year10.0%below (median 5.7%)
Moved from another state10.0%below (median 2.0%)
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure3.6above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$83,77419% above
Income of households moving out7County figure$75,2007% above
02

What it costs to live here

Vacant homes is 0.0%, below the median place (median 7.1%).

Laboratory14.4%
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
$37,960
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
14.4%
29% below the median place
Home price to income
2.3x
39% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
14%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$68,100
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Laboratory, $949 a month, and local prices for everything else (99.3 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

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

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Laboratory? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Vacant homes1
0.0%
below the median place (median 7.1%)
Median year built1
1959
1% below the median place
Median home value1
$183,000
43% below the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureLaboratoryAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1County figure$94930% below
Rent to income114.4%29% below
Property tax rate11.6%74% above
Home price to income12.3x39% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure94.76% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,38914% below
HUD area median income4County figure$110,4003% above
Property tax paid (median)1$2,89211% below
Median home value1$183,00043% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure4.2%33% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure36.7%29% below
Homeownership1County figure76.1%15% above
Renters paying 30%+1County figure40.3%20% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,55717% below
Vacant homes10.0%below (median 7.1%)
Median year built119591% below
03

Work and pay

Unemployment is 0.0%, below the median place (median 4.9%).

Unemployment1
0.0%
below the median place (median 4.9%)
Works from home1
0.0%
below the median place (median 12.4%)
Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureLaboratoryAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1County figure$78,9582% below
Income per person1County figure$45,02212% above
Unemployment10.0%below (median 4.9%)
Average annual pay6County figure$73,59812% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure1.8%51% below
Jobs6County figure89,39941% below
Poverty rate1County figure9.6%11% below
Mean commute1County figure27 min8% above
Works from home10.0%below (median 12.4%)
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Born abroad is 0.0%, below the median place (median 8.8%).

Born abroad1
0.0%
below the median place (median 8.8%)
No health insurance1
0.0%
below the median place (median 6.4%)
Household size1
2.9
16% above the median place
All 8 people measures
MeasureLaboratoryAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population16646646th largest
Median age143.812% above
Bachelor's or higher1County figure32.9%3% above
High school or higher1County figure94.6%2% above
Household size12.916% above
Born abroad10.0%below (median 8.8%)
No health insurance10.0%below (median 6.4%)
Homes with broadband193.9%2% above
05

Life in Laboratory

1 site is on the National Register of Historic Places, 4 of them National Historic Landmarks.

  • Little, Moses, Tavern listed 1996

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars19.4 −7%
Shops30.3 +0%
Arts, recreation and fitness4.5 +10%
Doctors' offices and clinics22.1 +9%
Child care centers3.5 +52%

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

Child care centers per 10k8
3.5
52% above the median place
Public schools10
54
above the median place (median 9)
Public school students10
26,079
above the median place (median 4,897)
All 9 schools and local life measures
MeasureLaboratoryAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools10County figure54above (median 9)
Public school students10County figure26,079above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher10County figure13.214% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure19.47% below
Shops per 10k8County figure30.30% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure4.510% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure22.19% above
Child care centers per 10k8County figure3.552% above
National Register listings9192% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

Heat wave risk is 47.8, 47% 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 Laboratory. Larger places are fetched first.

Heat wave risk12
47.8
47% below the median place
Tornado risk12
49.8
39% below the median place
July average high11
83°F
4% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureLaboratoryAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high11County figure83°F4% below
January average low11County figure21°F17% below
Average temperature11County figure52°F6% below
Annual precipitation11County figure42.1 in4% below
Natural hazard risk12County figure83.110% below
Hurricane risk12County figure59.915% below
Tornado risk12County figure49.839% below
Wildfire risk12County figure46.125% below
Heat wave risk12County figure47.847% below
Median air quality index13County figure442% above
Good air days13County figure67.7%1% below
08

Places like Laboratory

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

PlaceRentIncome
Bridgetown, OH$1,015$80,564Compare
Washington, MO$827$79,173Compare
Geneseo, IL$1,015$70,147Compare
Mulvane, KS$1,015$74,039Compare
Mulvane, KSGeneseo, ILWashington, MOBridgetown, OHLaboratory, PALaboratoryBridgetownWashingtonGeneseoMulvaneLaboratoryBridgetownGeneseoMulvane

Common questions

Is Laboratory a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Household income has grown -14.8% a year across the last five survey releases, slower than in 99% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 271 Pennsylvania places. Only 0% of workers mostly work from home, fewer than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 259 Pennsylvania places. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Laboratory expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 14.4% 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 $183,000.

What salary do you need to live in Laboratory?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $37,960 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Laboratory?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Bridgetown, OH, Washington, MO, Geneseo, IL and Mulvane, KS.

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. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. 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.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  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
  13. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

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 Laboratory with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Laboratory itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/laboratory-pennsylvania

Citytistics. “Laboratory, Pennsylvania.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/laboratory-pennsylvania/

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