City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Lawrence | San Jose | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,502/mo | $2,526/mo | 40.5% lower in A |
| Median home value | $370,600 | $1,149,600 | 67.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $53,977 | $136,010 | 60.3% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 96.8 | 114.4 | 15.4% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 93.9 | 141.7 | 33.7% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 88.1 | 125.8 | 30.0% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 93.3 | 132.6 | 29.6% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Lawrence, you'd need $151,841 in San Jose to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Lawrence, MA is about 34.1% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 41% lower in Lawrence than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in Lawrence, you'd need about $121,473 in San Jose to keep the same standard of living.