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Neighborhood report

Laurel, MS

Founded 1882Jones CountyElev. 82 m
Population
17,129
Median home
$110,200
Disaster risk
Relatively Low
Public schools
15
Sex offenders
13

Overview

About Laurel

Laurel is a city in Mississippi with about 17,129 residents. Laurel was founded in 1882 and sits in Jones County. The median age is 35.6 and the median household income is $37,781. Homes carry a median value of $110,200, and about 61% of residents own where they live. Black residents make up the largest share of the population (64.7%). Around 20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the typical commute runs about 17 minutes.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (5-year).

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Who lives here

Demographics

Population
17,129
Median age
35.6
Median household income
$37,781
Per-capita income
$27,893
Poverty rate
31.6%
High-school grad or higher
85%
Bachelor's degree or higher
20.4%
Unemployment
5.6%
Avg. commute
17 min
Work from home
4.2%
Residents by race & ethnicity
White28.2%
Hispanic or Latino6.7%
Black64.7%
Asian0.2%
Workforce by occupation
Production, transportation & material moving28.6%
Service22.9%
Management, business, science & arts20.3%
Sales & office19.7%
Natural resources, construction & maintenance8.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (5-year).

Housing

Property report

Median home value
$110,200
Median gross rent
$839/mo
Owner-occupied
61.1%
Median year built
1969
Households
6,597
Avg. household size
2.54

Area-level figures. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS (5-year). Parcel-level records coming next.

Education

Schools

Schools: Below average

Laurel has 15 public schools — 8 elementary, 1 middle, 5 high.

Student proficiency · grade 8, 12 schools
Reading7%
Math11%

% of students at or above proficient on state assessments.

JONES CO CAREER & TECH ED CENTERHighGrades 7–12
LAUREL HIGH SCHOOLHighGrades 9–12
LAUREL HIGH SCHOOL VOC COMPLEXHighGrades 9–12
NORTHEAST JONES HIGH SCHOOLHighGrades 7–12
WEST JONES HIGH SCHOOLHighGrades 7–12
LAUREL MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddleGrades 6–8
EAST JONES ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementaryGrades -1–6
GLADE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementaryGrades -1–6
LAUREL MAGNET SCHOOL OF THE ARTSElementaryGrades -1–6
LAUREL UPPER ELEMENTARYElementaryGrades 4–5
MASON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementaryGrades -1–3
NORTH JONES ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementaryGrades -1–6
OAK PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementaryGrades -1–3
WEST JONES ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementaryGrades -1–6

Public schools + grade-8 proficiency. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES directory + EDFacts assessments), via Urban Institute.

Safety

Crime

violent crime163% above national
Laurel1,016
Mississippi213
United States386
↑ 50% higher than 2019
2019–2023
property crime154% above national
Laurel4,952
Mississippi1,667
United States1,952
↑ 14% higher than 2019
2019–2023

Rate per 100,000 residents/year, Laurel Police Department, 2023. Source: FBI UCR/NIBRS (Crime Data Explorer).

Environment

Environmental hazards

Toxic-release sites and regulated facilities in and around Laurel.

Data source being added: U.S. EPA — Toxics Release Inventory (public). We show real, sourced figures only — never estimates.

Risk

Natural disaster risk

Relatively Low
Top hazards · Jones County
LightningRelatively High
Strong windRelatively High
TornadoRelatively High
Cold waveRelatively Moderate
HailRelatively Moderate
Heat waveRelatively Moderate

County-level natural-hazard risk. Source: FEMA National Risk Index.

Context

Neighborhood info

Laurel is in Jones County — see county-wide risk, demographics, and registry.

Laurel was founded in 1882 and sits in Jones County. Elevation ~82 m.

Map of Laurel
Laurel, MS
Where Laurel is
JacksonGulfportSouthavenHattiesburgBiloxiOlive BranchLaurel
Historic places

3 on the National Register of Historic Places.

Rogers, Newell, HouseNew Orleans and Northeastern Railroad DepotMason, William H. and Marian D., House
Notable people from Laurel
Leontyne PriceRay WalstonMarsha BlackburnLance BassRalph BostonLee CalhounMary Elizabeth EllisTom LesterMundell LoweFrank Wisner
People searches in Laurel
Michael Smith (3)John Smith (2)James SmithDavid SmithRobert SmithMichael JohnsonJohn JohnsonJames JohnsonMichael WilliamsWilliam SmithDavid JohnsonRobert JohnsonJohn WilliamsMichael BrownMichael JonesJames WilliamsDavid WilliamsJohn BrownRobert WilliamsJohn JonesWilliam JohnsonMary SmithJames BrownJames Jones
Nearby cities
Petal (25 mi)Hattiesburg (29 mi)Meridian (55 mi)Brandon (64 mi)Pearl (68 mi)Flowood (70 mi)

Registered sex offenders in Laurel, MS (13)

Public sex-offender registry records for Laurel, Mississippi.

Kenneth Harris, 48ABSCONDER
Laurel · 39443
AKA Kenneth Byron Harris, Kenneth B Harris
Kenneth Byron Harris, 48
Laurel · Jones County · 39443
AKA Kenneth Harris, Kenneth B Harris
Kenneth Maurice Davis, 60
Laurel · Jones County · 39440
AKA Kenneth M Davis, Kenneth M Davis
Lewis Shelby, 72
Laurel · Jones County · 39440
AKA Shelby Lewis, Leon Shelby
Joseph Glenn Jones, 65
Laurel · Jones County · 39440
AKA Jo-Jo Jones, Joseph Jones
Donald Williams, 55
Laurel · Jones County · 39440
AKA X Don, Don Williams
Carlos Luis Sanchez, 41
Laurel · Jones County · 39440
AKA Carlos Sanchez, Carlos L Sanchez Valencia
Drexel B Brown, 61
Laurel · Jones County · 39440
AKA Drexel Brown, Drexel Bouver Brown
Christopher Shaun Taylor, 48
Laurel · Jones County · 39440
AKA Christopher Taylor, Christopher S Taylor
Joseph Diaz, 64
Laurel · Jones County · 39443
AKA Jose Diaz, Jose Torres
Samuel Johnson, 69
Laurel · Jones County · 39440
AKA David Johnson, Samuel D Johnson
Jack Daniel Allen, 61
Laurel · Jones County · 39443
AKA John D Allen, John M Allen
Albert James Jones, 68
Laurel · Jones County · 39440
AKA Albert Jones, James Jones

Source: Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) and state registries. Public record. This information is provided for public awareness. Using it to harass, threaten, or discriminate against any registrant, or for any purpose prohibited by law, is illegal. Verify against the official registry record before relying on it.

Common questions

Laurel — frequently asked

What is the population of Laurel, Mississippi?
Laurel has a population of about 17,129, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year).
What is the average home value in Laurel?
The median home value in Laurel is $110,200, and the median gross rent is $839/month (U.S. Census ACS).
Is Laurel safe? What is the crime rate?
Laurel Police Department reported a violent-crime rate of about 1,016 per 100,000 residents in 2023 — higher than the U.S. rate of 386. Source: FBI UCR/NIBRS.
What natural-disaster risks does Laurel face?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Jones County as "Relatively Low" overall, with top hazards including lightning, strong wind, tornado.
How many schools are in Laurel?
Laurel has 15 public schools (8 elementary, 1 middle, 5 high). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, NCES.
How many registered sex offenders are in Laurel?
Public registry data lists 13 registered sex offenders in or near Laurel. This is neighborhood-safety information from the public state registry.
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