Lawrence vs Olathe
Lawrence, Kansas versus Olathe, Kansas: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Lawrence and Olathe score about the same overall (45 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lawrence | Olathe |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $60k | $108k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $55k |
| Home Value | $247k | $318k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.28% | 1.20% |
| Income Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Sales Tax | 8.75% | 8.75% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.86% | 12.13% |
| Unemployment | 5.2% | 3.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 30°F | 30°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.4 in | 40.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.4 in | 13.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 265 days | 260 days |
| Summer Humidity | 67°F | 67°F |
| Comfortable Days | 54 days | 73 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 44.5 | 27.9 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 44.2 | 52.7 |
| Violent Crime | 1952/100k | 1086/100k |
| Property Crime | 2195/100k | 1212/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 95,103 | 142,114 |
| Median Age | 28.8 | 36.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.39 | 0.33 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+40 | Even |
| White (%) | 74.3% | 75.1% |
| Black (%) | 4.5% | 5.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.3% | 11.7% |
| Asian (%) | 5.8% | 4.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 8.0% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 9.7/20 | 10.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 37 mi | 29 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.6% | 95.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 28.07 | 16.82 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lawrence or Olathe more affordable?
- Lawrence has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Lawrence's $46k and Olathe's $55k. Median rent is $1k in Lawrence versus $1k in Olathe.
- Is Lawrence or Olathe safer?
- Olathe has the lower violent crime rate. Lawrence reports 1952/100k and Olathe reports 1086/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lawrence or Olathe?
- The median home value is $247k in Lawrence and $318k in Olathe, so homes are more affordable in Lawrence.