Laurel, MS

About

None of the households in Laurel, MS reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.1% of the residents in Laurel, MS are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Laurel, MS are Jones County Junior College (1,248 degrees awarded in 2024), Hatfield's Mississippi College of Beauty Culture (27 degrees), and Southeastern Baptist College (20 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Laurel, MS was $132,900, and the homeownership rate was 76.6%.

Most people in Laurel, MS drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 25.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Laurel, MS was 2 cars per household.

United States

Population & Diversity

Laurel, MS is home to a population of 82.5k people, from which 98.1% are citizens. As of 2024, 2.42% of Laurel, MS residents were born outside of the country (2k people).

In 2024, there were 1.8 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (48.9k people) in Laurel, MS than any other race or ethnicity. There were 27.1k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 1.78k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.1%

2024 Citizenship

98.2%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 98.1% of Laurel, MS residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Laurel, MS was 98.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Laurel, MS compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Laurel, MS

White (Non-Hispanic)
48.9k ± 114
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
27.1k ± 451
Other (Hispanic)
1.78k ± 700

5.21%

Hispanic Population

4.3k people

In 2024, there were 1.8 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (48.9k people) in Laurel, MS than any other race or ethnicity. There were 27.1k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 1.78k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

5.21% of the people in Laurel, MS are hispanic (4.3k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Laurel, MS as a share of the total population.

Foreign-Born Population

2.42%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

2k people

2.22%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1.84k people

As of 2024, 2.42% of Laurel, MS residents (2k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Laurel, MS was 2.22%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Laurel, MS compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,337 ± 267
Gulf War (1990s)
834 ± 242
Gulf War (2001-)
585 ± 168

Laurel, MS has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.6 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Laurel, MS.

Health

88.7% of the population of Laurel, MS has health coverage, with 38.8% on employee plans, 21.6% on Medicaid, 14.1% on Medicare, 12.1% on non-group plans, and 2.1% on military or VA plans.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.2% were men and 50.8% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 26.4% under 18 years, 18.8% between 18 and 34 years, 36.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.2% were men and 50.8% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

11.3%

Uninsured

38.8%

Employer Coverage

21.6%

Medicaid

14.1%

Medicare

12.1%

Non-Group

2.1%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Laurel, MS declined by 6.5% from 12% to 11.3%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Laurel, MS changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Economy

The economy of Laurel, MS employs 33.9k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Laurel, MS were Manufacturing (5,733 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (4,932 people), and Retail Trade (3,960 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($90,171), Utilities ($66,216), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($63,086).

Employment

Occupations

33.9k

2024 Value

± 1,684

−0.27%

1 Year decline

± 7.14%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Laurel, MS declined at a rate of −0.27%, from 34k employees to 33.9k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Laurel, MS, are Production Occupations (4,022 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (3,345 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (3,036 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Laurel, MS.

Industries

Employment by Industries

33.9k

2024 Value

± 1,684

−0.27%

1 Year decline

± 7.14%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Laurel, MS declined at a rate of −0.27%, from 34k employees to 33.9k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Laurel, MS, are Manufacturing (5,733 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (4,932 people), and Retail Trade (3,960 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Laurel, MS, though some of these residents may live in Laurel, MS and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$46,775

Median earning men ± $2,906

$31,776

Median earning women ± $2,177

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($79,982), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($63,694), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($52,333).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($49,484), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($39,938), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($38,625).

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

125
Other Services (except Public Administration)
120
Retail Trade
91
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$438k
Manufacturing
$180k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$94.9k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in the states of United States went to Donald J. Trump with 49.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (48.2%), followed by Jill Stein (0.556%).

are the senators currently representing the state of the United States. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming is currently represented by 432 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Laurel, MS. Showing the available data for the states of United States.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (49.9%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (48.2%)
Democratic Party
Jill Stein (0.556%)
Green Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in the states of United States went to Donald J. Trump with 49.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (48.2%), followed by Jill Stein (0.556%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in the states of United States for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Education

In 2024, universities in Laurel, MS awarded 1,295 degrees. The student population of Laurel, MS in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 1,843 male students and 3,060 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Laurel, MS are White (864 and 67%), Black or African American (366 and 28.4%), Two or More Races (39 and 3.02%), and Hispanic or Latino (12 and 0.93%).

The largest universities in Laurel, MS by number of degrees awarded are Jones County Junior College (1,248 and 96.4%), Hatfield's Mississippi College of Beauty Culture (27 and 2.08%), and Southeastern Baptist College (20 and 1.54%).

The most popular majors in Laurel, MS are Liberal Arts & Sciences (529 and 40.8%), Electrician (78 and 6.02%), and Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training (66 and 5.1%).

The median tuition cost for private four year colleges is $7,125.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2024 in Laurel, MS, the percentage of applicants admitted was 100%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 60%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 4,903 (37.6% men and 62.4% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2024 there were 4,903 students enrolled in Laurel, MS, 37.6% men and 62.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 2,895 records, of which 60.3% were women and 39.7% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
525 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
61 degrees awarded
Electrician
22 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Laurel, MS was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 525 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Laurel, MS according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Jones County Junior College
1,248 degrees awarded
Hatfield's Mississippi College of Beauty Culture
27 degrees awarded
Southeastern Baptist College
20 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Jones County Junior College with 1,248 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2024, 605 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Laurel, MS, which is 0.877 times less than the 690 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 864 degrees mean that there were 2.36 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 366 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($7,125) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($300) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

Public, 2-year ($1,020) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Laurel, MS was $132,900 in 2024, which is 0.399 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $125,000 to $132,900, a 6.32% increase. The homeownership rate in Laurel, MS is 76.6%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Laurel, MS have an average commute time of 25.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Laurel, MS is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$132,900

Median Property Value 2024

±$18,287

$24,203

Median Property Taxes

±$1,263

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Laurel, MS the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Laurel, MS compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

76.6%

Homeownership

2024

67.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 76.6% of the housing units in Laurel, MS were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 75.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Laurel, MS compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$51,236

Median Household Income

± $2,578

31.6k

Number of Households

± 1,556

In 2024, the median household income of the 31.6k households in Laurel, MS grew to $51,236 from the previous year's value of $49,867.

The following chart displays the households in Laurel, MS distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (83.4%)
Carpooled (9.88%)
Worked At Home (4.17%)

In 2024, 83.4% of workers in Laurel, MS drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.88%) and those who worked at home (4.17%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

25.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Laurel, MS have a shorter commute time (25.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 3.95% of the workforce in Laurel, MS have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Laurel, MS compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Laurel, MS distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Laurel, MS have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

18.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Laurel, MS (15.3k out of 80.9k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 6 - 11, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Laurel, MS is Black, followed by White and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798, followed by New York (5,087).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

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