Up-and-Coming Neighborhoods in Laurel, MT
25 neighborhoods with growth potential — still affordable, increasingly walkable, and showing improving conditions. Ranked by affordability, walkability, employment, safety, and air quality.
Up-and-Coming Neighborhoods in Laurel, MT — Key Takeaways
Laurel has 25 neighborhoods showing growth potential. The most affordable up-and-coming area is Crow Agency CDP with a median home value of $86,100. The strongest job market is in Lincoln CDP with an unemployment rate of 0.2%.
Laurel has a population of 7,181, a median household income of $62,250, an unemployment rate of 1.4%, and a poverty rate of 11.2%. The median home value citywide is $221,700, which is 21% below the national average of $281,900.
Data sourced from the US Census Bureau, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA AirNow, Walk Score, and FEMA. Last updated: March 2026.
Top 3 Up-and-Coming Neighborhoods
| # | Neighborhood | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun Prairie CDP | 67 | ||
| Vaughn CDP | 65 | ||
| South Hills CDP | 52 | ||
4 | Ponderosa Pines CDP | 52 | |
5 | Absarokee CDP | 52 | |
6 | Wheatland CDP | 52 | |
7 | Helena West Side CDP | 52 | |
8 | West Glendive CDP | 51 | |
9 | Woods Bay CDP | 51 | |
10 | Trego CDP | 51 | |
11 | Lincoln CDP | 51 | |
12 | Churchill CDP | 51 | |
13 | Four Corners CDP | 51 | |
14 | Lolo CDP | 50 | |
15 | Clancy CDP | 49 | |
16 | Crow Agency CDP | 49 | |
17 | Clinton CDP | 49 | |
18 | Helena Valley Northeast CDP | 49 | |
19 | Helena Valley Northwest CDP | 47 | |
20 | Park City CDP | 47 | |
21 | Ulm CDP | 46 | |
22 | Frenchtown CDP | 44 | |
23 | Gallatin Gateway CDP | 43 | |
24 | Shepherd CDP | 42 | |
25 | Pioneer Junction CDP | 36 |
Rankings by Category
Top 5 up-and-coming neighborhoods in Laurel for each growth-potential metric.
Lowest median home value
- $86,100
- $148,400
- $154,400
- $204,000
- $207,800
Lowest unemployment rate
- 0.2%
- 0.2%
- 0.4%
- 0.5%
- 0.6%
Lowest violent crime rate
- 0.9 per 1K
- 0.9 per 1K
- 0.9 per 1K
- 0.9 per 1K
- 0.9 per 1K
Lowest median rent
- $598
- $725
- $740
- $808
- $846
Highest median household income
- $156,500
- $137,500
- $125,179
- $107,448
- $105,500
Lowest poverty rate
- 0.2%
- 0.6%
- 1.4%
- 1.6%
- 2.3%
Up-and-coming neighborhoods are identified using a Growth Potential Score that evaluates five weighted categories. These areas are still affordable relative to the city average but show strong fundamentals that suggest improving conditions and future appreciation.
- Affordability vs City Average
- 30% weight
- Walkability & Transit
- 25% weight
- Job Market (Unemployment)
- 20% weight
- Safety
- 15% weight
- Environment (Air Quality)
- 10% weight
Neighborhoods that are priced below the city median home value score higher on affordability. Walkability reflects the Walk Score, indicating access to amenities on foot. A low unemployment rate signals a strong local economy. Safety is measured by violent crime rates per 1,000 residents. Air quality uses the EPA Air Quality Index (AQI), where lower values indicate cleaner air.
Data Sources: US Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR), EPA AirNow, Walk Score, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer. All data is updated on a rolling basis as new government releases become available.