Laurel, MS

Census Place

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2024 Population
17,679
US Senator
Roger Wicker
Republican Party
US Senator
Cindy Hyde-Smith
Republican Party
2024 Median Age
35.1
1.4% 1-year decrease
2024 Poverty Rate
23.3%
26.2% 1-year decrease
2024 Median Household Income
$47,661
26.2% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$125,800
14.2% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
7,587
8.05% 1-year growth

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.

96.3% of the residents in Laurel, MS are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Laurel, MS are Hatfield's Mississippi College of Beauty Culture (31 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2024, the median property value in Laurel, MS was $125,800, and the homeownership rate was 63.2%.

Most people in Laurel, MS drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 16.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Laurel, MS was 2 cars per household.

United StatesMississippiJones County, MSLaurel, MSSouth Region--Covington, Greene, Jefferson Davis, Jones & Wayne Counties PUMA, MS

Population & Diversity

Laurel, MS is home to a population of 17.7k people, from which 96.3% are citizens. As of 2024, 4.21% of Laurel, MS residents were born outside of the country (745 people).

In 2024, there were 2.14 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (10.8k people) in Laurel, MS than any other race or ethnicity. There were 5.07k White (Non-Hispanic) and 950 Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.3%
2024 Citizenship
96.7%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 96.3% 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 96.7%, 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.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Laurel, MS
  1. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    10.8k ± 788
  2. White (Non-Hispanic)
    5.07k ± 733
  3. Other (Hispanic)
    950 ± 633
9.11%
Hispanic Population
1.61k people

In 2024, there were 2.14 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (10.8k people) in Laurel, MS than any other race or ethnicity. There were 5.07k White (Non-Hispanic) and 950 Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

9.11% of the people in Laurel, MS are hispanic (1.61k people).

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

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Mississippi.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    17,149 ± 3,206 people
  2. Honduras
    5,066 ± 1,746 people
  3. India
    4,341 ± 1,616 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Mississippi was Mexico, the natal country of 17,149 Mississippi residents, followed by Honduras with 5,066 and India with 4,341.

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Foreign-Born Population

4.21%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
745 people
3.85%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
659 people

As of 2024, 4.21% of Laurel, MS residents (745 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 3.85%, 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.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Gulf War (1990s)
    171 ± 124
  2. Vietnam
    166 ± 110
  3. Gulf War (2001-)
    119 ± 75

Laurel, MS has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (1990s), 1.03 times greater than any other conflict.

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

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Economy

The economy of Laurel, MS employs 7.59k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Laurel, MS were Manufacturing (1,749 people), Retail Trade (985 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (982 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($145,241), Utilities ($98,750), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($98,189).

Employment

Occupations

7.59k
2024 Value
± 914
8.05%
1 Year growth
± 16.4%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Laurel, MS grew at a rate of 8.05%, from 7.02k employees to 7.59k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Laurel, MS, are Production Occupations (1,589 people), Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations (575 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (556 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Laurel, MS.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Mississippi (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

7.59k
2024 Value
± 914
8.05%
1 Year growth
± 16.4%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Laurel, MS grew at a rate of 8.05%, from 7.02k employees to 7.59k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Laurel, MS, are Manufacturing (1,749 people), Retail Trade (985 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (982 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.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$36,147
Median earning men ± $6,834
$28,716
Median earning women ± $2,149

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($156,477), Information ($85,556), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($71,641).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($98,454), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($51,094), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($46,111).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.
Y-Axis
1.38%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 1.17M people employed in Mississippi. This represents a 1.38% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 12.5%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Mississippi.

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Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Mississippi went to Donald J. Trump with 60.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (38%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.439%).

Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith are the senators currently representing the state of Mississippi. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Mississippi is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Voting results are not available for Laurel, MS. Showing the available data for Mississippi.
2024 Election Results
  1. Donald J. Trump (60.9%)
    Republican Party
  2. Kamala Harris (38%)
    Democratic Party
  3. Robert Kennedy (0.439%)
    Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Mississippi went to Donald J. Trump with 60.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (38%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.439%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Mississippi for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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Senator Elections

US Senators from Mississippi

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.
Roger Wicker
Senator from Mississippi1
Assumed office on December 31, 2007
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Trent Lott.
Cindy Hyde-Smith
Senator from Mississippi2
Assumed office on April 9, 2018
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Thad Cochran.

Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith are the senators currently representing Mississippi.

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

The following chart shows elected senators in Mississippi over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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Education

In 2023, universities in Laurel, MS awarded 31 degrees. The student population of Laurel, MS in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 0 male students and 51 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Laurel, MS are White (28 and 90.3%), Black or African American (2 and 6.45%), and Hispanic or Latino (1 and 3.23%).

The largest universities in Laurel, MS by number of degrees awarded are Hatfield's Mississippi College of Beauty Culture (31 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Laurel, MS are General Cosmetology (30 and 96.8%) and Cosmetology, Barber, & Nail Instructor (1 and 3.23%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 51 students enrolled in Laurel, MS, 0% men and 100% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 43 records, of which 100% were women and 0% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. General Cosmetology
    30 degrees awarded
  2. Cosmetology, Barber, & Nail Instructor
    1 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate recipients in Laurel, MS was General Cosmetology with 30 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate from schools in Laurel, MS according to their major.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Hatfield's Mississippi College of Beauty Culture
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
31 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Hatfield's Mississippi College of Beauty Culture with 31 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

In 2023, 0 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Laurel, MS, which is 0 times less than the 31 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 28 degrees mean that there were 14 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 2 degrees awarded.

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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.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Laurel, MS was $125,800 in 2024, which is 0.378 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $110,200 to $125,800, a 14.2% increase. The homeownership rate in Laurel, MS is 63.2%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Laurel, MS have an average commute time of 16.4 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

$125,800
Median Property Value 2024
±$27,531
$4,221
Median Property Taxes
±$583

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 None range.

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

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Rent vs Own

63.2%
Homeownership
2024
63.9%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 63.2% of the housing units in Laurel, MS were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 61.1%.

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

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$47,661
Median Household Income
± $5,501
6.68k
Number of Households
± 801

In 2024, the median household income of the 6.68k households in Laurel, MS grew to $47,661 from the previous year's value of $37,781.

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 < $10k range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Laurel, MS is from Mississippi.
0.45
2023 Wage GINI in Mississippi
0.452
2022 Wage GINI in Mississippi

In 2023, the income inequality in Mississippi was 0.45 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.442% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Mississippi was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Mississippi in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Mississippi across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (83%)
  2. Carpooled (9.53%)
  3. Worked At Home (5.59%)

In 2024, 83% of workers in Laurel, MS drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.53%) and those who worked at home (5.59%).

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.

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Commute Time

16.4 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Laurel, MS have a shorter commute time (16.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 0.689% 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.

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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.

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Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

23.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Laurel, MS (4.05k out of 17.3k 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 Females 35 - 44, followed by Males 6 - 11 and then Males < 5.

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

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.

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Health

84.9% of the population of Laurel, MS has health coverage, with 34% on employee plans, 25% on Medicaid, 11.5% on Medicare, 12.2% on non-group plans, and 2.14% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Mississippi see 1,875 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,875 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1939 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 436 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.5% were men and 53.5% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 27.1% under 18 years, 23.4% between 18 and 34 years, 36.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 12.9% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.5% were men and 53.5% were women.

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

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Uninsured People

15.1%
Uninsured
34%
Employer Coverage
25%
Medicaid
11.5%
Medicare
12.2%
Non-Group
2.14%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Laurel, MS declined by 0.232% from 15.2% to 15.1%.

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.

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