MetricLaurel, MSPearl, MS
Population17,67927,737
Median Household Income$47,661$61,695
Median Rent$909/mo$1,175/mo
Median Home Value$125,800$182,500
Cost of Living (US = 100)—89
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income50.6%56.1%
Poverty Rate23.3%12.2%
Unemployment Rate3.1% (county)2.6%
Violent Crime Rate /100k75783
Property Crime Rate /100k2,960646
Median AQI——
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs92°F91°F
Winter Lows37°F38°F
Snowfall0 in/yr1 in/yr
Avg Commute16.4 min23.8 min
Hospitals1—
Avg Hospital Rating1.0 / 5—
Students per Teacher14.914.3
College Degree Rate21.8%28.1%
Foreign-Born %4.2%4%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-0.9%+6.7%

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