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