Health · Laurel

Laurel, MS health

Laurel differs from Mississippi on 16 of 40 measures. It has fewer binge drinkers (10.8% vs 13.6%). Where it trails the state: more adults facing a utility shut-off (17.3% vs 11.2%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Laurel

DHealth Grade

TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Laurel’s Health Grade: D

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Laurel is healthier than 7% of U.S. towns.

DSelf-rated healthC-Physical distressC+Mental distressD-ObesityD-DiabetesDSmokingD-Exercise

All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 7%

Less healthyHealthier

Mississippi towns we grade (194)Healthier than 36%

Towns with similar incomes, $36K–$60K (4,596)Healthier than 20%

About what its income would suggest. Laurel does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Laurel could be anywhere from D− to C−.

How the Health Grade works

Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Mississippi ranking.
Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Laurel with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Laurel uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.

Report card

How Laurel compares with Mississippi

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Laurel adults…

51 of every 100 Laurel adults have high blood pressure

Mississippi: 45 in 100 · worse · margin 47.2–55.5%

Bars show Laurel; the black tick is Mississippi. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Laurel, betterLaurel, worseToo close to callMississippi

Get no exerciseshare of adults 42.3% Laurel
MS 34%

Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 36.5% Laurel
MS 38.4%

Binge drinkshare of adults 10.8% Laurel
MS 13.6%

Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 19.5% Laurel
MS 16.9%

0%10%20%30%40%50%

Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Laurel adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Mississippi.

Yearly checkup

MS 82%

Dentist visit

MS 9%

Cholesterol check

MS 86%

Colon screening

MS 62%

Mammogram

MS 74%

Taking BP meds

MS 80%

1 in 7

working-age adults has no health insurance

Laurel 14.8% · Mississippi 1 in 9 (11.5%)

Mind & connection

How Laurel adults are doing

1 in 3Laurel adults feel lonely

38.8% · Mississippi 36.4% · too close to call

1 in 6Laurel adults have been diagnosed with depression

17.9% · Mississippi 19.5% · too close to call

1 in 3Laurel adults lack social or emotional support

32.8% · Mississippi 28.9% · too close to call

1 in 6Laurel adults are in frequent mental distress

17.8% · Mississippi 17.3% · too close to call

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 3

Laurel adults worry about having enough food

32.5% · MS 22.4% · worse

1 in 4

Laurel adults worry about keeping their housing

24.1% · MS 16.8% · worse

1 in 6

Laurel adults were threatened with a utility shut-off

17.3% · MS 11.2% · worse

1 in 6

Laurel adults lack reliable transportation

17.2% · MS 11.9% · worse

23.1% of Laurel adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.6% across Mississippi.

Disability

Living with a disability

43%

of Laurel adults live with a disability (Mississippi 38.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs23.7%

Thinking or memory19.7%

Hearing8.4%

Errands alone13.3%

Vision10%

Dressing or bathing7.5%

Black tick: Mississippi. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Laurel

Laurel and the towns around it

Care nearby

South Central Reg Med CtrLaurel · 0.5 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Jasper General HospitalBay Springs · 21.6 mi Directions Medicare profile

Covington County Hospital CahCollins · 24.2 mi · ER · rural critical access Directions Medicare profile

Forrest General HospitalHattiesburg · 25.9 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Family Health Ctr - Ob/Gyn ClinicLaurel · 0.4 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

New Ob/Gyn Clinic at Family Health CenterLaurel · 0.5 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

! Primary careLaurel's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Jones County · need score 21 of 25

! Dental careLaurel's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Jones County · need score 20 of 25

! Mental healthLaurel's county is a federal shortage area.Mental Health Catchment Area 12 · need score 13 of 25

Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes). Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of Laurel. Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

All 40 measures for Laurel

Measure	Laurel	Margin	Mississippi
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure	51.4%	47.2–55.5%	44.9%	worse
High cholesterol	39.4%	35.1–43.6%	38.8%	about the same
Obesity	46.7%	39.6–53.8%	40.4%	about the same
Arthritis	31.9%	28.6–35.2%	29.9%	about the same
Depression	17.9%	15–21%	19.5%	about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)	24.7%	20.8–29.1%	18.5%	worse
Asthma	10.8%	9.4–12.1%	10%	about the same
Cancer (not skin)	6.9%	6.2–7.6%	7.6%	about the same
Diabetes	19.6%	17.3–22%	15.5%	worse
COPD	10.1%	9–11.4%	8.6%	worse
Heart disease	8.6%	7.7–9.5%	7.5%	worse
Stroke	5.8%	5.3–6.3%	4.5%	worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes	19.5%	17–22.2%	16.9%	worse
Binge drink	10.8%	8.8–13.2%	13.6%	better
Get no exercise	42.3%	37.2–47.4%	34%	worse
Sleep under 7 hours	36.5%	30.7–42.8%	38.4%	about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup	82.9%	79.7–85.7%	81.5%	about the same
Dentist visit	7.6%	6.4–8.9%	9.3%	worse
Cholesterol check	85.6%	83.6–87.4%	86.2%	about the same
Colon screening	62%	57–67%	61.8%	about the same
Mammogram	75.8%	68.4–82.3%	74%	about the same
Taking BP meds	81%	78.5–83.1%	79.7%	about the same
No health insurance	14.8%	12.8–17.2%	11.5%	worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely	38.8%	33.8–43.7%	36.4%	about the same
Lack emotional support	32.8%	28.8–36.9%	28.9%	about the same
Frequent mental distress	17.8%	15.7–19.9%	17.3%	about the same
Fair or poor health	30.3%	27–33.7%	24.4%	worse
Frequent physical distress	16.6%	14.7–18.7%	14.8%	about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity	32.5%	29–36%	22.4%	worse
Housing insecurity	24.1%	21.3–27%	16.8%	worse
Utility shut-off threat	17.3%	15.3–19.3%	11.2%	worse
No reliable transportation	17.2%	15.4–19.1%	11.9%	worse
Receive SNAP	23.1%	20.3–26.1%	13.6%
Disability
Any disability	43%	38.4–47.4%	38.1%
Walking or climbing stairs	23.7%	21.1–26.3%	18.8%
Thinking or memory	19.7%	17.5–21.9%	17.5%
Hearing	8.4%	7.4–9.4%	8.1%
Vision	10%	9.1–10.9%	7%
Dressing or bathing	7.5%	6.8–8.2%	5.3%
Errands alone	13.3%	12–14.8%	10.4%

About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Laurel door to door.

Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Mississippi figure falls inside it, we don't call Laurel better or worse.

CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Laurel directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Mississippi figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.