City profile · Mississippi · Census ACS 2023

Laurel, MS

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Laurel - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

17,129
Residents
$37,781
Median income
$110,200
Median home
$917
Median rent (state)

Laurel - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Laurel places in the 6th percentile for household income and the 4th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

6th
percentile, household income
13th
percentile, home value
6th
percentile, median rent
4th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Laurel, MS

Mississippi's Laurel is a small town, with 17,129 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $37,781 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 25.9%. Laurel's housing stock carries a median value of $110,200, and the median resident age is 35.6 years. 20.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 52.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 0 residential building permits were authorized in Laurel (No Permits), down 100% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Laurel's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 4839.9 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Laurel's yearly average temperature at 65.5°F with 59.6 inches of precipitation per year.

Living costs in Mississippi run below the national norm: the state registers 87.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $917 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Mississippi's average monthly utility costs around $223 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 80.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

17,129 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Mississippi

Median Household Income

$37,781 /yr

Poverty 25.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.0 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Mississippi average

How does Laurel compare to other US cities?

Here's how Laurel stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 6% higher than other cities
Home value 13% pricier than other cities
Median rent 6% pricier than other cities
Safety 4% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Mississippi, Laurel ranks #54 of 56 Mississippi cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Laurel's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Mississippi, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

6thIncome percentile
4thSafety percentile

6th percentile nationally for median household income · 4th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Laurel's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Laurel's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 34 Avg. percentile National median
Laurel's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Laurel's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$110,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 87% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Laurel $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Laurel, MS Laurel, MS's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Laurel, MS-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Laurel, MS median $37,781/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Laurel, MS's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Laurel, MS. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 20.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 25.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
17,129
Median Income
$37,781
Median Home Value
$110,200
Median Age
35.6
Poverty Rate
25.9%
Labor force participation
52.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
20.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4839.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1051.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3788.0
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
65.5°F
Annual Precipitation
59.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"

Schools

Total Schools
12
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
17,600 residents17,700 residents17,800 residents17,900 residents 202020212022202320242025 17,802 residents 17,662 residents ▼ -0.8%
Laurel's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 4
2020 93
2021 79
2022 43
2023 45
2024 0

Permit volume decreased 100% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
87.3%
Carpool
6.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.6%
Work from Home
4.2%

Based on 6,993 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Mississippi - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$135
avg/month
Natural Gas
$50
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$38
avg/month
Total Utilities
$223
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Mississippi state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Mississippi state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Laurel sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.0
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$917/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
80.2 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Mississippi

Long Beach
16,876 people
Hernando
17,580 people
Ocean Springs
18,561 people
Gautier
19,026 people
Corinth
14,450 people
Clarksdale
14,423 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Laurel's 17,129 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Addison, TX
17,128 people
Wixom, MI
17,126 people
West Richland, WA
17,126 people
Hampton Bays, NY
17,138 people
Tifton, GA
17,140 people
Bellaire, TX
17,116 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Laurel's $37,781 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Oil Trough, AR
$37,778 median income
Norris City, IL
$37,778 median income
Komatke, AZ
$37,768 median income
Wilmerding, PA
$37,764 median income
Colquitt, GA
$37,763 median income
Garberville, CA
$37,760 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Laurel, MS Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Laurel, MS - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 29.1% 64.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.7% White 29.1% Black or African American 64.7% Asian 0.2% American Indian 1.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.3% Two or more races 1.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Laurel compares to nearby Mississippi cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Laurel (this city) 17,129 $37,781
Long Beach 16,876 $71,121
Hernando 17,580 $71,451
Ocean Springs 18,561 $78,929
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MS FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Laurel, MS?

What is the population of Laurel, MS? +

Laurel, MS counts 17,129 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Laurel, MS? +

In Laurel, the typical household earns $37,781 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Laurel? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Laurel; the closest available measure is the Mississippi state average, a cost of living index of 87.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Mississippi vary by metro area.

Is Laurel, MS safe? +

Laurel has a total crime rate of 4839.9 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Laurel, MS? +

A typical home in Laurel is worth $110,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Laurel? +

The average annual temperature in Laurel runs 65.5°F, 59.6 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.