What to know before you move: cost, market timing, who it fits.
If you're considering a move to Laurel, MS, the most important variables are the local housing market, the cost structure (taxes, insurance, utilities), and how well the city fits your day-to-day life. This page summarizes the housing market read; pair it with the cost of living page for the full picture.
Laurel is a city in Jones County, Mississippi, with an estimated population of 17,508. The population grew 0.5% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Laurel is $144,946 as of 2026-04, down 3.0% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +2.4% annual growth (-3.5% from the 5-year peak). The composite momentum score is 50 of 100 (Stable). Conditions are neither hot nor cold, so the local fit matters more than market timing.
Sideways market (-3.0% YoY). No urgency to time the macro trend — focus on the home and neighborhood.
Reasons people move here
- Cheap entry point: $144,946 median home is well below the US median of $355k — room to grow without overpaying.
- The data is the data: Laurel has at least 5 years of Zillow tracking, full Census identification, and is included in the 2-criteria momentum score on this page.
Things to know first
- Cooling: -3.0% over the trailing year — momentum has stalled.
- Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.
More about Laurel
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.