Best Life Index › States › Kansas › Cities › Lawrence

Kansas city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Lawrence?

What it costs to live in Lawrence, and how it compares with other Kansas cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

20

25th best value in Kansas

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Kansas cities.

Overall livability

35

19th overall in Kansas

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Lawrence is home to about 94,745 people. A typical home runs $216,700 and a household earns around $56,500, a price-to-income ratio of 3.8. Among Kansas's largest cities, it ranks 25th for value and 19th overall. For context, the typical Lawrence home is about 7% below the statewide median of $232,000 and local household income is about 16% below the statewide median of $66,900.

Lawrence at a glance

Median home price

$216,700

24th in KS of 25

Median rent

$986/mo

Median household income

$56,500

Home price to income

3.8x

Unemployment

4.6%

21st in KS of 25

School rating

4/10

14th in KS of 25

See your real take-home pay in Kansas

Enter your salary and see your paycheck after Kansas taxes.

Calculate my take-home pay ›

‹ See all top Kansas cities ranked  ยท  Kansas state profile ›

More Kansas cities: Kansas City, Lenexa, Manhattan, Olathe, Overland Park, Salina, Shawnee, Topeka, Wichita

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI. City rankings are within Kansas only. Updated 2026.