RockawayHuntingClubhouse, 1901
Lawrence’s story
129 years in pictures
Census counts: 626 in 1890, 6,809 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1901 and 6 maps from 1897 on.
- 1897Lawrence is settled
LawrenceNY
A town of 6,847, settled in 1897.
9 bordering townsMap →
Photo: AITFFan1 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
6,847
2025 Census estimate · +0.6% since 2020
Typical home
$2.27M
+12.7% in a year
Household income
$170K
median
Median age
34.9
years
Jobs based here
1,926
Balanced
TownGrade
B+
#244 of 745 in NY
Is Lawrence a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Lawrence grades B+ overall, ranked 244th of 745 in New York. The median household earns $170K. On CDC health estimates it is near the top nationally. The trade-off is money: homes are expensive, about $2.3 million for a typical one and 22.9 times the New York metro’s $99K median household income. 77% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Lawrence, above both New York’s towns (32%) and U.S. towns (29%). Few places in the country are easier to get around without a car. Lawrence is home to Sh'or Yoshuv Rabbinical College.
What makes Lawrence stand out
Where Lawrence beats most towns.
32 measures vs. New York
23 better8 too close to call1 worse
| Widest gap | Lawrence | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 5.7% | 17.2% |
HealthA+
Healthier than 99% of U.S. towns
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
WalkabilityA+
More walkable than 99% of U.S. towns
16.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Natural hazardsB+
Low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
By the sea
Lawrence lives by the ocean
Coastal flooding makes up 8% of the storm damage FEMA expects here.
8%of expected storm damage is coastal flooding
97thpercentile for coastal flood risk nationally
387paid flood-insurance claims since 1978
3storm & flood disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA · OpenStreetMap
How Lawrence grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Lawrence is from typical.
Its grades run from A+ for jobs and income (better than 99% of comparable towns) to D− for cost of living (better than 1%), so the B+ overall blends very different results.
Jobs & incomeA+Open →HealthAmong the healthiest U.S. towns; St. John's Episcopal Hospital at South Shore 2 miles awayA+Open →Cost of livingD−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 14 of 20; 17.3% of households have no carA+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 30% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →SchoolsBehind 62% of New York districts on tests and graduationC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0% conserved landC−Open →History7 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life10 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market$2.27M typical home, up 12.7% in a year–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 34.9–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 604 attractions →Madison Square Garden and 523 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lawrence. Close and well known come first.
Big draw18 mi Stadium & arenaMadison Square Garden
Big draw18 mi GardenCentral Park40.0M visitors a year
Big draw18 mi TheatreStudio 54
Big draw14 mi BeachConey Island
Big draw18 mi MuseumMetropolitan Museum of Art2.0M visitors a year
Big draw24 mi Stadium & arenaMetLife StadiumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Madison Square Garden: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA, CC BY 2.0 · Central Park: Ed Yourdon from New York City, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Studio 54: Americasroof (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Coney Island: OptimumPx, Public domain · Metropolitan Museum of Art: Hugo Schneider, CC BY-SA 2.0 · MetLife Stadium: babyknight, CC BY 2.0
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Lawrence: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lawrence, and how to reach them.
PowerPSEG Long Island26.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLiberty Utilities New York - Lynbrook5 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Lawrence’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn New York you can register online until 10 days before Election Day, in person until 10 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before and received 10 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereNassau County Board of ElectionsNassau County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2019
ZIP code1155911559 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Lawrence.
Lawrence has milder winter nights than almost anywhere else in New York and has less food insecurity than most of New York, but it has homes that cost more against local pay than most of New York.
HousingCost of living grade D−
For cost of living, Lawrence earns a D−
At 22.9 years of the New York metro’s $99K median household income, the typical home (about $2.27M) costs more against local pay than in 99% of New York towns; that ratio is one input to its D− for cost of living. Its typical home is the priciest on its borders; Atlantic Beach is next at $1.5M.
The median rent in Lawrence is $1,943 a month. Typical home values rose 13% in the year to September 2026. 81% of Lawrence households own their home.
$2.27MZillow home value
| Lawrence | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,943 a month | $1,098 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 81% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Lawrence$2.27M
New York$525K
+12.7%
value change, 1 year
4
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthA+
Compared with most of New York and the rest of the country, fewer of Lawrence’s adults smoke cigarettes
Its widest gap with New York is food insecurity: 5.7% of its 4,936 adults worry about having enough food, against 17.2% statewide.
6% of adults smoke cigarettes in Lawrence. Lawrence beats the New York average on 23 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 17% of adults get no exercise outside work in Lawrence.
99%healthier than U.S. townsA+Health Grade
| Lawrence | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 21% | 23% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 6% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 16% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 9.6% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. New York
23 better8 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Lawrence | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 5.7% | 17.2% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 3.2% | 8.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11% | 7.7% |
St. John's Episcopal Hospital at South Shore
2 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
97th
percentile among NY towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Low risk in Lawrence, with inland flooding at the top
387 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 38 properties have flooded more than once.
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 70% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 387 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Lawrence.
30risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesCoastal flooding
387
paid flood claims since 1978
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
A typical January night in Lawrence is milder than in the typical New York or U.S. town
January nights average 26.9°, the highest of 2,223 New York places with climate records; July afternoons average 84.5°.
Lawrence’s January low is 27°F. Lawrence has chilly winters and warm summers. About 26 inches of snow falls in a winter.
26″snow a winter
| Lawrence | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 27°F | 16°F | 22°F |
| July high | 85°F | 81°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter29–43°
Spring43–60°
Summer66–82°
Fall50–66°
Nov 14
typical first frost
Apr 2
typical last frost
+2.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
More than half of Lawrence’s working residents commute to New York City
Most working residents leave Lawrence for work: only 7% work in town. Jobs based in Lawrence fell to 1,926 in 2023, 191 fewer than in 2013. The top destinations are New York (53%), Hempstead (26%) and North Hempstead (3%).
7%work in town
| Lawrence | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 39 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $170,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 3.5% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 7.4% | 10% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Lawrence7%
New York53%
Hempstead26%
North Hempstead3%
Oyster Bay3%
15 mi
median commute distance
1,926
jobs based in Lawrence
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A+
Walkability grade: among the most walkable U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsC−
0.1% of Lawrence is conserved land
Just 3 of its 2,954 acres are conserved, so there is little public open land in Lawrence itself; its outdoors grade is C−.
0.0 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. Only 4 of the 740 New York towns we compare have a lower share of conserved land than Lawrence. The biggest park or preserve is Lawrence Nature Preserve, at 48 acres.
0.1%conserved
0.1%
conserved · 3 of 2,954 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lawrence Nature Preserve | — | 48 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lawrence
19pages on Lawrence
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
59 within 15 miles of the center of Lawrence
Sh'or Yoshuv Rabbinical CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · LawrenceIn town$11,700 tuitionCUNY York CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Jamaica8.1 mi$7,358 in-state tuitionNassau Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Garden City10.8 mi$6,330 in-state tuition
College town 15 of every 100 Lawrence residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
College town
15% of Lawrence is in college
College Scorecard · IPEDS
Famous people from Lawrence
7 notable people were born in Lawrence.
G
Gladys ShelleyAmerican lyricist and composer · 1911–2003C
Chris CollierAmerican football player · born 2000J
Joseph Carmine ZavattAmerican judge · 1900–1985
F
Frances FrenayeAmerican translator · 1908–1996About Lawrence
Village in Nassau County, New York, US
Lawrence is a village within the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. It is located adjacent to the border with the New York City borough of Queens to the west and is near the Reynolds Channel to the south. The population was 6,809 at the time of the 2020 census. Lawrence is one of the "Five Towns," which consist of the villages of Lawrence and Cedarhurst, the hamlets (unincorporated areas) of Woodmere and Inwood, and "The Hewletts", which is made up of the hamlet of Hewlett together with the villages of Hewlett Bay Park, Hewlett Harbor and Hewlett Neck, along with Woodsburgh.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1897
- Area
- 4.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 20 ft
- ZIP code
- 11559
Lawrence’s neighbors
9 towns share a border with Lawrence.
HempsteadNew YorkInwoodWoodmereCedarhurstWoodsburghAtlantic BeachLong BeachEast Atlantic BeachLawrence
How the neighbors grade
| Town | NY rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence | #244 | B+ | D− | — | C+ | A+ |
| Hempstead | #118 | A | D− | — | A | A |
| New York | #651 | C− | D− | D | — | B+ |
| Inwood | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Woodmere | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cedarhurst | #318 | B | D− | — | C+ | A |
| Woodsburgh | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Atlantic Beach | — | — | D− | — | C+ | A+ |
Atlantic Beach has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Lawrence, Hempstead, Cedarhurst and Atlantic Beach report no FBI crime data of their own. Inwood, Woodmere and Woodsburgh 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, NY a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Lawrence grades B+ overall, better than 69% of U.S. towns and #244 of 745 in New York. It grades A+ for health and C+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Lawrence, NY 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 D−.
What is Lawrence, NY known for?
7 notable people were born here, including Louis Auchincloss and Gladys Shelley.