COMPARING TWO PLACES
Meridian vs Laurel
PLACE A
Meridian, MS
VS
PLACE B
Laurel, MS
Meridian and Laurel are close in size. their median incomes are within a few thousand dollars. Laurel has grown faster since 2000 (-1% vs -9%).
MERIDIANLAURELDIFFERENCE
Total population85,41982,281+4% vs Laurel
Population density6160+1
Population growth-8.7%-1.4%−7.2 pts
Median age40.238.7+1.5
Male48.1%49.2%−1.1 pts
Female51.9%50.8%+1.1 pts
Foreign-born1.6%2.4%−0.8 pts
White, non-Hispanic52.5%59.3%−6.7 pts
Black39.1%32.9%+6.2 pts
Hispanic / Latino2.3%5.2%−2.9 pts
Asian0.6%0.4%+0.3 pts
Other5.5%2.3%+3.2 pts
Median household income$49,986$51,524−$1,538
Per capita income$28,671$28,819−$148
Poverty rate24.7%18.9%+5.9 pts
Income inequality (Gini)0.4870.479Even
Bachelor's degree or higher22.5%19.0%+3.5 pts
Graduate degree8.5%7.1%+1.4 pts
Unemployment rate6.0%4.4%+1.6 pts
Labor force participation55.5%55.0%+0.5 pts
Median home value$130,619$136,095−$5,476
Median gross rent$926$841+$85
Owner-occupied68.1%76.5%−8.3 pts
Housing vacancy rate15.8%14.4%+1.4 pts
Rent-burdened households43.1%37.2%+5.9 pts
Average commute25.826.0−0.2
Worked from home4.7%4.2%+0.6 pts
Public transit to work0.2%0.3%−0.1 pts
Uninsured10.3%11.2%−1.0 pts
Population, 1990 – 2025