Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bend, OR
VS
Lawrence, KS
🏆 Bend leads 14 of 22 categories
Bend
Oregon
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,671 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
99,442 ✓ Larger
Lawrence
Kansas
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,834
Violent Crime Index
121⚠ High
Population
95,103
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bend, OR
Pros
63% less violent crime than Lawrence
Households earn $22,837 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (168.5 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (3.8%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $576,900
Higher rents — median is $1,649/mo
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Lawrence
Lawrence, KS
Pros
Homes cost $330k less ($247,300 vs $576,900)
Rent averages $611/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,649)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Bend
More college-educated — 55.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Smaller class sizes — 14.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bend by $22,837/yr
Violent crime (461.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.2% vs 3.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bend
Median Income
$22,837
$82,671 vs $59,834/yr
Bend
Violent Crime
63% lower
168.5 vs 461.5 per 100k
Bend
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
3.8% vs 5.2% unemployment
Lawrence
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 105.8 (100 = US avg)
Lawrence
Median Home Value
$330k less
$247,300 vs $576,900
Lawrence
Summer Heat
4.8°F warmer
July avg high 88.6°F vs 83.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bend, OR | Lawrence, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.8⚠ High | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $576,900⚠ High | $247,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,649⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,671 ✓ Higher | $59,834 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.1 min ✓ Shorter | 19.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 19.0% ✓ Higher | 11.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 53 ✓ Safer | 114⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 121⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 103⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) | A- (116) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.0:1 | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.4% | 55.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% | 95.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bend-LaPine Administrative SD 1 | Lawrence |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.5°F ✓ Warmer | 38.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 83.8°F | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.6" ✓ Drier | 39.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.6" | 10.4" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,442 ✓ Larger | 95,103 |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.2% ✓ Higher | 43.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 17.0% ✓ More | 12.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bend's cost of living index is 105.8 vs Lawrence's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Lawrence is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Bend leads 14 of 22 categories. Bend wins 14 and Lawrence wins 8. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Bend to Lawrence or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($576,900 vs $247,300 median home), income ($82,671 vs $59,834), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bend, OR and Lawrence, KS are about 1,386 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.