Laurel is a city located in Jones County in Mississippi, a state of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,393 although a significant population increase has been reported following Hurricane Katrina.
Located in southeast Mississippi, southeast of Jackson on Tallahala Creek, Laurel was founded in 1882. Laurel's major employers include Howard Industries, Sanderson Farms, Masonite Corporation, Family Health Center, Howse Implement, and South Central Regional Medical Center. An American Indian reservation is located in nearby Sandersville.Laurel is the birthplace of many celebrities including Lance Bass of the pop group NSYNC. It was the childhood home of opera legend Leontyne Price. |