© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Laurel.
About
Life in Laurel
Living in Laurel means settling into a genuinely affordable small city where your money stretches further than most places—median home values around $125,800 and median rent about $910 a month make homeownership realistic for many budgets. The job market is stable if not booming, anchored by manufacturing (Howard Industries, Masonite International), food processing (Sanderson Farms), and healthcare, which keeps unemployment low at 3.1%, though career growth might require a willingness to stay or eventual relocation. The community itself feels grounded: it's a place where families have roots, with about 34% of households raising children, and your commute is genuinely short—averaging just 17 minutes.
Laurel at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
23.3%
Foreign-Born
4.2%
Broadband Internet
78.7%
of households
Population Growth
-0.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.2% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Laurel: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Laurel, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (53.2%), and 8.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
26.1%
of residents
65 and Older
14.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
30.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
34.6%
of households
Married Couples
30.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.60
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for MS
Rent, home values, and income in Laurel
In Laurel, home values are 26% below the MS average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
50.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
19.1%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,268
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
63.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1969
median year built
Vacant Homes
14.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $137,326 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below MS average
Unemployment in Laurel
Unemployment in Jones County, which includes Laurel, is 0.7 percentage points lower than the MS average.
Unemployment rate
Laurel: Jones County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Jones County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Laurel Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute16.4 min avg
How Laurel residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Laurel, most residents drive alone to work (83%), and 83% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 20 mi
Hattiesburg Laurel Regional Airport (PIB)
Regional airport · few flights18k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 130% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Laurel runs 130% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
757.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,960.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Laurel Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 13 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
80.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Jones County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Jones County, which includes Laurel, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 13 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.0M |
| 2024 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.4M |
| 2023 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.9M |
| 2022 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | $369,500 |
| 2021 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $360,000 |
| 2020 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $12.8M |
| 2019 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.3M |
| 2018 | 30 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3.0M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Jones County, county-wide
Air Quality45 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Forrest County, MS (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 35 miles from Laurel) is typically good — 226 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
45
Good Days
226
per year
Moderate Days
137
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Forrest County, MS (35 mi away)
Climate92°F summers, 37°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Laurel has hot summers (avg high 92°F) and mild winters (avg low 37°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
79°/52°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
92°/69°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
79°/53°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
62°/37°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
59.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
82
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
41
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
118
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°F | 35°F | 6.07" |
| Feb | 65°F | 38°F | 5.11" |
| Mar | 72°F | 45°F | 5.46" |
| Apr | 79°F | 52°F | 5.10" |
| May | 85°F | 60°F | 4.34" |
| Jun | 91°F | 68°F | 5.46" |
| Jul | 93°F | 70°F | 5.38" |
| Aug | 93°F | 70°F | 5.48" |
| Sep | 89°F | 64°F | 3.94" |
| Oct | 80°F | 53°F | 3.48" |
| Nov | 70°F | 42°F | 4.06" |
| Dec | 62°F | 37°F | 5.76" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 1.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Laurel
Laurel has 1 hospital, averaging 1.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
15.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
1.0 / 5
South Central Reg Med Ctr
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Laurel
Laurel's student/teacher ratio is 14.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 21.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
21.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, 77 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Laurel
Laurel has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument (77 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument
National Monument
77 mi awayPublic Libraries in Laurel
Laurel-Jones County Library
530 Commerce Street, Laurel
Cities Near Laurel
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Laurel?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Laurel FAQ
Is Laurel, Mississippi affordable?⌄
Laurel's median rent is $909/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $47,661/year. Median home value is $125,800.
Is Laurel, Mississippi safe?⌄
Laurel's violent crime rate was 757 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2960 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Laurel, Mississippi?⌄
Jones County, which includes Laurel, has an unemployment rate of 3.1%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Laurel, Mississippi?⌄
The cost of living in Laurel is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $909/month and median household income is $47,661/year. The median home value is $125,800. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Laurel, Mississippi?⌄
The average commute in Laurel is 16 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from