Laurel, MS

Census Place

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2022 Population

17,241

0.771% 1-year decline

US Senator

Roger Wicker

Republican Party

US Senator

Cindy Hyde-Smith

Republican Party

2022 Median Age

37.6

1.08% 1-year increase

2022 Poverty Rate

32.6%

3.62% 1-year decrease

2022 Median Household Income

$36,336

9.61% 1-year growth

2022 Median Property Value

$111,300

25.2% 1-year growth

About

In 2022, Laurel, MS had a population of 17.2k people with a median age of 37.6 and a median household income of $36,336. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of Laurel, MS declined from 17,375 to 17,241, a −0.771% decrease and its median household income grew from $33,149 to $36,336, a 9.61% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Laurel, MS are Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (65.5%), White (Non-Hispanic) (30.1%), Other (Hispanic) (1.27%), White (Hispanic) (1.18%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (0.737%).

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.

97.3% of the residents in Laurel, MS are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Laurel, MS are Hatfield's Mississippi College of Beauty Culture (39 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2022, the median property value in Laurel, MS was $111,300, and the homeownership rate was 63.5%.

Most people in Laurel, MS drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 17.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Laurel, MS was 2 cars per household.

United States Mississippi Jones County, MS Laurel, MS South Region--Covington, Greene, Jefferson Davis, Jones & Wayne Counties PUMA, MS

Population & Diversity

Laurel, MS is home to a population of 17.2k people, from which 97.3% are citizens. As of 2022, 3.25% of Laurel, MS residents were born outside of the country (560 people).

In 2022, there were 2.18 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (11.3k people) in Laurel, MS than any other race or ethnicity. There were 5.19k White (Non-Hispanic) and 219 Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Citizenship

97.3%

2022 Citizenship

97.3%

2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 97.3% of Laurel, MS residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in Laurel, MS was 97.3%, 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

Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
11.3k ± 761
White (Non-Hispanic)
5.19k ± 716
Other (Hispanic)
219 ± 198

3.79%

Hispanic Population

653 people

3.79% of the people in Laurel, MS are hispanic (653 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Laurel, MS as a share of the total population.

Foreign-Born Population

3.25%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

560 people

2.98%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

517 people

As of 2022, 3.25% of Laurel, MS residents (560 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Laurel, MS was 2.98%, 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
219 ± 103
Gulf War (1990s)
176 ± 132
Gulf War (2001-)
113 ± 92

Laurel, MS has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.24 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Laurel, MS employs 6.66k people. The largest industries in Laurel, MS are Manufacturing (1,201 people), Retail Trade (1,090 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (1,040 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($91,136), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($90,198), and Transportation & Warehousing ($58,003).

Employment

Occupations

6.66k

2022 Value

± 867

−4.42%

1 Year decline

± 19.2%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Laurel, MS declined at a rate of −4.42%, from 6.97k employees to 6.66k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Laurel, MS, are Production Occupations (1,219 people), Sales & Related Occupations (860 people), and Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations (596 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Laurel, MS.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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

6.66k

2022 Value

± 867

−4.42%

1 Year decline

± 19.2%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Laurel, MS declined at a rate of −4.42%, from 6.97k employees to 6.66k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Laurel, MS, are Manufacturing (1,201 people), Retail Trade (1,090 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (1,040 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

$29,628

Median earning men ± $4,142

$24,107

Median earning women ± $2,422

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($144,500), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($59,253), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($43,401).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($90,549), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($33,113), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($28,799).

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.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Mississippi went to Donald J. Trump with 57.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (41.1%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.611%).

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

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Laurel, MS. Showing the available data for Mississippi.

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (57.6%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (41.1%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.611%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Mississippi went to Donald J. Trump with 57.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (41.1%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.611%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Mississippi for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Mississippi

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

Roger Wicker

Senator from Mississippi

Assumed office on December 31, 2007
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Trent Lott.

Cindy Hyde-Smith

Senator from Mississippi

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.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Mississippi

Mississippi is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Mississippi have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Laurel, MS awarded 39 degrees. The student population of Laurel, MS in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 0 male students and 55 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Laurel, MS are White (32 and 82.1%), followed by Black or African American (6 and 15.4%), Hispanic or Latino (1 and 2.56%), and Asian (0 and 0%).

The largest universities in Laurel, MS by number of degrees awarded are Hatfield's Mississippi College of Beauty Culture (39 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Laurel, MS are General Cosmetology (39 and 100%) and Cosmetology, Barber, & Nail Instructor (0 and 0%).

Completions

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.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2022, 1.04% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.852% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (690k), Some college (543k), and Secondary Education (397k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Laurel, MS was $111,300 in 2022, which is 0.395 times smaller than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $88,900 to $111,300, a 25.2% increase. The homeownership rate in Laurel, MS is 63.5%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in Laurel, MS have an average commute time of 17.5 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.

Median household income in Laurel, MS is $36,336. In 2022, the place with the highest median household income in Laurel, MS was Census Tract 9504.01 with a value of $69,729, followed by Census Tract 9503.02 and Census Tract 9505, with respective values of $48,882 and $39,416.

Property

$111,300

Median Property Value 2022

±$13,788

$4,093

Median Property Taxes

±$572

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.

Rent vs Own

63.5%

Homeownership

2022

59.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2022

In 2022, 63.5% of the housing units in Laurel, MS were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 63.8%.

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

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9504.01
Census Tract 9503.02
Census Tract 9505

In 2022, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Laurel, MS was Census Tract 9504.01 with a value of $69,729, followed by Census Tract 9503.02 and Census Tract 9505, with respective values of $48,882 and $39,416.

The following map shows all of the places in Laurel, MS colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

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

$36,336

Median Household Income

± $2,953

6.44k

Number of Households

± 732

In 2022, the median household income of the 6.44k households in Laurel, MS grew to $36,336 from the previous year's value of $33,149.

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.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Laurel, MS is from Mississippi.

0.452

2022 Wage GINI in Mississippi

0.45

2021 Wage GINI in Mississippi

In 2022, the income inequality in Mississippi was 0.452 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.553% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Mississippi was lower than than the national average of 0.478. 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.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2022

Drove Alone (87.7%)
Carpooled (8.64%)
Worked At Home (2.97%)

In 2022, 87.7% of workers in Laurel, MS drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.64%) and those who worked at home (2.97%).

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

17.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Laurel, MS have a shorter commute time (17.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 0.619% 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

32.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Laurel, MS (5.48k out of 16.8k 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 25 - 34, followed by Males 6 - 11 and then Females 6 - 11.

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

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

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

Health

87.5% of the population of Laurel, MS has health coverage, with 32.6% on employee plans, 29.7% on Medicaid, 12% on Medicare, 11.9% on non-group plans, and 1.36% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Jones County, MS see 2125 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.141% decrease from the previous year (2128 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1711 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 785 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Jones County, MS.

2,125 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Jones County, MS

Primary care physicians in Jones County, MS see an average of 2,125 patients per year. This represents a 0.141% decrease from the previous year (2,128 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Jones County, MS in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 26% under 18 years, 22.5% between 18 and 34 years, 35.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.3% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.9% were men and 50.1% were women.

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

Uninsured People

12.5%

Uninsured

32.6%

Employer Coverage

29.7%

Medicaid

12%

Medicare

11.9%

Non-Group

1.36%

Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in Laurel, MS declined by 4.72% from 13.1% to 12.5%.

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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