© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Mississippi
Laurel
Population 17,679
© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Mississippi
Meridian
Population 34,137
Laurel, MS vs Meridian, MS
Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.
| Metric | Laurel, MS | Meridian, MS |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,679 | 34,137 |
| Median Household Income | $47,661 | $36,562 |
| Median Rent | $909/mo | $910/mo |
| Median Home Value | $125,800 | $107,900 |
| Cost of Living (US = 100) | — | — |
| Renters Paying 30%+ of Income | 50.6% | 47.9% |
| Poverty Rate | 23.3% | 34.3% |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.1% (county) | 3.9% |
| Violent Crime Rate /100k | 757 | 554 |
| Property Crime Rate /100k | 2,960 | 1,640 |
| Median AQI | — | 35 |
| Good AQI Days /yr | — | — |
| Summer Highs | 92°F | 92°F |
| Winter Lows | 37°F | 38°F |
| Snowfall | 0 in/yr | 1 in/yr |
| Avg Commute | 16.4 min | 18.9 min |
| Hospitals | 1 | 4 |
| Avg Hospital Rating | 1.0 / 5 | 2.5 / 5 |
| Students per Teacher | 14.9 | 13.6 |
| College Degree Rate | 21.8% | 21.8% |
| Foreign-Born % | 4.2% | 2.4% |
| Population Growth (2020–2025) | -0.9% | -4.8% |
Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.