Where is HGTV's 'Home Town' Filmed? What Laurel Is Really Like
If you've ever watched HGTV's Home Town and wondered about the charming little town it's filmed in, I'm happy to introduce you to Laurel, Mississippi.
Laurel is located in the southeastern part of the state, about 30 minutes north of Hattiesburg. It was founded as a lumber town in 1882 and is currently home to slightly under 17,000 people. And yes, it's as welcoming and friendly as it seems on television!
Ben and Erin Napier have been tackling home renovations in Laurel, Erin's hometown, on television for about eight years, but they started out renovating their own homes. While we love seeing a lot of Ben and Erin on the show — their personalities, dad jokes, creativity, and resourcefulness — it's clear, if you've been watching along, that the heart of the show truly is in Laurel and their community.
Home Town premiered on HGTV in 2016, and it's only grown since then! The eighth season is currently airing, and there have been two spin-offs. Home Town: Ben's Workshop aired in 2021 with eight episodes. Home Town Takeover, a show led by Ben, Erin, and various designers and renovators in the HGTV family, focuses on revitalization efforts in one town by renovating several homes and public spaces. Season one brought the Napiers to Wetumpka, Alabama. Season two took place in Fort Morgan, Colorado, and season three will feature Sebring, Florida.
In addition to the shows, Ben and Erin also own three stores in historic downtown Laurel. The Mercantile is a great place to find local apparel, goodies, art, candles, and more. The Scotsman General Store is Ben's wood shop, where you'll find cutting and serving boards, rolling pins, and other assorted dry goods. (Also, there is a large walk-in cooler filled with glass bottle sodas.) On the right-hand side of the store, you can see into Ben's workshop from the show! Then there's The Scent Library, a candle store designed to look like an old fashioned library — complete with rolling ladders.
I visited Laurel back in April of 2024 with my family, simply because we love the show and it's not that far from us in Birmingham, Alabama. If you're nearby, it makes the perfect little weekend trip!
There are plenty of small businesses and restaurants to visit in downtown Laurel, plus Trustmark Park and the Lauren Rodgers Museum of Art. There was live music playing in the park when we were there, and it was a really lovely spot to stop and rest while we were exploring.
We bought tickets to Wine Down Downtown, an event on Friday nights with wine tastings at several participating businesses. It's a great way to experience tons of shops in the area at once. There are also walking tours and golf cart tours if you'd like to see some of the Home Town homes for yourself! (I'd recommend purchasing tickets in advance—speaking from experience!) Our weekend consisted of visiting shops, admiring historic homes, sifting through antiques and local markets, and dining at local restaurants. (We didn't see Ben or Erin, but we did glimpse Ben's right-hand workshop man, Josh, at Mimmo’s Ristorante Pizzeria.)
If you find yourself with only one day in Laurel, The Mercantile has a handy itinerary to make the most of your 24-hour visit to this charming, small Southern town.
Catch part two of season 8 of Home Town on HGTV, Sundays at 8 EST/7 CST.
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