Lawrence, MA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Massachusetts·Lawrence

Essex County · Boston-Cambridge-Newton · population 89,332

Lawrence, MA
Image: Wikipedia · Lawrence, Massachusetts
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
69
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Lawrence stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $510,950
1-year +2.8%
5-yr CAGR +6.5%
vs 5-yr peak -0.3%
Population +0.1%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-02$511k$198k$310k$421k$533k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
78/100
Very walkable
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
30/100
Minimal transit
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
76/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$2,371/mo$1,610$2,062$2,513202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent137138100120140202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 18.0
Lean buy

At a 18.0 price-to-rent ratio, Lawrence is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
64 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
72 · w22%
Distance from peak
88 · w18%
Population growth
46 · w16%
Rent YoY
61 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
85 · w10%
Long thesis

Lawrence has held up across the cycle: home values at $510,950 with +6.5% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Lawrence's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Lawrence

Lawrence is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, with an estimated population of 89,332. It anchors the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro area. The median home value in Lawrence is $510,950 as of 2026-04, up 2.8% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.5% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Lawrence average $2,371 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.3%). The composite momentum score is 69 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +6.5% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +2.8% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently -0.3% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Lawrence (Wikipedia)

Lawrence is a city located in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, on the Merrimack River. At the 2020 census the city had a population of 89,143. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and North Andover to the east. Lawrence and Salem were the county seats of Essex County, until the state abolished county government in 1999. Lawrence is part of the Merrimack Valley.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorBrian De Peña
Area7.43 sq mi
Elevation16 ft
Settled1655
Mottonowrap
Density12863.35/sq mi
Named forAbbott Lawrence

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Essex County right now.

NWS active alerts (MA)Massachusetts Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Essex County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Lawrence

New Bedford, MA72 · RisingHaverhill, MA68 · RisingAttleboro, MA71 · RisingChicopee, MA67 · Rising

Run the numbers for Lawrence

ToolCan I afford Lawrence?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Lawrence rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Lawrence to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolLawrence cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
35° / 21°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
81° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
200
~55% of year
Annual precip
48″ rain
43″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Moderate
Tornado
Low
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Boston-Cambridge-Newton area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Lawrence listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
70%
Humid climate
Median household income
$96,500
Massachusetts state median
Top industries (state-level)
TechBiotechEducation/Healthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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