Violent
Property
Total
Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI 2024 crime data, Laurel, MS has a Safety Score of 4/100 — higher crime than 96% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 4,839.9 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,853 of 2,971 US cities and #22 of 23 in Mississippi.
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Laurel, Mississippi Safe?
Laurel, Mississippi, a city in Jones County, is known for its historic downtown, featured in a popular home renovation show. Situated in the Pine Belt region, it has a population of around 18,000 residents.
Laurel has a safety score of 4/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data for 2024, the city reported a total crime rate of 4,839.9 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,752.3 per 100,000.
Laurel ranks #22 out of 23 cities in Mississippi and #2853 out of 2971 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 4th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 96% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Laurel is murder, at 23.6 per 100K — 3.8x the national average.
Year over year, Laurel's total crime rate decreased by 18.5%, with violent crime rising 3.5%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Laurel Crime Statistics Breakdown (2024)
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 178 | 1,051.9 | 473.3 |
| Murder | 4 | 23.6 | 6.2 |
| Rape | 17 | 100.5 | 43.4 |
| Robbery | 16 | 94.6 | 93.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 141 | 833.2 | 330.0 |
| Property Crime | 641 | 3,788.0 | 2,279.1 |
| Burglary | 121 | 715.1 | 287.8 |
| Larceny-Theft | 457 | 2,700.6 | 1,638.9 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 63 | 372.3 | 352.4 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Laurel vs Mississippi Average
How does Laurel's crime rate compare to the Mississippi state average?
| Metric | Laurel | Mississippi Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 1,051.9 | 242.6 | +333.5% |
| Property Crime Rate | 3,788.0 | 2,093.9 | +80.9% |
| Murder Rate | 23.6 | 7.9 | +200.0% |
| Total Crime Rate | 4,839.9 | 2,336.5 | +107.1% |
Laurel Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Laurel, Mississippi.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 16,922 | 4,839.9 | 1,051.9 | 3,788.0 |
| 2023 | 17,025 | 5,938.3 | 1,016.2 | 4,922.2 |
| 2022 | 17,066 | 5,197.5 | 615.3 | 4,582.2 |
| 2021 | 18,165 | 5,147.3 | 671.6 | 4,475.6 |
| 2020 | 18,317 | 4,416.7 | 731.6 | 3,685.1 |
| 2019 | 18,471 | 5,007.9 | 676.7 | 4,331.1 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Laurel, Mississippi safe?
Laurel has a safety score of 4/100, meaning it has less crime than about 4% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 4,839.9 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Laurel is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Laurel, Mississippi?
According to FBI data for 2024, Laurel has a violent crime rate of 1,051.9 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 3,788.0 per 100,000 residents.
How does Laurel compare to the national average?
Laurel's total crime rate of 4,839.9 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 16,922 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Laurel?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Laurel include larceny-theft, aggravated assault, and burglary. Property crime is generally more common than violent crime.
Is Laurel safe to visit?
Like any city, Laurel has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 4/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.