Meridian, MS

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

Add Comparison
    2024 Population
    86,818
    US Senator
    Roger Wicker
    Republican Party
    US Senator
    Cindy Hyde-Smith
    Republican Party
    2024 Median Age
    40.2
    0.5% 1-year increase
    2024 Poverty Rate
    24.7%
    2.98% 1-year increase
    2024 Median Household Income
    $49,822
    1.35% 1-year growth
    2024 Median Property Value
    $128,100
    5.43% 1-year growth
    2024 Employed Population
    35,105
    0.0541% 1-year decline

    About

    None of the households in Meridian, 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.

    99.2% of the residents in Meridian, MS are U.S. citizens.

    The largest universities in Meridian, MS are Meridian Community College (860 degrees awarded in 2024).

    In 2024, the median property value in Meridian, MS was $128,100, and the homeownership rate was 68.1%.

    Most people in Meridian, MS drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 25.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Meridian, MS was 2 cars per household.

    Meridian, MS borders Laurel, MS.

    United StatesMississippi

    Population & Diversity

    Meridian, MS is home to a population of 86.8k people, from which 99.2% are citizens. As of 2024, 1.58% of Meridian, MS residents were born outside of the country (1.37k people).

    In 2024, there were 1.34 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (45.6k people) in Meridian, MS than any other race or ethnicity. There were 33.9k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 3.19k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    Population & Diversity

    Citizenship

    99.2%
    2024 Citizenship
    99.2%
    2023 Citizenship

    As of 2024, 99.2% of Meridian, MS residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Meridian, MS was 99.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

    View Data
    Save Image

    Diversity

    Race and Ethnicity

    The 3 largest ethnic groups in Meridian, MS
    1. White (Non-Hispanic)
      45.6k ± 241
    2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
      33.9k ± 820
    3. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
      3.19k ± 670
    2.29%
    Hispanic Population
    1.99k people

    In 2024, there were 1.34 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (45.6k people) in Meridian, MS than any other race or ethnicity. There were 33.9k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 3.19k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    2.29% of the people in Meridian, MS are hispanic (1.99k people).

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

    View Data
    Save Image

    Global Diversity

    The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for Mississippi.
    Most Common Origin
    1. Mexico
      15,967 ± 3,094 people
    2. Honduras
      6,221 ± 1,934 people
    3. Guatemala
      4,623 ± 1,668 people

    In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Mississippi was Mexico, the natal country of 15,967 Mississippi residents, followed by Honduras with 6,221 and Guatemala with 4,623.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Foreign-Born Population

    1.58%
    2024 Foreign-Born Population
    1.37k people
    1.51%
    2023 Foreign-Born Population
    1.32k people

    As of 2024, 1.58% of Meridian, MS residents (1.37k 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 Meridian, MS was 1.51%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

    View Data
    Save Image

    Military

    Veterans

    Most Common Service Period
    1. Gulf War (2001-)
      1,572 ± 323
    2. Vietnam
      1,211 ± 264
    3. Gulf War (1990s)
      917 ± 235

    Meridian, MS has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.3 times greater than any other conflict.

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

    View Data
    Save Image

    Health

    89.7% of the population of Meridian, MS has health coverage, with 36.3% on employee plans, 21.7% on Medicaid, 12.4% on Medicare, 16.6% on non-group plans, and 2.76% 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, 47% were men and 53% were women.

    Coverage

    Patient to Clinician Ratios

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.
    1,875 to 1
    Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Mississippi

    Primary care physicians in Mississippi see an average of 1,875 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,875 patients).

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

    View Data
    Save Image

    Health Care Diversity

    In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.3% under 18 years, 18.7% between 18 and 34 years, 36.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.2% over 64 years.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47% were men and 53% were women.

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

    View Data
    Save Image

    Uninsured People

    10.3%
    Uninsured
    36.3%
    Employer Coverage
    21.7%
    Medicaid
    12.4%
    Medicare
    16.6%
    Non-Group
    2.76%
    Military or VA

    Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Meridian, MS declined by 3.26% from 10.6% to 10.3%.

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

    View Data
    Save Image

    Economy

    The economy of Meridian, MS employs 35.1k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Meridian, MS were Health Care & Social Assistance (6,932 people), Educational Services (4,070 people), and Manufacturing (3,966 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($98,958), Utilities ($60,481), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($57,325).

    Employment

    Occupations

    35.1k
    2024 Value
    ± 1,557
    −0.0541%
    1 Year decline
    ± 6.26%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Meridian, MS declined at a rate of −0.0541%, from 35.1k employees to 35.1k employees.

    The most common job groups, by number of people living in Meridian, MS, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (3,975 people), Sales & Related Occupations (3,484 people), and Management Occupations (2,818 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Meridian, MS.

    View Data
    Save Image

    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.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Industries

    Employment by Industries

    35.1k
    2024 Value
    ± 1,557
    −0.0541%
    1 Year decline
    ± 6.26%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Meridian, MS declined at a rate of −0.0541%, from 35.1k employees to 35.1k employees.

    The most common employment sectors for those who live in Meridian, MS, are Health Care & Social Assistance (6,932 people), Educational Services (4,070 people), and Manufacturing (3,966 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Meridian, MS, though some of these residents may live in Meridian, MS and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Median Earnings by Industry

    $47,105
    Median earning men ± $2,026
    $31,709
    Median earning women ± $2,024

    The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($79,531), Wholesale Trade ($63,017), and Public Administration ($59,609).

    The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Construction ($53,167), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($43,101), and Manufacturing ($40,722).

    View Data
    Save Image

    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.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Establishments by Size

    The industries with the most establishments
    1. 165
      Other Services (except Public Administration)
    2. 156
      Retail Trade
    3. 123
      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.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Payroll by Industry Sector

    The industries with the highest total annual payroll
    1. $323k
      Health Care and Social Assistance
    2. $135k
      Retail Trade
    3. $122k
      Manufacturing

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

    View Data
    Save Image

    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 Meridian, 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.

    View Data
    Save Image

    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.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Education

    In 2024, universities in Meridian, MS awarded 860 degrees. The student population of Meridian, MS in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 889 male students and 1,891 female students.

    Most students graduating from Universities in Meridian, MS are Black or African American (395 and 45.9%), White (387 and 45%), Unknown (29 and 3.37%), and Hispanic or Latino (19 and 2.21%).

    The largest universities in Meridian, MS by number of degrees awarded are Meridian Community College (860 and 100%).

    The most popular majors in Meridian, MS are Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities (206 and 24%), Registered Nursing (119 and 13.8%), and Truck, Bus, & Commercial Vehicle Operator & Instructor (56 and 6.51%).

    Admissions & Enrollments

    Enrollments by Gender and Races

    In 2024 there were 2,780 students enrolled in Meridian, MS, 32% men and 68% women.

    By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Black or African American with 1,318 records, of which 72.3% were women and 27.7% men.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Completions

    Concentrations

    Most Common
    1. Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities
      206 degrees awarded
    2. Registered Nursing
      119 degrees awarded
    3. General Marketing & Marketing Management
      12 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Meridian, MS was Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities with 206 degrees awarded.

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

    View Data
    Save Image

    Universities

    Gender
    Race
    Meridian Community College
    Largest Universities by degrees awarded
    860 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Meridian Community College with 860 degrees awarded.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Student Diversity

    In 2024, 335 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Meridian, MS, which is 0.638 times less than the 525 female students who received degrees in the same year.

    In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Black or African American students. These 395 degrees mean that there were 1.02 times more degrees awarded to Black or African American students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 387 degrees awarded.

    View Data
    Save Image

    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.

    View Data
    Save Image
    View Data
    Save Image

    Tuition

    Average Net Price by Sector

    Public, 2-year ($3,758) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

    Public, 2-year ($320) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

    Public, 2-year ($2,000) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

    View Data
    Save Image

    Housing & Living

    The median property value in Meridian, MS was $128,100 in 2024, which is 0.385 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $121,500 to $128,100, a 5.43% increase. The homeownership rate in Meridian, MS is 68.1%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

    People in Meridian, MS have an average commute time of 25.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Meridian, MS is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

    Housing

    Property

    $128,100
    Median Property Value 2024
    ±$11,220
    $23,581
    Median Property Taxes
    ±$1,173

    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 Meridian, MS the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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

    View Data
    Save Image
    View Data
    Save Image

    Rent vs Own

    68.1%
    Homeownership
    2024
    64.2%
    Homeowners with Mortgage
    2024

    In 2024, 68.1% of the housing units in Meridian, MS were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 67%.

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

    View Data
    Save Image

    Equity

    Household Income

    Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
    $49,822
    Median Household Income
    ± $2,907
    34.7k
    Number of Households
    ± 1,554

    In 2024, the median household income of the 34.7k households in Meridian, MS grew to $49,822 from the previous year's value of $49,156.

    The following chart displays the households in Meridian, 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 $60k - $75k range.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Wage Distribution

    The closest comparable wage GINI for Meridian, MS is from Mississippi.
    0.447
    2024 Wage GINI in Mississippi
    0.45
    2023 Wage GINI in Mississippi

    In 2024, the income inequality in Mississippi was 0.447 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.74% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Mississippi was lower than than the national average of 0.474. 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.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Transportation

    Commuter Transportation

    Most Common Commute in 2024
    1. Drove Alone (80.2%)
    2. Carpooled (10.1%)
    3. Worked At Home (4.77%)

    In 2024, 80.2% of workers in Meridian, MS drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (10.1%) and those who worked at home (4.77%).

    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.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Commute Time

    25.7 minutes
    Average Travel Time

    Using averages, employees in Meridian, MS have a shorter commute time (25.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 4.26% of the workforce in Meridian, MS have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

    View Data
    Save Image
    View Data
    Save Image

    Car Ownership

    2 cars
    Average Number

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

    View Data
    Save Image

    Poverty

    Poverty & Diversity

    24.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Meridian, MS (20.7k out of 83.8k 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 35 - 44, followed by Males 6 - 11 and then Females 25 - 34.

    The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Meridian, MS is Black, followed by White and Two Or More.

    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.

    View Data
    Save Image