Should I Move To
Lawrence, Kansas is home to about 95,103 people. On cost of living, it lands in the very affordable band — 15% below the national average. The median renter pays around $1,038 a month against a typical household income of $59,834. Our composite UrbRank Score lands at 48 out of 100 (grade D), putting it at #577 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Inverse of violent + property crime rate per 100,000 residents.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Lawrence's composite cost-of-living index lands at 85 (100 = US average), which puts it in the very affordable band. At $1,038/mo against $59,834 in median household income, the typical renter spends about 21% of income on housing — right inside the standard 30%-of-income guideline. Median home value sits around $247,300.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Climate is varied — summer averages around 87°F, winter averages around 22°F. Precipitation totals about 39 inches a year. Car-dependent for most errands, with small walkable pockets downtown or in older neighborhoods. Crime rates land roughly average for a US city of this size. Air quality reads good (AQI 45).
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Lawrence reads as a moderate fit for families. It earns 64/100 (grade C+) on the families profile. Strongest on affordability (90/100); weakest on walkability (32/100).
Lawrence doesn't obviously fit retirees. It earns 53/100 (grade C-) on the retirees profile. Strongest on affordability (90/100); weakest on walkability (32/100).
Lawrence reads as a moderate fit for remote workers. It earns 59/100 (grade C) on the remote workers profile. Strongest on affordability (90/100); weakest on walkability (32/100).
Lawrence doesn't obviously fit young professionals. It earns 46/100 (grade D) on the young professionals profile. Strongest on affordability (90/100); weakest on walkability (32/100).
Lawrence, Kansas pulls a 48/100 overall on the UrbRank Score (grade D), currently ranked #577 nationally. The composite weights seven lifestyle dimensions: affordability, safety, climate, walkability, jobs, environment, and education.
Lawrence's cost-of-living index is 85 (with 100 as the US average), which lands in the very affordable band — 15% below the national average. Median rent runs about $1,038/mo.
Varied — summer averages around 87°F, winter averages around 22°F, with about 39 inches of precipitation a year.
Walk Score: 32/100. Car-dependent for most errands, with small walkable pockets downtown or in older neighborhoods.
Lawrence has about 95,103 residents, 56% of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher with a median age of 29.
Use UrbRank's comparison tool to put Lawrence head-to-head against any other US city — housing, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life metrics side by side. The leaderboard pages also show how Lawrence stacks up for families, retirees, remote workers, and young professionals specifically.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Lawrence with other Kansas cities scored on UrbRank.
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