Jobs, pay and daily life in Lawrence, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Lawrence is a city in Kansas with 96,051 residents. The median household earns $65,009 a year and the median rent is $1,091 a month, which is 20.1% of the median household income. It is part of the Lawrence, KS metropolitan area, where BLS counts 51,750 jobs.
How Lawrence compares. Among the 60 largest places in Kansas, Lawrence is #6 by population, #58 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #6 for college degrees (#1 = most), #15 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Douglas County, is #9 of 105 counties for average pay ($54,079).
Lawrence has 96,051 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 3.3% of the population of Kansas. It covers 35 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,774 people per square mile. The median age is 29.3, 22% younger than the state median (29.3 against 37.4).
The median gross rent is $1,091 a month (rent plus utilities), about the same as the state median ($1,091 against $1,060). Over a year that is 20.1% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $292,700, which is 4.5 times the median household income ($65,009). 43.6% of households own their home, 35% below the state average (43.6% against 67.2%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Lawrence, KS metropolitan area has 51,750 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $47,390 a year, 7% below the national median ($47,390 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are food preparation and serving related (7,250 jobs, median $29,600); office and administrative support (5,480 jobs, median $44,080); educational instruction and library (4,680 jobs, median $60,730). The area is most specialised in food preparation and serving related (1.6 times) and office and administrative support (0.9 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are office and administrative support ($44,080) and food preparation and serving related ($29,600). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Douglas County was 3.6%. 69.9% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Douglas County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 67.6% drive alone, 2.9% use public transit, 4.6% walk, 15.5% work from home. 9.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 21% above the state average (9.0% against 7.4%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.
55.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 57% above the state share (55.8% against 35.6%). 7.3% of residents were born outside the United States, about the same as the state share (7.3% against 7.4%). The poverty rate is 17.4%, 54% above the state rate (17.4% against 11.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 28°F (-2.0°C). About 998 mm (39 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (140 mm) and Jan the driest (29 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Eudora (9 miles, rent 12% higher); Tonganoxie (14 miles, rent 12% higher); De Soto (17 miles, rent 6% higher); Gardner (21 miles, rent 20% higher). Rent differences are against Lawrence; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Kansas (341) →State guide: KansasCountry guideDouglas CountyKansas rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 341 federal postings open in Kansas (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,880 | 2.25 | $28,320 | $22,980 | $34,740 | -9% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,430 | 1.10 | $31,320 | $22,480 | $45,330 | -12% |
| Cashiers | 1,310 | 1.27 | $29,270 | $23,510 | $36,450 | -11% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,230 | 2.16 | $42,630 | $29,460 | $56,630 | -10% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,190 | 1.58 | $37,230 | $19,980 | $65,290 | +6% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,090 | 1.26 | $37,800 | $29,660 | $58,090 | -16% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 950 | 1.01 | $36,340 | $28,780 | $46,400 | -3% |
| General and Operations Managers | 850 | 0.73 | $85,110 | $51,320 | $190,210 | -20% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 750 | 0.52 | $30,700 | $30,390 | $38,190 | -14% |
| Registered Nurses | 700 | 0.62 | $78,020 | $65,250 | $96,580 | -20% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 690 | 1.47 | $35,140 | $26,430 | $42,130 | -6% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 630 | 1.38 | $48,290 | $35,000 | $64,360 | -5% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 600 | 0.82 | $34,260 | $29,680 | $45,570 | -7% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 590 | 1.26 | $22,360 | $16,750 | $34,770 | -39% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 580 | 1.43 | $38,440 | $30,000 | $59,620 | -13% |
| Nursing Assistants | 540 | 1.13 | $38,520 | $34,830 | $45,730 | -9% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 530 | 0.54 | $43,190 | $33,490 | $49,580 | +7% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 480 | 0.95 | $48,020 | $33,670 | $67,320 | -3% |
| Bartenders | 470 | 1.86 | $29,980 | $18,080 | $68,580 | -13% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 450 | 0.98 | $50,310 | $48,050 | $60,520 | -21% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 850 | 0.73 | $85,110 | $51,320 | $190,210 | -20% |
| Registered Nurses | 700 | 0.62 | $78,020 | $65,250 | $96,580 | -20% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 630 | 1.38 | $48,290 | $35,000 | $64,360 | -5% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 530 | 0.54 | $43,190 | $33,490 | $49,580 | +7% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,230 | 2.16 | $42,630 | $29,460 | $56,630 | -10% |
| Nursing Assistants | 540 | 1.13 | $38,520 | $34,830 | $45,730 | -9% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 580 | 1.43 | $38,440 | $30,000 | $59,620 | -13% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,090 | 1.26 | $37,800 | $29,660 | $58,090 | -16% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,190 | 1.58 | $37,230 | $19,980 | $65,290 | +6% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 950 | 1.01 | $36,340 | $28,780 | $46,400 | -3% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 690 | 1.47 | $35,140 | $26,430 | $42,130 | -6% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 600 | 0.82 | $34,260 | $29,680 | $45,570 | -7% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,430 | 1.10 | $31,320 | $22,480 | $45,330 | -12% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 750 | 0.52 | $30,700 | $30,390 | $38,190 | -14% |
| Cashiers | 1,310 | 1.27 | $29,270 | $23,510 | $36,450 | -11% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,880 | 2.25 | $28,320 | $22,980 | $34,740 | -9% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 590 | 1.26 | $22,360 | $16,750 | $34,770 | -39% |
These figures are for the whole Lawrence, KS metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,390 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.6% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 30.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 12.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 12.3% |
| Retail trade | 10.8% |
| Manufacturing | 7.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.8% |
| Other services | 5.1% |
| Construction | 5.0% |
| Public administration | 3.7% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.4% |
| Information | 1.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.7% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Lawrence lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas County | 120,302 | $7,032 million | $58,453 | 50,969 | 3,726 | $54,079 | +1.2% | 3.6% | 70,558 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 7,198 | 18.8% | $20,846 | 1.55 |
| Retail trade | 5,648 | 14.7% | $32,192 | 1.11 |
| Manufacturing | 5,107 | 13.3% | $66,179 | 1.22 |
| Health care and social assistance | 4,842 | 12.6% | $45,906 | 0.66 |
| Professional and technical services | 3,526 | 9.2% | $85,176 | 0.99 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 2,290 | 6.0% | $50,259 | 1.49 |
| Construction | 2,160 | 5.6% | $72,281 | 0.81 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,261 | 3.3% | $49,591 | 0.42 |
| Educational services | 1,202 | 3.1% | $41,336 | 1.14 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,099 | 2.9% | $79,898 | 0.53 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,051 | 2.7% | $91,744 | 0.52 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 712 | 1.9% | $48,200 | 0.33 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 643 | 1.7% | $23,781 | 0.75 |
| Real estate and rental | 622 | 1.6% | $51,687 | 0.79 |
| Information | 512 | 1.3% | $83,662 | 0.54 |
| Management of companies | 240 | 0.6% | $88,042 | 0.28 |
| Utilities | 136 | 0.4% | $117,482 | 0.70 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 84 | 0.2% | $44,500 | 0.20 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 16 | 0.0% | $66,648 | 0.08 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 67.6% |
| Public transit | 2.9% |
| Walk | 4.6% |
| Work from home | 15.5% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 9.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $65,009 |
| Income per person | $39,194 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,091 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.1% |
| Median home value | $292,700 |
| Homeowners | 43.6% |
| Poverty rate | 17.4% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 90.2 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $47,390 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 5.58%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 29.3 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 95.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 55.8% |
| Born abroad | 7.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 69.9% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -2.0 | 28 | 29 |
| Feb | -0.3 | 31 | 39 |
| Mar | 6.6 | 44 | 63 |
| Apr | 12.8 | 55 | 100 |
| May | 18.4 | 65 | 140 |
| Jun | 23.8 | 75 | 137 |
| Jul | 26.4 | 80 | 101 |
| Aug | 25.3 | 78 | 128 |
| Sep | 20.5 | 69 | 91 |
| Oct | 13.0 | 55 | 88 |
| Nov | 6.3 | 43 | 41 |
| Dec | 0.1 | 32 | 41 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eudora | KS | 9 mi | 6,119 | $118,184 | $1,222 |
| Tonganoxie | KS | 14 mi | 5,891 | $80,109 | $1,224 |
| De Soto | KS | 17 mi | 6,414 | $104,000 | $1,158 |
| Gardner | KS | 21 mi | 24,526 | $96,818 | $1,306 |
| Basehor | KS | 22 mi | 7,491 | $116,769 | $1,257 |
| Bonner Springs | KS | 23 mi | 7,839 | $83,218 | $1,165 |
| Topeka | KS | 24 mi | 125,786 | $56,956 | $979 |
| Olathe | KS | 25 mi | 145,057 | $114,009 | $1,314 |
| Lenexa | KS | 25 mi | 58,384 | $103,239 | $1,454 |
| Ottawa | KS | 25 mi | 12,678 | $71,699 | $1,032 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
96,051 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,091 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.1% of the median household income.
$65,009 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.6% (BLS county, Douglas County (latest month 2026M09)).
Kansas. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.