Living in Lawrence, MA
Suburb in Massachusetts
Lawrence is a suburb in Massachusetts, home to about 88,000 people, with 3.0 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, you can walk or take transit almost everywhere. Life moves at a very fast pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is Lawrence a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Strong healthcare: 15 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Mild summers: highs around 81°F
- Easy flying: BOS is 25 mi away
- Lots of culture: museums, zoos and attractions nearby
👎 Cons
- Higher taxes: about $3,502 state income tax per resident, 0.86% property tax
- Cloudier than most places
- Fewer graduates: 16% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Lawrence ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Lawrence: common questions
What is the cost of living in Lawrence?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $517k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,720 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 108, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Lawrence?
Massachusetts collects about $3,502 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.86% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Lawrence safe?
Violent crime is well above the national rate (1.8× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Lawrence?
Lawrence has cold winters: winter days average around 38°F and summer days around 81°F, with roughly 58″ of snow a year.
Does Lawrence get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding: 12 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.22 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Lawrence?
The nearest major airport is BOS, about 25 mi away.
How Lawrence scores
Each bar compares Lawrence with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Nearby
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Is Lawrence right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.