Lawrence, KS vs Manhattan, KS

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricLawrence, KSManhattan, KS
Population96,05154,239
Median Household Income$65,009$60,172
Median Rent$1,091/mo$1,003/mo
Median Home Value$292,700$246,700
Cost of Living (US = 100)9090
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income50.5%50.1%
Poverty Rate17.4%23.3%
Unemployment Rate3.5%3.1%
Violent Crime Rate /100k441286*
Property Crime Rate /100k1,9021,169*
Median AQI37—
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs87°F89°F
Winter Lows22°F21°F
Snowfall10 in/yr18 in/yr
Avg Commute19.8 min17.3 min
Hospitals12
Avg Hospital Rating4.0 / 54.0 / 5
Students per Teacher17.314.8
College Degree Rate55.8%53.3%
Foreign-Born %7.3%7.6%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+1.5%+1.1%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.
* Rate of the agency that polices Manhattan (the city has no police department of its own), so it isn’t scored.