Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntington Beach, CA
VS
Lawrence, KS
🏆 Huntington Beach leads 13 of 23 categories
Huntington Beach
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
197,481 ✓ Larger
Lawrence
Kansas
10
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.
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
Households earn $54,913 more per year on average
55% less violent crime than Lawrence
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 38°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 79°F vs 89°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $976,800
Higher rents — median is $2,318/mo
Cost of living runs 25% higher than Lawrence
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Lawrence, KS
Pros
Homes cost $730k less ($247,300 vs $976,800)
Rent averages $1280/mo less ($1,038 vs $2,318)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntington Beach
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 55.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Cons
Median income trails Huntington Beach by $54,913/yr
Violent crime (461.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$54,913
$114,747 vs $59,834/yr
Huntington Beach
Violent Crime
55% lower
207.3 vs 461.5 per 100k
Lawrence
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Lawrence
Median Home Value
$730k less
$247,300 vs $976,800
Lawrence
Summer Heat
9.7°F warmer
July avg high 88.6°F vs 78.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntington Beach, CA | Lawrence, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $976,800⚠ High | $247,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,318⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,747 ✓ Higher | $59,834 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% ✓ Higher | 11.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 71 ✓ Safer | 114⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 55 ✓ Safer | 121⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 ✓ Safer | 103⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) | A- (116) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.4:1 | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% | 55.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% | 95.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntington Beach City Elementary | Lawrence |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer | 38.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 39.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 10.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,481 ✓ Larger | 95,103 |
| Median Age | 43.3 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% ✓ Higher | 43.7% |
| Under 18 | 17.9% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 12.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntington Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Lawrence's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Lawrence is 24% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Huntington Beach leads 13 of 23 categories. Huntington Beach wins 13 and Lawrence wins 10. 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 Huntington Beach to Lawrence or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($976,800 vs $247,300 median home), income ($114,747 vs $59,834), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntington Beach, CA and Lawrence, KS are about 1,313 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.