MICROPOLITAN AREA
Laurel Micro
Laurel, MS · 2 counties · 82,281 residents (2025 est.) · 1,371 sq mi
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The short version
Laurel is a metro area of 82,531 people. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 19% of adults. The typical home is worth $136,095, having more than doubled since 2000. The foreign-born share is 2%. 76% of homes are owner-occupied. Median rent is $841 a month.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 42%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
82,531
−1%since 2000
from 83,107 in 2000
82,281 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
1,371 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
202483K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.5%(5,330)
5 to 96.5%(5,390)
10 to 147.3%(6,026)
15 to 197.3%(6,041)
20 to 246.2%(5,116)
25 to 3411.2%(9,215)
35 to 4412.5%(10,327)
45 to 5411.3%(9,348)
55 to 6412.7%(10,449)
65 to 7411%(9,117)
75 to 845.1%(4,210)
85 and over2.4%(1,962)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$51,524
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,837 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
35.7%
+20.2 ptssince 2009
from 15.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade17%
Information11.6%
Wholesale trade7.6%
Finance & insurance6.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing5%
Professional, scientific, technical4.9%
Other services4.4%
Public administration3.8%
Construction3.2%
Education & health services1.9%
Manufacturing1.8%
Transportation & warehousing1.6%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$136,095
+42%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $52,602 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
2.6
+21%since 2009
from 2.2 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
40
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic65.4%(54,333)
Black32%(26,593)
Hispanic / Latino1.7%(1,388)
Asian0.2%(184)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic59.3%(48,921)
Black32.9%(27,123)
Hispanic / Latino5.2%(4,303)
Asian0.4%(297)
Other2.3%(1,887)
65
+7%since 2009
from 61 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
42
−14%since 2020
from 48 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican4.5%(3,002)
Central American1.2%(830)
Guatemalan1.1%(711)
South American0.3%(184)
Puerto Rican0.1%(79)
Salvadoran0.1%(66)
Colombian0.1%(59)
Honduran0.1%(35)
Panamanian0%(18)
Argentine0%(13)
Venezuelan0%(13)
Asian origin
Pakistani0.1%(95)
Vietnamese0.1%(80)
Filipino0.1%(56)
Chinese0%(32)
Korean0%(19)
Asian Indian0%(15)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(23)
Ancestry
American17.2%(14,179)
English9.9%(8,164)
Irish6%(4,949)
German4%(3,281)
Scottish1.6%(1,335)
French1.2%(1,028)
Scotch-Irish1.1%(888)
Italian1%(864)
Subsaharan African0.9%(746)
Arab0.6%(432)
Lebanese0.4%(282)
Dutch0.3%(272)
+ 22 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.3%(253)
Swedish0.3%(219)
Polish0.2%(206)
British0.2%(169)
Welsh0.2%(138)
Moroccan0.2%(122)
Guyanese0.1%(99)
French Canadian0.1%(92)
Swiss0.1%(52)
Czech0.1%(50)
West Indian0.1%(49)
Danish0.1%(35)
Egyptian0%(28)
Haitian0%(25)
Portuguese0.1%(24)
Jamaican0%(24)
Austrian0%(21)
Nigerian0%(19)
Greek0%(9)
Canadian0%(8)
Hungarian0%(3)
Belgian0%(2)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
88.0%
+15.7 ptssince 2000
from 72.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
69.1%
+6.1 ptssince 2020
from 63.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
91.4%
+7.6 ptssince 2020
from 83.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married33.8%(10,723)
Married50.5%(16,000)
Widowed4.8%(1,506)
Divorced10.9%(3,465)
Women 15+
Never married29.1%(9,927)
Married46.6%(15,887)
Widowed11.5%(3,916)
Divorced12.8%(4,361)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
13.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 13.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
2.2%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 1.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
58.7%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 58.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
42.2%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 43.1% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)15.4%(585)
Gulf War (1990s)30.5%(1,161)
Vietnam era38.3%(1,457)
Korean War4.1%(155)
World War II0.4%(14)
Share of the 3,802 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
In this metro
Largest cities
What's inside
2 component counties
Drill deeper
Metros similar to Laurel
Huntsville
Pop 83,842
Fort Payne
Pop 74,085
Bluefield
Pop 96,138
Greenwood
Pop 95,215
Places similar to LaurelHead to head
Compare Laurel side by side
LAUREL VS
Huntsville
Income$52,324+2%
Home value$226,900+67%
Population83,842+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAUREL VS
Fort Payne
Income$51,204−1%
Home value$152,700+12%
Population74,085−10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAUREL VS
Bluefield
Income$50,830−1%
Home value$120,328−12%
Population96,138+17%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAUREL VS
Greenwood
Income$52,857+3%
Home value$180,058+32%
Population95,215+16%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Laurel, MS?
Laurel, MS has about 82,531 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Laurel, MS?
The typical household in Laurel, MS earns about $51,524 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Laurel, MS expensive?
In Laurel, MS, the median home is worth about $136,095, and the typical rent is about $841 a month.
How educated are people in Laurel, MS?
About 19.0% of adults age 25 and over in Laurel, MS hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Laurel, MS?
About 18.9% of people in Laurel, MS live below the federal poverty line.
Has Laurel, MS grown since 1990?
Yes, Laurel, MS has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,386 residents, a change of about 4 percent over that period.
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024