Lawrence grades B− overall, 77th of 150 graded towns in Kansas, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 79% of the country and it has 46 miles of trail. On the other side, homes are expensive, about $332K for a typical one and 4.8 times the Lawrence metro’s $70K median household income. 52% of working residents work locally in Lawrence, above both Kansas’ towns (15%) and U.S. towns (8%). Only 3 of Kansas’ 372 towns score higher on walkability. Its National Register listings include Haskell Institute and Old Lawrence City Hall.

StrongestAOutdoors AWalkability A⁻HealthWeakestC⁻Cost of living CSafety

What makes Lawrence stand out

Where Lawrence beats most towns.

Haskell Institute

History

Settled in 1854

66 places on the National Register

A history going back 172 years.

Conserved land & trails

OutdoorsA

#9 most trails in KS

WalkabilityA

More walkable than 91% of U.S. towns

8.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transit

EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.

Haskell Institute · National Register of Historic Places

Lawrence’s story

172 years in pictures

Haskell Institute is a National Historic Landmark, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1854, comes before those of 91% of the Kansas towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 1,645 in 1860, 94,934 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1854 and 3 maps from 1950 on.

66 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1854Lawrence is settled

Explore the history →

How Lawrence grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Kansas), ordered by how far Lawrence is from typical.

How grading works

WalkabilityEPA walkability 9.2 of 20; 8.4% of households have no carAOpen →Cost of livingTypical home $333K, 4.8 years of the Lawrence metro’s $70K median household incomeC⁻Open →HealthLmh 1.7 miles awayA⁻Open →Jobs & income41,998 jobs based hereB⁺Open →SafetyCOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 33% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listBOpen →SchoolsBOpen →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors13% conserved landAOpen →History48 notable people born hereB⁺Open →Civic life4.2 library visits per resident; 4.7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA⁻Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market35 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 29.3; 56% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Lawrence: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Lawrence, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerEvergy14.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterCity of Lawrence water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet7 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpLawrence Household Hazardous Waste Facility2201 Kresge RoadOpenStreetMap

SchoolsLawrence Unified School District 497Which school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn Kansas you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereDouglas County ClerkDouglas County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Dec 2025

ZIP codes66049, 66044, 66046, 6604766049 32% · 66044 28% · 66046 19% · 66047 18%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Lawrence.

Lawrence is shaped by its college students and is healthier than towns with similar incomes, but it has seen reported crime rise by about half.

OutdoorsA

In Lawrence, 13.2% of the land is conserved

Its A for the outdoors ranks #3 of 151 in Kansas.

In 51 parks and preserves, walkers have 46 miles of trail. The biggest place to walk is Riverfront Park, 717 acres with 2.9 miles of trail. Lawrence’s trail network density comes in at 1.3 miles per square mile.

#9for trails in KS

13.2%

conserved · 2,984 of 22,531 acres

46 mi

of trails · 1.3 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Outlet Park	4.6 mi	578
2. Riverfront Park	2.9 mi	717
3. Lawrence Nature Park	2.8 mi	94

Full pageLawrence’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map46 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk4.6 miles of trail · Outlet Park Conserved land13.2% conserved · 2,984 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Lawrence?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

SchoolsB

Lawrence’s public schools outperform 63% of Kansas districts

Three of its 24 schools are shown below, with the reason for each. Public schools: the Lawrence school district. The 6 public schools in Lawrence teach 2,707 students between them.

63%of KS districts it outscoresBSchool Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Lawrence West Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8	Grades 6–8	648	B⁻
Lawrence Free State HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	1,774	B
Langston Hughes ElemTop results in townGrades K–5	Grades K–5	560	A⁺

Full pageLawrence’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsLawrence Vs. the neighborsBehind its 3 graded neighbors Every school24 schools · Langston Hughes Elem Questions“Are Lawrence’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within KS on state tests and graduation

HealthA⁻

Lawrence stands out in Kansas and nationally: a smaller share of its adults have high blood pressure

Against the 9,931 U.S. towns with household incomes like Lawrence’s, it is healthier than 96%, so its A− isn’t only a matter of income.

Among adults in Lawrence, 18% report frequent mental distress. Of the 150 Kansas towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Lawrence. Two figures for adults here: 19% binge drink, 7.9% have diabetes. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Lawrence is ahead of Kansas on 12 and behind on 6.

79%healthier than U.S. townsA⁻Health Grade

	Lawrence	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)	26%	35%	35%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)	19%	16%	16%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)	7.9%	11%	12%
Get no exercise (CDC PLACES)	20%	26%	25%

32 measures vs. Kansas

12 better14 too close to call6 worse

What stands out	Lawrence	KS
Fewer adults with diabetes	7.9%	11.4%
Fewer adults with heart disease	4.5%	6.4%
More adults without reliable transportation	8.9%	7.1%

Lmh

1.7 mi away · emergency room

2 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental

77th

percentile among KS towns

Full pageLawrence’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsFewer adults who get no exercise Hospitals & doctors nearby1.7 miles to an ER · Lmh How adults are doingMore adults in frequent mental distress Every CDC estimateBetter than KS on 12 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

HousingCost of living grade C⁻

A smaller share of households in Lawrence live in a home they own than in the typical Kansas or U.S. town

The typical home value in Lawrence is about $333,000, up 3.3% in a year, 35% above the Kansas typical home. 28% of the homes sold in Lawrence went for more than their asking price. In Lawrence, the going rate for rent is $1,091 a month.

$333KZillow home value

	Lawrence	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	44%	72%	73%
Median rent	$1,091 a month	$975 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Lawrence$333K

Kansas$246K

Market temperature

days on market

100.2%

sale-to-list price

+3.3%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

Full pageLawrence’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 3.3% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 5.1 years of income Rents$1,091 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsBehind its 3 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

SafetyC

Crime per resident in Lawrence is higher than in 73% of U.S. towns

Reported crimes rose from 901 to 2,269 over the last three FBI years, a rise beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.

Lawrence’s property crime rate stands at 18.8 per 1,000 residents. For Lawrence, the rate of reported violence is 4.4 per 1,000 residents.

27%of U.S. towns report more crimeCSafety Grade

	Lawrence	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	4.4 per 1,000 residents	2.5	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	18.8 per 1,000 residents	10.9	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Lawrence4.4

Kansas4.8

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Lawrence18.8

Kansas19.2

U.S.15.5

27th

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

38th

percentile among KS towns

429

violent crimes reported in 2025

1,840

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageLawrence’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type4.4 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsUp since 2023 Vs. the neighbors5 bordering towns Questions“Is Lawrence, KS safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

Climate

Lawrence has four seasons and hot summers

The Lawrence weather station records that about 42 days a year reach 90°: more than most of the country, but fewer than 89% of Kansas places with climate records. July afternoons average 89.5°: hotter than most of the country, but cooler than 81% of Kansas places with climate records; January nights average 19.9°.

The typical July afternoon high locally is 90°F. About 10 inches of snow falls in a winter.

10″snow a winter

	Lawrence	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
July high	90°F	91°F	85°F
January low	20°F	21°F	22°F

Typical low → high °F

Winter23–43°

Spring44–66°

Summer66–87°

Fall45–68°

Oct 28

typical first frost

Apr 12

typical last frost

+0.8°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageLawrence’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 90°, January lows 20°Rain & snow10″ of snow a winter · 38 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+0.8° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B

Low risk in Lawrence, with inland flooding at the top

65 flood insurance claims have been paid in Lawrence since 1981. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in two thirds of U.S. communities. Federal aid has come to Lawrence households in 8 declared disasters; the latest was in 2019. 40% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by tornadoes at 28%.

33risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves

paid flood claims since 1981

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageLawrence’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesLow risk Flood claims65 paid flood claims · Since 1981 Past disasters8 federal disasters · Paid out in Lawrence Get ready2 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Work & commuteJobs & income grade B⁺

More than half of Lawrence’s working residents work in town

Lawrence’s middle household income is $65,000. For half of commuters, work is under 5 miles away. The share of residents in Lawrence who live below the poverty line: 17%. The top destinations are Topeka (7%), Overland Park (6%) and Kansas City (4%).

52%work in town

	Lawrence	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
Below the poverty line	17%	9.1%	9.6%
Work from home	16%	8.7%	11%
Average trip to work	20 minutes	20 minutes	25 minutes
Median household income	$65,000	$73,000	$80,000

Where working residents work

In Lawrence52%

Topeka7%

Overland Park6%

Kansas City4%

Olathe4%

5 mi

median commute distance

41,998

jobs based in Lawrence

Balanced

jobs vs. working residents

Walkability grade: more walkable than 91% of U.S. towns

Full pageLawrence’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here41,998 jobs based here · Balanced Where people work52% work in Lawrence Commute times20 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 5 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Nearby attractions

CPKC Stadium and 36 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lawrence. Close and well known come first.

All 47 attractions →

39 mi Stadium & arenaCPKC Stadium

38 mi Stadium & arenaT-Mobile Center

26 mi Stadium & arenaSporting Park

37 mi MuseumThe Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

37 mi Stadium & arenaHy-Vee Arena

37 mi MuseumNational World War I Memorial

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

CPKC Stadium: elisfkc2, CC BY-SA 2.0 · T-Mobile Center: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sporting Park: Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0 · The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art: User:Charvex, Public domain · Hy-Vee Arena: Unknown, CC BY-SA 2.5 · National World War I Memorial: National WWI Museum, CC0

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Lawrence

20pages on Lawrence

The big questions

SchoolsBBeat 63% of KS districts · 24 schools SafetyC4.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA⁻Better than KS on 12 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingC⁻$333K typical home · up 3.3% in a year Work & commuteB⁺$65K median household income · 41,998 jobs here Natural hazardsBFEMA risk higher than 33% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA46 mi of trails · 13% conserved land PlacesAttractions47 nearby · Spencer Museum of Art under 1 mi LibraryA⁻4.2 library visits per resident CollegesHaskell Indian Nations University, in town

The story

HistoryB⁺Settled 1854 · 66 on the National Register Famous people48 born in Lawrence Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 42 residents Climate90° summer highs · 10″ of snow

Day to day

News14 recent stories about Lawrence WeatherHandbookZIP code 66044, 66045, 66046 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

3 within 15 miles of the center of Lawrence

Haskell Indian Nations UniversityUniversity or college · Public · LawrenceIn town$600 in-state tuition University of KansasUniversity or college · Public · LawrenceIn town$12,102 in-state tuition Baker UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Baldwin City13.2 mi$35,300 tuition

College town 25 of every 100 Lawrence residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Kansas.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

Get outside

46 miles of trails in Lawrence

13.2% of the town is conserved land, across 51 parks and preserves.

Map of trails and conserved land in Lawrence

ConservedTrails

Outlet Park4.6 mi of trails · 578 acres

Directions

Riverfront Park2.9 mi of trails · 717 acres

Directions

Lawrence Nature Park2.8 mi of trails · 94 acres

Directions

Landmarks

66 places in Lawrence on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Haskell InstituteBuilt 1884 · National Historic Landmark

Old Lawrence City Hall

Ludington HouseBuilt 1870

Col. James Blood HouseBuilt 1870

Famous people from Lawrence

48 notable people were born in Lawrence.

See all 48 →

Erin BrockovichAmerican environmental activist · born 1960

Delbert MannAmerican television and film director · 1920–2007

Bart D. EhrmanAmerican biblical scholar · born 1955

Danny CareyAmerican drummer · born 1961

Alvan AdamsAmerican basketball player · born 1954

Hugh BeaumontAmerican actor · 1909–1982

About Lawrence

City and county seat in Kansas, United States

Official town website ↗

Lawrence is a city in and the county seat of Douglas County, Kansas, United States, and the sixth-largest city in the state. It is in the northeastern sector of the state, astride Interstate 70, between the Kansas and Wakarusa rivers. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 94,934. The city is a college town with a significant student population, because it is home to both the University of Kansas (KU) and Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU). Lawrence was founded by the New England Emigrant Aid Company (NEEAC) and was named for Amos A. Lawrence, an abolitionist from Massachusetts, who offered financial aid and support for the settlement. Lawrence was central to the Bleedi…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1854
Area: 35 sq mi
Elevation: 866 ft
ZIP code: 66044, 66045, 66046
Area code: 785

Lawrence’s neighbors

5 towns share a border with Lawrence.

Explore the map →

Wakarusa TownshipGrant TownshipKanwaka TownshipClinton TownshipEudora TownshipLawrence

Wakarusa Township

Grant Township

Eudora Township

How the neighbors grade

Town	KS rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Lawrence	#77	B⁻	C⁻	C	B	A⁻
Wakarusa Township	—	—	C⁻	—	B	A⁻
Grant Township	—	—	—	—	—	—
Kanwaka Township	—	—	C	—	B	A
Clinton Township	—	—	—	—	—	—
Eudora Township	#59	B	C⁻	—	B⁺	B⁺

Wakarusa Township and Kanwaka Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Wakarusa Township, Kanwaka Township and Eudora Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Grant Township and Clinton Township aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Lawrence with a neighbor →

Questions about Lawrence

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Lawrence, KS a good place to live?

Lawrence grades B− overall, better than 52% of U.S. towns and #77 of 150 in Kansas. It grades A− for health, C for safety and B for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.

Is Lawrence, KS expensive?

Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.

What is Lawrence, KS known for?

48 notable people were born here, including Erin Brockovich and Delbert Mann.

Post to Lawrence

Check your email

LawrenceKS

Is Lawrence a good place to live?

What makes Lawrence stand out

172 years in pictures

How Lawrence grades

Moving to Lawrence: who provides what

The data

In Lawrence, 13.2% of the land is conserved

Lawrence’s public schools outperform 63% of Kansas districts

Lawrence stands out in Kansas and nationally: a smaller share of its adults have high blood pressure

A smaller share of households in Lawrence live in a home they own than in the typical Kansas or U.S. town

Typical home value

Crime per resident in Lawrence is higher than in 73% of U.S. towns

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Lawrence has four seasons and hot summers

Typical low → high °F

Low risk in Lawrence, with inland flooding at the top

More than half of Lawrence’s working residents work in town

Where working residents work

CPKC Stadium and 36 more within 40 miles

Everything we know about Lawrence

Colleges nearby

46 miles of trails in Lawrence

Landmarks

Famous people from Lawrence

About Lawrence

Lawrence’s neighbors

Questions about Lawrence