Jobs, pay and daily life in Laurel, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Laurel is a city in Mississippi with 17,679 residents. The median household earns $47,661 a year and the median rent is $909 a month, which is 22.9% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Hattiesburg, MS (62,230 jobs), about 24 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Laurel compares. Among the 60 largest places in Mississippi, Laurel is #24 by population, #3 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #42 for college degrees (#1 = most), #23 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Jones County, is #23 of 82 counties for average pay ($47,614).
Laurel has 17,679 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.6% of the population of Mississippi. It covers 18 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 958 people per square mile. The median age is 35.1, 9% younger than the state median (35.1 against 38.6).
The median gross rent is $909 a month (rent plus utilities), 5% below the state median ($909 against $954). Over a year that is 22.9% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $125,800, which is 2.6 times the median household income ($47,661); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 63.2% of households own their home, 10% below the state average (63.2% against 70.0%).
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Hattiesburg, MS, metropolitan area has 62,230 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $37,750 a year, 26% below the national median ($37,750 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (7,970 jobs, median $36,700); food preparation and serving related (7,250 jobs, median $23,780); sales and related (6,940 jobs, median $28,720). The area is most specialised in healthcare practitioners and technical (1.6 times) and food preparation and serving related (1.3 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are healthcare practitioners and technical ($64,620) and office and administrative support ($36,700). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Jones County was 2.5%. 59.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Jones County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 83.0% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 1.0% walk, 5.6% work from home. 5.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 66% below the state average (5.0% against 14.4%).
21.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 13% below the state share (21.8% against 25.1%). 4.2% of residents were born outside the United States, 73% above the state share (4.2% against 2.4%). The poverty rate is 23.3%, 23% above the state rate (23.3% against 18.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 82°F (27.6°C), and the coolest is Jan at 46°F (8.0°C). About 1,525 mm (60 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (149 mm) and Oct the driest (92 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Petal (24 miles, rent 15% higher); Hattiesburg (28 miles, rent 11% higher); West Hattiesburg (30 miles, rent 8% higher); Columbia (50 miles, rent 11% lower). Rent differences are against Laurel; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Mississippi (241) →State guide: MississippiCountry guideJones CountyMississippi rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 241 federal postings open in Mississippi (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
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| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 2,600 | 1.67 | $28,410 | $21,950 | $37,670 | -20% |
| Registered Nurses | 2,190 | 1.62 | $76,270 | $62,210 | $96,520 | -22% |
| Cashiers | 2,110 | 1.71 | $26,040 | $19,780 | $32,390 | -21% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,960 | 1.27 | $22,550 | $18,260 | $28,010 | -28% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,460 | 0.85 | $25,410 | $22,340 | $30,900 | -29% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,280 | 1.24 | $36,700 | $29,880 | $47,040 | -18% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,100 | 0.97 | $31,040 | $26,510 | $39,450 | -17% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,070 | 0.91 | $34,260 | $28,670 | $45,400 | -15% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,010 | 1.11 | $21,830 | $15,080 | $39,220 | -38% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 1,010 | 3.92 | $23,470 | $18,740 | $27,690 | -24% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 850 | 1.39 | $38,810 | $27,940 | $64,150 | -22% |
| Nursing Assistants | 840 | 1.44 | $30,440 | $26,870 | $35,570 | -28% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 840 | 1.88 | $45,910 | $27,800 | $70,690 | -5% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 830 | 1.01 | $48,200 | $35,510 | $63,600 | -18% |
| Office Clerks, General | 820 | 0.83 | $35,690 | $21,920 | $48,260 | -21% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 810 | 0.91 | $27,400 | $21,420 | $34,710 | -26% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 790 | 1.15 | $35,620 | $26,060 | $54,250 | -25% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 680 | 1.39 | $34,750 | $26,950 | $57,450 | -21% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 680 | 1.18 | $55,670 | $37,220 | $81,550 | -20% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 670 | 1.57 | $49,590 | $46,300 | $61,400 | -31% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Hattiesburg, MS, about 24 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $37,750 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 23.1% |
| Education and health care | 19.1% |
| Retail trade | 13.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.6% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 6.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.3% |
| Other services | 5.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 4.6% |
| Construction | 4.4% |
| Public administration | 4.2% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.2% |
| Information | 0.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Laurel lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jones County | 66,472 | $3,600 million | $54,155 | 28,390 | 1,434 | $47,614 | +2.5% | 2.5% | 30,196 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 8,147 | 38.7% | $55,120 | 3.49 |
| Retail trade | 2,882 | 13.7% | $31,136 | 1.02 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,128 | 10.1% | $16,974 | 0.82 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,793 | 8.5% | $41,286 | 0.44 |
| Construction | 1,039 | 4.9% | $64,301 | 0.70 |
| Wholesale trade | 822 | 3.9% | $63,907 | 0.73 |
| Administrative and waste services | 797 | 3.8% | $40,193 | 0.48 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 694 | 3.3% | $55,949 | 0.58 |
| Finance and insurance | 614 | 2.9% | $60,216 | 0.53 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 567 | 2.7% | $85,427 | 5.28 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 426 | 2.0% | $44,808 | 0.50 |
| Utilities | 302 | 1.4% | $78,828 | 2.80 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 230 | 1.1% | $44,941 | 1.00 |
| Real estate and rental | 211 | 1.0% | $53,299 | 0.48 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 183 | 0.9% | $19,878 | 0.38 |
| Information | 140 | 0.7% | $59,454 | 0.26 |
| Educational services | 91 | 0.4% | $67,645 | 0.16 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 83.0% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 1.0% |
| Work from home | 5.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 5.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $47,661 |
| Income per person | $30,835 |
| Median gross rent per month | $909 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 22.9% |
| Median home value | $125,800 |
| Homeowners | 63.2% |
| Poverty rate | 23.3% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 87.6 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $37,750 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 4.00%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 35.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 87.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 21.8% |
| Born abroad | 4.2% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 59.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8.0 | 46 | 119 |
| Feb | 10.5 | 51 | 140 |
| Mar | 14.4 | 58 | 143 |
| Apr | 18.4 | 65 | 126 |
| May | 22.8 | 73 | 116 |
| Jun | 26.7 | 80 | 149 |
| Jul | 27.6 | 82 | 149 |
| Aug | 27.2 | 81 | 145 |
| Sep | 24.9 | 77 | 106 |
| Oct | 19.5 | 67 | 92 |
| Nov | 13.3 | 56 | 92 |
| Dec | 9.6 | 49 | 148 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petal | MS | 24 mi | 11,294 | $74,750 | $1,047 |
| Hattiesburg | MS | 28 mi | 48,619 | $46,342 | $1,005 |
| West Hattiesburg | MS | 30 mi | 6,715 | $39,366 | $978 |
| Columbia | MS | 50 mi | 6,632 | $38,507 | $806 |
| Meridian | MS | 55 mi | 34,137 | $36,562 | $910 |
| Brandon | MS | 64 mi | 25,542 | $92,783 | $1,382 |
| Pearl | MS | 68 mi | 27,737 | $61,695 | $1,175 |
| Richland | MS | 70 mi | 7,346 | $66,558 | $1,185 |
| Flowood | MS | 70 mi | 10,587 | $83,880 | $1,430 |
| Philadelphia | MS | 75 mi | 6,996 | $50,788 | $791 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
17,679 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$909 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 22.9% of the median household income.
$47,661 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.5% (BLS county, Jones County (latest month 2026M09)).
Mississippi. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.