Lawrence, Kansas Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Lawrence, KS Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A
Health Above average
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C
Income Below average
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A+
Education Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Lawrence | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 78,648 | 2,945,842 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 2218.5 | 35.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.39% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 26.8 | 38.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 33,688 | 1,173,585 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Lawrence grew by 6.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 78,648 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Lawrence is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 41.1% of residents. That is 18.3 points above Kansas as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 32,339 41.1% +18.3 pts
- Millennials 29–44 15,285 19.4% -1.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 11,030 14.0% -4.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 8,613 11.0% -5.7 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Kansas, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.4% of the people living in Lawrence and men 49.6%.
- Women 50.4% Kansas 50.0%
- Men 49.6% Kansas 50.0%
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Economy
Lawrence has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Lawrence | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,362 | $74,287 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.19% | 4.08% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 3.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Lawrence is about 13% lower than in Kansas.
Housing
| Metric | Lawrence | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $281,039 | $104,644 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,072 | $1,060 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 42.1% | 67.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Lawrence is about 21.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,072 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Lawrence spend about 32 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 132 hours, about 5.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Lawrence | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 15.8 | 17.2 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 31.6 | 34.4 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 132 | 143 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,082 | $4,448 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 15.6% | 11.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 7,082 | 4,500 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,832 | 662 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Lawrence is 16 minutes, shorter than the 17 minutes in Kansas.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Lawrence has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Lawrence | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.7% | 31.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.12 | 2.44 | 2.53 |
Health
Lawrence has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Lawrence | Kansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.1 | 78.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 10.8% | 15.3% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 15.4% | 18.7% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Lawrence, Kansas.
How many people live in Lawrence, Kansas?
About 78,648 people live in Lawrence, Kansas, in 33,688 households of 2.1 people on average. The median age is 26.8, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 11 years.
Is Lawrence, Kansas mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Lawrence, Kansas has 2,219 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 26 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Lawrence, Kansas?
The median home costs 4.4 times the median household income ($281,039 against $64,362), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,072 a month takes about 20% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
What share of adults in Lawrence, Kansas have a college degree?
41.7% of adults in Lawrence, Kansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 2), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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