LawrenceIL
A town settled in 1856, now home to 358 people.
Is Lawrence a good place to live?
Lawrence’s average commute is 38 minutes, against 26 minutes in Illinois’ towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. No town among the 769 in Illinois we compare has a higher share of households owning their home than Lawrence. Lawrence has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
358 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Lawrence: who provides what
Lawrence is unincorporated, so McHenry County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Lawrence.
Most of Lawrence’s workers head elsewhere: there are 0.2 jobs for each of them
For working residents in Lawrence, the share who work locally is 1%. The top destinations are Harvard (13%), Chicago (11%) and Woodstock (4%). Half commute less than 23 miles.
| Lawrence | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.2% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards: low risk in Lawrence, mostly inland flooding
The risk rating from FEMA in Lawrence is 26 of 100. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 50% come from inland flooding and 21% from cold waves. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 74% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Four seasons and pleasant summers: that is Lawrence’s year
For Lawrence, the peak summer temperature is 83°F.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
How healthy Lawrence is
17% of adults in Lawrence smoke cigarettes; 15% report frequent physical distress. In Lawrence, 29% of adults get no exercise outside work.
| Lawrence | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 18% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 23% | 25% |
| What stands out | Lawrence | IL |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 19.3% | 10.3% |
| More smokers | 17.1% | 12.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.9% | 6.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about Lawrence
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Lawrence; the nearest are
College town 21 of every 100 Lawrence residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
99% of working residents leave Lawrence for work
Where Lawrence’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Questions about Lawrence
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lawrence, IL a good place to live?
Lawrence has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.