Lawrence, Massachusetts
Among the top 3% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 10% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 61% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 63% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 97% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 14% of US places
- top 1% for walkability
- top 15% for school quality
- bottom 9% for cost of living
Lawrence is a mid-size city in Massachusetts with about 88,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and D for affordability. Standout strengths include walkability, school quality, and airport distance. It rates lower on annual snowfall and cost of living.
Official websitecityoflawrence.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
very cold
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cool
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warm
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cool
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v.cold
63%51%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.2 in3.8 in
humid 82%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$54k35th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$63kbetter than 9% of US places
Home Value$371k84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 16% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 18% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.88%better than 57% of US places
Income Tax9.00%better than 17% of US places
Sales Tax6.25%better than 81% of US places
Estimated total tax burden17.14%better than 12% of US places
Unemployment10.4%better than 13% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)27°F32nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation49.3 in76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall57.8 inbetter than 10% of US places
Sunny Days230 daysbetter than 46% of US places
Summer Humidity60°Fbetter than 71% of US places
Comfortable Days94 daysbetter than 78% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk64.2better than 52% of US places
Air Quality43 AQIbetter than 66% of US places
School Quality99.9better than 85% of US places
Violent Crime1273/100kbetter than 24% of US places
Property Crime904/100kbetter than 52% of US places
Community
Population88,06799th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age31.512th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6496th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9952nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+309th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)13.0%6th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)2.0%66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)82.0%98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.9%79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)1.1%30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 72% of US places
Walkability15.8/20better than 99% of US places
Airport Distance24 mibetter than 85% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access80.7%better than 32% of US places
Amenities Nearby22.82better than 23% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 29% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lawrence an affordable place to live?
- Lawrence is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $63k, better than 9% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Lawrence?
- The median home value in Lawrence is $371k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Lawrence?
- Median household income in Lawrence is $54k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Lawrence?
- Median gross rent in Lawrence is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Lawrence safe?
- Lawrence is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1273/100k (better than 24%). Property crime is 904/100k.
- What is the weather like in Lawrence?
- Lawrence averages 73°F in July and 27°F in January, with 49.3 in of annual precipitation and about 230 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Lawrence?
- Public-school quality in Lawrence is above average, scoring better than 85% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Lawrence?
- The average one-way commute in Lawrence is 23 min.
Other places in Essex County
Places near Lawrence
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)