Signals
Laurel
Natchez
Growth
3 · Bottom 1%
vs7 · Bottom 2%
Climate
75 · Top 20%
vs79 · Top 6%
Physical resilience
48 · Bottom 39%
vs50 · Bottom 42%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 46%
vs94 · Bottom 46%
Access
60 · Bottom 22%
vs58 · Bottom 20%
Economic stability
20 · Bottom 10%
vs4 · Bottom 1%
Measured values
| Metric | Laurel | Natchez | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 82,531 | 54,045 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,236 | $42,104 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,820 | $26,045 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 60/sq mi | 32/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $132,900 | $101,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $846 | $731 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.6% | 71.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.9% | 18.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.9% | 29.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1 | 20 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -92.3% | -37.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 59.6" | 60.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 64 mi | 70 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.7 min | 23.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 40.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Laurel
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, hurricane.
Natchez
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, hail, drought.
Full profiles: Laurel, MS Micro Area · Natchez, MS-LA Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology