City · Missouri
Lawson, Missouri
Lawson, city, mostly in Ray County (93.7% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Clay County, Missouri. Lawson had 2,541 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,541 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,905 (±372). GEOID 2940988.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,541
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,541 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,905 ±372
Median household income
$65,941
±$2,603 (90% margin)
Missouri: $70,702
Median home value
$186,000
±$18,588 (90% margin)
Missouri: $230,300
Median gross rent
$1,005
±$203 (90% margin)
Missouri: $1,033
Where is Lawson and what county is it in?
Lawson is a city mostly in Ray County (93.7% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Clay County, Missouri. It covers 3.0 square miles of land, 858 residents per square mile in 2020.
Lawson is in the Kansas City, MO-KS metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 14 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Ray County | 2,382 | 93.7% |
| Clay County | 159 | 6.3% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Lawson, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,541 people lived in Lawson on July 1, 2025, up 0.6% since 2020, slower than Missouri (+1.9%). The 2020 Census counted 2,541 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,905 (±372).
| Measure | Lawson | Ray County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,905 ±372 | 23,145 | +760 |
| Households | 1,008 ±125 | 9,116 | +197 |
| Average household size | 2.84 ±0.24 | 2.51 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,102 ±124 | 9,931 | no clear change |
Lawson's population since 2000
From 2,336 in 2000 to 2,541 in 2025: up 8.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Lawson as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Lawson?
The median resident of Lawson is 32.8 years old; 32.5% are under 18 and 15.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 95.2%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 3.3%.
| Measure | Lawson | Ray County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.8 ±3.4 | 41.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 32.5% ±4.6 pts | 22.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 15.1% ±4.1 pts | 19.3% | – |
| Male | 47.8% ±3.0 pts | 50.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.5% ±1.7 pts | 2.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 95.2% ±3.2 pts | 92.2% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 0.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.3% ±2.5 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.9% ±1.0 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.1% ±3.3 pts | 8.2% | – |
| With a disability | 9.1% ±3.5 pts | 15.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.8% ±3.0 pts | 9.1% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.0% ±6.7 pts | 89.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 18.4% ±4.9 pts | 16.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.5% ±2.3 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.9% ±5.6 pts | 89.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.2% ±0.5 pts | 0.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Lawson earn?
Half of Lawson's 1,008 households earn less than $65,941 a year (±$2,603), against $74,573 in Ray County and $70,702 in Missouri. In 2015-2019 it was $73,470 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 12.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Lawson | Ray County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $65,941 ±$2,603 | $74,573 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $85,215 ±$12,688 | $92,339 | – |
| Per capita income | $30,550 ±$4,184 | $38,510 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 12.7% ±6.4 pts | 12.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 22.4% ±12.9 pts | 15.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 6.4% ±4.1 pts | 10.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.6% ±2.9 pts | 93.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.8% ±5.4 pts | 84.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Lawson?
Owners occupy 72.3% of Lawson's occupied homes and renters 27.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $186,000 by its owner (±$18,588). The median renter pays $1,005 a month including utilities, and 30.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Lawson | Ray County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $186,000 ±$18,588 | $198,800 | +$38,440 |
| Median gross rent | $1,005 ±$203 | $782 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 30.0% ±15.1 pts | 31.8% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,296 ±$120 | $1,404 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 72.3% ±6.9 pts | 77.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 27.7% ±6.9 pts | 22.7% | – |
| Housing units | 1,102 ±124 | 9,931 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±4.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±11.8 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 85.7% ±5.0 pts | 84.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±3.1 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±3.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±3.1 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 7.7% ±4.5 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.5% ±1.6 pts | 4.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Lawson building?
Builders took permits for 10 new housing units in Lawson in 2025 (8 in single-family houses), 3.9 per 1,000 residents against 2.8 across Missouri.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Lawson work and get to work?
70.6% of Lawson's workers drive alone and 14.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 25.3 minutes.
| Measure | Lawson | Ray County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 64.5% ±6.6 pts | 60.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.6% ±2.9 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 70.6% ±8.7 pts | 76.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 13.4% ±6.2 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.7 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.1% ±0.4 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 14.9% ±6.2 pts | 10.6% | +9.5 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.3 min ±2.9 | 34.3 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Lawson?
No census tract lies mostly in Lawson; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 800.02Ray County | 5,131 | $87,788 |
| Tract 218.06Clay County | 4,246 | $62,484 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Lawson) · Census block assignment files
How does Lawson compare with other places in Missouri?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Lawson is the 6,853rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 209th-most populous of 936 in Missouri.
Lawson ranks 142nd of 416 places in Missouri with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 209th | 936 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 214th | 394 |
| Residents per square mile | 271st | 420 |
| Median household income | 142nd | 416 |
| Per capita income | 192nd | 420 |
| Median home value | 156th | 416 |
| Median gross rent | 124th | 398 |
| Poverty rate | 242nd | 373 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 238th | 404 |
| Median age | 359th | 420 |
| Owner-occupied share | 154th | 418 |
| Work from home | 86th | 270 |
| Travel time to work | 136th | 420 |
Lawson's figures with every place in Missouri (CSV)
Every place in Missouri, sortable · Compare Lawson with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Lawson?
19 of the 57 figures for Lawson on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Lawson are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Lawson.