What it's like to live in Lawrenceville
Lawrenceville is a small city in Georgia with unemployment below the national average, crime rates well below the national average, a growing population, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Lawrenceville deals with household incomes below the national average, commute times longer than most cities, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Low crime rates
- Growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- High rent burden for renters
- Above-average rainfall
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Lawrenceville compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Lawrenceville
Based on Lawrenceville's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,226
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $64,520 a year
- 58% of Lawrenceville renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$70,120
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $35,060
- Homes cost 5.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 14% above US
$1,613/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,613 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $350,600. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $350,600 · 58% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 21% below US
3.4% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.4%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 40% below US
199 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1660/100k · Lawrenceville Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 23% above US
32 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 32.1 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 88°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 34°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 28% below US
26% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 26%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
10 public schools inside the boundary
There are 10 public schools inside the boundary and 5 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (17 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Lawrenceville's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and commute times longer than most cities. A year of median rent ($1,613/mo) equals 31% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for people who dread long commutes and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Lawrenceville
All Georgia guides →Moving to Snellville →
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Rent $1,818/mo · Income $89,896
Compare with Lawrenceville →Moving to Suwanee →
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Compare with Lawrenceville →Moving to Lilburn →
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Compare with Lawrenceville →Moving to Duluth →
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