Manhattan, KS vs Lawrence, KS

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

MetricManhattan, KSLawrence, KS
Population54,23996,051
Median Household Income$60,172$65,009
Median Rent$1,003/mo$1,091/mo
Median Home Value$246,700$292,700
Cost of Living (US = 100)9090
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income50.1%50.5%
Poverty Rate23.3%17.4%
Unemployment Rate3.1%3.5%
Violent Crime Rate /100k286*441
Property Crime Rate /100k1,169*1,902
Median AQI—37
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs89°F87°F
Winter Lows21°F22°F
Snowfall18 in/yr10 in/yr
Avg Commute17.3 min19.8 min
Hospitals21
Avg Hospital Rating4.0 / 54.0 / 5
Students per Teacher14.817.3
College Degree Rate53.3%55.8%
Foreign-Born %7.6%7.3%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+1.1%+1.5%

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.