What it's like to live in Lawrence
Lawrence is a smaller city in Kansas with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Lawrence deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and cold winters.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
How Lawrence compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Lawrence
Based on Lawrence's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,182
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $43,640 a year
- 51% of Lawrence renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$58,540
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $29,270
- Homes cost 4.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 23% below US
$1,091/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,091 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $292,700. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $292,700 · 51% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 19% below US
3.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.5%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 34% above US
441 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 1902/100k · Lawrence Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 24% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.8 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 16% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 87°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 22°F and snow a regular occurrence.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 55% above US
56% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
18 public schools inside the boundary
There are 18 public schools inside the boundary and 5 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park (23 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Lawrence's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,091/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, remote workers (16% of workers here already work from home), and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Lawrence
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