Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cambridge, MA
VS
Lawrence, KS
🏆 Lawrence leads 14 of 23 categories
Cambridge
Massachusetts
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$121,539 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
117,962 ✓ Larger
Lawrence
Kansas
14
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.
Cambridge, MA
Pros
Households earn $61,705 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (3.3%)
More college-educated — 79.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 9.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $997,600
Higher rents — median is $2,628/mo
Cost of living runs 21% higher than Lawrence
Property crime (2644.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Lawrence, KS
Pros
Homes cost $750k less ($247,300 vs $997,600)
Rent averages $1590/mo less ($1,038 vs $2,628)
21% cheaper overall cost of living than Cambridge
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Cons
Median income trails Cambridge by $61,705/yr
Violent crime (461.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.2% vs 3.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cambridge
Median Income
$61,705
$121,539 vs $59,834/yr
Cambridge
Violent Crime
5% lower
436.7 vs 461.5 per 100k
Cambridge
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
3.3% vs 5.2% unemployment
Lawrence
Cost of Living
21% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Lawrence
Median Home Value
$750k less
$247,300 vs $997,600
Lawrence
Summer Heat
3.9°F warmer
July avg high 88.6°F vs 84.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cambridge, MA | Lawrence, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $997,600⚠ High | $247,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,628⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,539 ✓ Higher | $59,834 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.2 min | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 25.1% ✓ Higher | 11.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 119⚠ High | 114⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer | 121⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 103⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | A- (116) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 9.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 55.5% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% | 95.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cambridge | Lawrence |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 37.0°F | 38.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.7°F | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.3" | 39.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 10.4" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,962 ✓ Larger | 95,103 |
| Median Age | 30.6 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 33.6% | 43.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 16.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.9% | 12.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cambridge's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Lawrence's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Lawrence is 21% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lawrence leads 14 of 23 categories. Cambridge wins 9 and Lawrence wins 14. 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 Cambridge to Lawrence or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($997,600 vs $247,300 median home), income ($121,539 vs $59,834), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cambridge, MA and Lawrence, KS are about 1,283 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.