City safety & data profile

MeridianMS

Meridian, MS is a 40K-resident city in Lauderdale County with a median household income of $36,562.

Lauderdale County, Mississippi. Federal health, economic, and safety indicators for Meridian, drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, CDC PLACES, and CMS Hospital Compare. Meridian has a population larger than 73% of the 4,640 U.S. cities Areazine tracks, a median home value of $107,900, and 4 hospitals serving the surrounding area.

Data updated 2026-07-20

40K
Population
Top 27%
By size
$36,562
Median income
$107,900
Median home
34.3%
Poverty rate

The read on Meridian

Meridian posts a median household income higher than 1% of U.S. cities Areazine tracks, where 4 hospitals serve the Meridian area.

Top 99%
by median income, US cities
4
hospitals in & near Meridian

Where Meridian income ranks nationally

Median household income vs. every place Areazine profiles (place-level ACS)

$36,562 Bottom 1% higher than 1% of 3,889 places Areazine profiles

$0–$20,000: 0 places Areazine profiles (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 71 places Areazine profiles (2%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 788 places Areazine profiles (20%). Above this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 1,055 places Areazine profiles (27%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 768 places Areazine profiles (20%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 515 places Areazine profiles (13%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 308 places Areazine profiles (8%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 171 places Areazine profiles (4%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 92 places Areazine profiles (2%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 47 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $220,000–$240,000: 18 places Areazine profiles (0%). Above this entry. $240,000–$260,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. MS $0 $260,000 every profiled place, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more places Areazine profiles. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (place-level) · 2024 ACS 5-year

The quick read

Reading Meridian, MS beyond the headline numbers

Meridian sits inside Lauderdale County, Mississippi, at roughly 32.36°N, -88.70°W. Population 39,661, $36,562 median household income. Median home value $107,900, median rent $910. Poverty rate 34.3%, read against that income figure since two cities on the same median can differ underneath it.

CDC PLACES: Meridian's highest-prevalence health measure is high blood pressure at 50.6%, then obesity at 46.2%. 4 hospitals in/around Meridian, 2.5/5 avg rating, 2 with an ER.

Sources: U.S. Census ACS, CDC PLACES, CMS Hospital Compare, plus live alerts for Meridian from FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC. Comparison bars benchmark each metric against the national reference.

Population
39,661
Meridian
Median Income
$36,562
-46% vs avg
Median Home Value
$107,900
-53% vs avg
Median Age
39.4
years

10-Year Trends 2013–2024

County-level trend (Lauderdale County) - Meridian's own historical series isn't separately published by the Census Bureau, so these year-over-year figures track the surrounding county, not the city alone.

20132024
Population
72K-11%
Median Income
$50,817+40%
Median Home Value
$133,300+53%
Poverty Rate
26.3%+9%
Unemployment
5.6%-49%

Economics

Economics indicators for Meridian, MS
IndicatorValue
Median Rent
$910/mo
Poverty Rate
34.3% +142% vs avg
Unemployment 7.8%
Bachelor's Degree+ 21.8%
Work From Home 5.1%
Public Transit 0.1%

Population

White 30.9%
African American 59.7%
Asian 1.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.9%

Health Profile 15 measures

Health Indicators

High Blood Pressure
50.6%
Obesity
46.2%
Short Sleep Duration
44.6%
Physical Inactivity
41.2%
Current Smoking
22%
Diabetes
19.7%
Frequent Mental Distress
19.3%
Frequent Physical Distress
17.7%
Lack of Health Insurance
14.9%
Current Asthma
11.3%

Preventive Care

Dental Visit 7.6%
Annual Checkup 82.9%

Other Measures

Binge Drinking
11%
Coronary Heart Disease
8.9%
Stroke
6.3%

Hospitals 4 total

Rating Distribution
★★★★★
0
★★★★
0
★★★
1
★★
1
0
Average Rating
2.5/5
Total Hospitals
4
With ER
2
OCHSNER RUSH HOSPITAL
MERIDIAN · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★☆☆
ANDERSON REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
MERIDIAN · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★☆☆☆

Frequently Asked Questions 6

What is the population of Meridian, MS?
Meridian, MS has a population of 39,661 people, located in Lauderdale County, Mississippi.
What is the median household income in Meridian?
The median household income in Meridian, MS is $36,562 per year, per the U.S. Census ACS. The poverty rate is 34.3%.
What is the median home value in Meridian?
The median home value in Meridian, MS is $107,900. Median rent is $910/month.
What are the top health concerns in Meridian?
The top health indicators in Meridian include High Blood Pressure (50.6%), Obesity (46.2%), Short Sleep Duration (44.6%). Data from CDC PLACES.
How many hospitals are in Meridian?
Meridian has 4 hospitals with an average rating of 2.5/5 stars. 2 have emergency departments.
What is the median age in Meridian?
The median age in Meridian, MS is 39.4 years. 21.8% of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Safety Context

Meridian, MS is located in Lauderdale County, Mississippi. With a population of 40K and a $36,562 median household income, the community faces health challenges including high blood pressure and obesity. Residents have access to 4 hospitals with an average rating of 2.5/5 stars. Safety alerts for the Meridian area are monitored from federal and state agencies including FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC.

Safety Guides

Primary source data

Nearby Cities 8

Using Meridian's profile

Use this as a starting research checklist, not a verdict on whether to live here.

  • Check live recalls, weather and hazard alerts scoped to the Meridian area before relying on national headlines. Check your area
  • Read the poverty rate alongside the income figure, two places with the same median can have very different realities.
  • Compare Meridian against Mississippi peers on any ranking lens. Explore Mississippi

Population and economics (income, home value, poverty, education) are place-level U.S. Census ACS; health is CDC PLACES; hospital counts reflect facilities in and around the city.

Data Sources

All data on this page comes from official U.S. government sources. Population and economic data from the Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates, place geography). Health data from the CDC PLACES program (2023). Hospital ratings from CMS Hospital Compare (2024). Climate data from NOAA. Education data from NCES. Cost of living from Bureau of Economic Analysis. Crime statistics, where referenced on Areazine, originate from the FBI Crime Data Explorer. Housing market figures referenced on Areazine come from HUD Fair Market Rents. Census economics and population are at place geography; some health and hospital indicators are reported at the county level (Lauderdale County) where that is the smallest published unit.

Every figure on Areazine is published directly from official U.S. government sources, no number is typed in by an editor. City demographic and health figures are compiled directly from U.S. Census, CDC, and CMS releases, updated quarterly within 30 days of upstream release. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.