Laurel, MS vs Brandon, MS

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricLaurel, MSBrandon, MS
Population17,67925,542
Median Household Income$47,661$92,783
Median Rent$909/mo$1,382/mo
Median Home Value$125,800$278,900
Cost of Living (US = 100)—89
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income50.6%35.5%
Poverty Rate23.3%8.5%
Unemployment Rate3.1% (county)2.9%
Violent Crime Rate /100k75750
Property Crime Rate /100k2,960303
Median AQI——
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs92°F91°F
Winter Lows37°F38°F
Snowfall0 in/yr1 in/yr
Avg Commute16.4 min27.6 min
Hospitals11
Avg Hospital Rating1.0 / 52.0 / 5
Students per Teacher14.913.9
College Degree Rate21.8%41.3%
Foreign-Born %4.2%1.8%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-0.9%+4.0%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.