Laurel vs Waynesboro
Laurel, Mississippi versus Waynesboro, Mississippi: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Laurel and Waynesboro score about the same overall (37 vs 38 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Laurel | Waynesboro |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $36k | $25k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $47k |
| Home Value | $111k | $85k |
| Monthly Rent | $738 | $709 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $4k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.17% | 0.93% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 7.06% | 7.06% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.93% | 10.52% |
| Unemployment | 6.3% | 5.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 48°F | 48°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 81°F | 81°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 59.6 in | 60.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 256 days | 256 days |
| Summer Humidity | 71°F | 71°F |
| Comfortable Days | 80 days | 79 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 75.3 | 88.0 |
| Air Quality | 55 AQI | 49 AQI |
| School Quality | 41.9 | 43.2 |
| Violent Crime | 3774/100k | 2958/100k |
| Property Crime | 4582/100k | 1876/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 17,241 | 4,576 |
| Median Age | 37.6 | 38.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.47 | 0.54 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | R+43 | R+27 |
| White (%) | 30.1% | 38.5% |
| Black (%) | 65.5% | 55.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.8% | 5.4% |
| Asian (%) | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 18 min | — |
| Walkability | 7.9/20 | 8.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 136 mi | 151 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 63.8% | 83.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 17.40 | 19.67 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Laurel or Waynesboro more affordable?
- Laurel has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Laurel's $46k and Waynesboro's $47k. Median rent is $738 in Laurel versus $709 in Waynesboro.
- Is Laurel or Waynesboro safer?
- Waynesboro has the lower violent crime rate. Laurel reports 3774/100k and Waynesboro reports 2958/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Laurel or Waynesboro?
- The median home value is $111k in Laurel and $85k in Waynesboro, so homes are more affordable in Waynesboro.