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Demographics of Laurel, MS
Affluence Level in Laurel, MS
A below-average socioeconomic profile. Incomes, home values, and educational attainment trail the U.S., with higher poverty and unemployment.
People of Laurel, MS
The people of Laurel, Mississippi, today form a predominantly Black-majority community of 17,129 residents, with a White population of 28.2% and a small but growing Hispanic share of 6.7%. The city’s character is shaped by its deep roots in the timber and railroad industries, a strong sense of local identity, and a population density that feels both small-town and historically layered. Distinctive markers include a high rate of homeownership in older neighborhoods, a visible presence of historic churches, and a population that is notably less diverse in foreign-born residents (just 3.3%) than the national average, reflecting a community shaped more by domestic migration than international immigration.
How the city was settled and grew
Laurel was founded in 1882 as a planned company town for the Eastman, Gardiner & Company lumber mill, which drew the first wave of workers—largely White laborers from the Midwest and Northeast, along with skilled timber workers. The city’s early growth was explosive: by 1900, the population had reached 3,000, driven by the timber boom that made Laurel the “Magic City” of Mississippi. The original White workforce settled in the North Laurel and West Laurel neighborhoods, where modest mill-worker cottages still stand. A second major wave came between 1900 and 1930, when Black laborers from rural Mississippi and Alabama arrived to work in the mills and as domestic servants, forming the core of what became the East Laurel and South Laurel communities—historically Black neighborhoods that developed their own churches, schools, and businesses. The city’s population peaked at around 21,000 in the 1960 census, with the White share still above 60% at that time.
Modern era (post-1965)
After the 1965 Hart-Cellar Act, Laurel saw only a modest uptick in foreign-born residents—today just 3.3% of the population—but the city underwent a dramatic domestic demographic shift. White flight accelerated in the 1970s and 1980s as the timber industry declined and school desegregation took hold, with many White families moving to newer subdivisions in West Laurel or to unincorporated areas outside city limits. This left the city’s core neighborhoods—especially East Laurel and South Laurel—overwhelmingly Black, while the White population concentrated in the North Laurel and Glendale areas. By the 2000 census, the Black share had risen to 58%, and by 2020 it reached 64.7%. The Hispanic population grew from negligible levels in 1990 to 6.7% today, largely through domestic migration from Texas and other Southern states, with a small cluster forming in the Glendale area near the industrial parks. The East/Southeast Asian share (0.1%) and Indian-subcontinent share (0.1%) remain negligible, reflecting no significant post-1965 immigration wave to the city.
The future
Laurel’s population is projected to continue its slow decline, mirroring trends across rural Mississippi, with the 2020 census showing a drop from 18,540 in 2010 to 17,129. The city is not homogenizing into a single identity but rather tribalizing into distinct enclaves: East Laurel and South Laurel remain overwhelmingly Black and lower-income, while North Laurel and Glendale are more mixed but still majority-White. The Hispanic community, though small, is growing steadily and may reach 8-10% by 2035, but it is not forming a distinct ethnic enclave—Hispanic residents are dispersed across West Laurel and Glendale. The foreign-born share is unlikely to rise significantly, as Laurel lacks the industrial or agricultural draw that attracts immigrants to other parts of Mississippi. The city’s college-educated share (20.4%) is below the national average, and outmigration of young adults to larger cities continues, suggesting a population that will age and shrink further.
For someone moving in now, Laurel is becoming a quieter, older, and more economically challenged small city where racial lines remain visible in neighborhood boundaries. The city’s future likely holds a continued Black majority, a slowly growing Hispanic minority, and a White population that is older and concentrated in specific areas. New residents should expect a community where local identity is strong but economic opportunity is limited, and where the demographic story is one of domestic migration and suburbanization rather than international diversity.
* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-05-01T01:04:07.000Z
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