Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lawrence, KS
VS
Tallahassee, FL
🏆 Lawrence leads 14 of 20 categories
Lawrence
Kansas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,834 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
121⚠ High
Population
95,103
Tallahassee
Florida
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.3
Median Household Income
$52,899
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,259 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lawrence, KS
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (5.2%)
Households earn $6,935 more per year on average
Rent averages $127/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,165)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
More college-educated — 55.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 14.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (461.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Tallahassee, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 64°F vs 38°F
Cons
Median income trails Lawrence by $6,935/yr
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 5.2%)
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Lawrence
Key Differences at a Glance
Lawrence
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 95.3 (100 = US avg)
Lawrence
Median Income
$6,935
$59,834 vs $52,899/yr
Lawrence
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
5.2% vs 6.5% unemployment
Tallahassee
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 92.1°F vs 88.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lawrence, KS | Tallahassee, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper | 95.3 |
| Median Home Value | $247,300 ✓ Lower | $256,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,038 ✓ Lower | $1,165 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,834 ✓ Higher | $52,899 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.3 min | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.7% ✓ Higher | 11.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 114⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 121⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 103⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (116) ✓ Better | A- (113) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 55.5% ✓ Higher | 49.9% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 93.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Lawrence | LEON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.3°F | 63.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.4" ✓ Drier | 57.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.4" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 95,103 | 198,259 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.8 ✓ Older | 27.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.7% ✓ Higher | 39.8% |
| Under 18 | 16.3% | 16.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.4% ✓ More | 11.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lawrence's cost of living index is 91.0 vs Tallahassee's 95.3 (US average = 100).
Lawrence is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Lawrence leads 14 of 20 categories. Lawrence wins 14 and Tallahassee wins 6. 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 Lawrence to Tallahassee or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($247,300 vs $256,400 median home), income ($59,834 vs $52,899), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lawrence, KS and Tallahassee, FL are about 857 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.