City profile · Indiana · Census ACS 2023

Lawrence, IN

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Lawrence - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

49,284
Residents
$73,455
Median income
$220,400
Median home
$1,473
Median rent (state)

Lawrence - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Lawrence lands in the 54th percentile for household income and the 31st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

54th
percentile, household income
48th
percentile, home value
58th
percentile, median rent
31st
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Lawrence, IN

Lawrence is a small city in Indiana, home to 49,284 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Lawrence households earn a median of $73,455 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.4%. Home values in Lawrence run a median of $220,400, and the median resident age is 34.4 years. 35.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 70.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 83 residential building permits were authorized in Lawrence (Stable), up 2% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2020.3 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Indiana run below the national norm: the state registers 93.3 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,473 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Indiana run around $235, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 21.6 minutes, with 72.3% driving alone and 13.5% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 97.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

49,284 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Indiana

Median Household Income

$73,455 /yr

Poverty 5.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Indiana average

How does Lawrence compare to other US cities?

Here's how Lawrence stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 54% higher than other cities
Home value 48% pricier than other cities
Median rent 58% pricier than other cities
Safety 31% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Indiana alone, Lawrence ranks #83 of 109 Indiana cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Lawrence's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Indiana, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

54thIncome percentile
31stSafety percentile

54th percentile nationally for median household income · 31st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Lawrence's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Lawrence's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 44 Avg. percentile National median
Lawrence's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Lawrence's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$220,400 Among the most affordable more affordable than 52% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Lawrence $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Lawrence, IN Lawrence, IN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lawrence, IN-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Lawrence, IN median $73,455/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Lawrence, IN's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Lawrence, IN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 35.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 70.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
49,284
Median Income
$73,455
Median Home Value
$220,400
Median Age
34.4
Poverty Rate
5.4%
Labor force participation
70.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
35.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2020.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
292.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1727.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
49,000 residents49,500 residents50,000 residents50,500 residents51,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 49,337 residents 50,420 residents ▲ +2.2%
Lawrence's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
83
housing units authorized
Single-Family
83
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 81
2020 232
2021 49
2022 83
2023 59
2024 83

Permit volume increased 2% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
21.6 minutes
Drive Alone
72.3%
Carpool
12.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.4%
Work from Home
13.5%
Other
1.0%

Based on 26,140 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Indiana - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$235
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Indiana state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Indiana state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Lawrence sits in

Cost of Living Index
93.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,473/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Indiana

Jeffersonville
50,176 people
Mishawaka
50,907 people
Columbus
51,104 people
Westfield
51,109 people
Elkhart
53,726 people
West Lafayette
44,802 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lawrence's 49,284 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Azusa, CA
49,318 people
Coral Gables, FL
49,243 people
Everett, MA
49,236 people
Barnstable, MA
49,232 people
Bedford, TX
49,191 people
Antelope, CA
49,080 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lawrence's $73,455 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Cashiers, NC
$73,455 median income
Easton, MD
$73,460 median income
Deerfield, MI
$73,462 median income
Norris, TN
$73,448 median income
Perry, MI
$73,468 median income
Pittsville, MD
$73,441 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lawrence, IN Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Lawrence, IN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 50.9% 28.2% 6.8% 11.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 19.6% White 50.9% Black or African American 28.2% Asian 1.7% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 6.8% Two or more races 11.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Lawrence compares to nearby Indiana cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Lawrence (this city) 49,284 $73,455
Jeffersonville 50,176 $70,157
Mishawaka 50,907 $53,120
Columbus 51,104 $76,856
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IN FBI UCR Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lawrence, IN?

What is the population of Lawrence, IN? +

49,284 people live in Lawrence, IN according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Lawrence, IN? +

The median household income in Lawrence is $73,455 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lawrence? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lawrence; the closest available measure is the Indiana state average, a cost of living index of 93.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Indiana vary by metro area.

Is Lawrence, IN safe? +

Lawrence has a total crime rate of 2020.3 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Lawrence, IN? +

A typical home in Lawrence is worth $220,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.