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Buying a home in Laurel, Mississippi

The typical owner-occupied home in Laurel is worth about $125,800, 26% below the Mississippi median of $169,800 and 62% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,268 a year in property taxes, about 1.01% of their home's value, higher than the Mississippi rate of 0.72%. The median household earns $47,661 a year, so the median home costs 2.6 times the median income (3.0 times for Mississippi). 63% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 49% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Laurel at a glance

Laurel Mississippi U.S.
Median home value $125,800 $169,800 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,268 $1,215 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.01% 0.72% 0.94%
Median household income $47,661 $56,447 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 63% 70% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 49% 49% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,286 $1,394 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 20.0% 19.8% 21.0%
Median rent $909 $954 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 31.9% 30.7% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1969 1986 1980
Vacant homes 14.5% 14.6% 10.1%
Population 17,679 2,946,779 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Laurel

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Laurel home of $125,800 with 20% down costs about $835 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,045, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $35,799 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 21% of the median Laurel household income of $47,661; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $167,000.

The median rent here is $909 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$25,160
Loan amount$100,640
Principal and interest$677
Property taxes (1.01% a year)$106
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$52
PMI$0
Total per month$835

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$4,403
Loan amount$123,521
Principal and interest$831
Property taxes (1.01% a year)$106
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$52
FHA mortgage insurance$56
Total per month$1,045

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Questions about home buying in Laurel

What is the median home value in Laurel?

About $125,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Laurel?

Homeowners pay a median $1,268 a year, which is about 1.01% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Laurel?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $835 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $35,799 a year.

More about Laurel

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data