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City · 88,736 residents · Essex County, Massachusetts

Lawrence , Massachusetts

In Lawrence, a typical home is worth $415,200 and typical rent is $1,662 a month. Compared with all of Essex County, typical household income is 41% lower, the typical home value is 33% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 35 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $415,200

    33% below the county

    26% below Massachusetts

    • Lawrence
    • Essex
    • Massachusetts

  • Typical rent

    $1,662a month

    5% below the county

    6% below Massachusetts

    • Lawrence
    • Essex
    • Massachusetts

  • Typical household income

    $60,433a year

    41% below the county

    42% below Massachusetts

    • Lawrence
    • Essex
    • Massachusetts

  • Households that own their home

    28%

    35 points below the county

    34 points below Massachusetts

    • Lawrence
    • Essex
    • Massachusetts

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$509,825
2.4% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$2,372 a month
2.2% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Lawrence is in Essex County. The FHA loan limit ($962,550 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Essex County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Lawrence apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. 28% of households in Lawrence own their home, against 64% in Essex County.

  2. The typical household income in Lawrence is $60,433, 41% less than in Essex County as a whole ($101,883).

  3. The typical home in Lawrence is worth $415,200, 33% less than in Essex County as a whole ($619,100).

  4. 13% of households in Lawrence have no internet at home (6% in Essex County).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Lawrence

What homes there are in Lawrence, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Homes here are varied: buildings of 2 to 4 homes are 44% of them, more than in Essex County (22%), and no kind reaches half.

Year built

Homes in Lawrence are older: the typical year built is 1950; in Essex County, 1960.

There are fewer big homes in Lawrence than in Essex County: 47% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 56%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a HUD fair market rent of $3,008 for 2 bedrooms, at least 98% of rented homes in Lawrence sit below it.

With a mortgage

$2,207 a month

Essex County: $2,867 a month

Without a mortgage

$740 a month

Essex County: $1,106 a month

Owners with a mortgage

72%

Essex County: 70%

In Lawrence, 72% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $2,207 a month, against $2,867 in Essex County. Without one it drops to $740.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Much as in Essex County, the typical home value in Lawrence rose 53% since 2015–2019.

Rents in Lawrence rose faster than in Essex County: 45% since 2015–2019, against 42%.

The typical household income in Lawrence rose 36%: less than home values (+53%) and rent (+45%).

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureLawrenceEssex CountyMassachusettsUnited States
Rental vacancy 1.4%2.6%3.5%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.3%0.6%0.9%
More than one person per room 7.7%2.8%2.3%3.4%
People per household 2.822.542.442.53
Drive alone 66%68%61%69%
Carpool 15%7%7%9%
Public transit 4%4%7%3%
Walk or bike 3%3%5%3%
Work from home 7%16%19%15%
Other means 6%2%2%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

There is little rental housing open in Lawrence: only 1.4% is empty and offered for rent, against 2.6% in Essex County.

More households are short on space in Lawrence: 7.7% have more than one person per room; in Essex County, 2.8%.

More people live in each home here: 2.82 on average, against 2.54 in Essex County.

More people carpool to work in Lawrence than in Essex County: 15% against 7%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Lawrence?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Lawrence, worth $415,200, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 68% of the typical household income in Lawrence, which is $60,433 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $145,805 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Essex County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Lawrence. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $14,532 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$3,402

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$407,680
Total interest
$586,555
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $7,012 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,410 a month

  • Tight

    $1,410 to $1,813 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,813 a month

    Your payment · 68%

Compared with the typical household income in Lawrence ($60,433 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$3,402
Principal & interest$2,762
Property tax$284
Home insurance$173
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$184

You need at least $14,532 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Lawrence and Essex County

Lawrence is in Essex County, Massachusetts. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Lawrence's own numbers

Typical home value
$415,200
Typical monthly rent
$1,662
Typical yearly household income
$60,433
Households that own their home
28%
Effective property tax rate
0.82%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Essex County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$962,550
Conventional limit, one unit
$962,550
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$2,367–$3,008
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+50%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
3.8%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Essex County.

Everything about Essex County

Buying

Buying a home in Lawrence

A typical home in Lawrence is worth $415,200: 33% below the county and 26% below Massachusetts. With the typical household income in Lawrence ($60,433 a year), a typical home costs 6.9 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Lawrence 6.9 years
  • Essex 6.1 years
  • Massachusetts 5.4 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Essex County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Essex County rose 92% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Essex County.

Period County Massachusetts U.S.
Last year (2025) +4.8% +3.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +50% +49% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +92% +87% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Lawrence next to Essex County, Massachusetts and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Lawrence $415,200
  • Essex $619,100
  • Massachusetts $562,100
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Lawrence $1,662
  • Essex $1,756
  • Massachusetts $1,762
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Lawrence $60,433
  • Essex $101,883
  • Massachusetts $103,960
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Lawrence next to Essex County and Massachusetts
Measure Lawrence Essex County Massachusetts U.S.
Typical home value $415,200 $619,100 $562,100 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,662 $1,756 $1,762 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $60,433 $101,883 $103,960 $80,734
Households that own their home 28% 64% 63% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $3,422 $6,430 $5,992 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.82% 1.04% 1.07% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 61% 57% 52% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Essex County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Lawrence

For a typical $415,200 home in Lawrence, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Lawrence's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $3,402a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $14,532
    Cash to close
    $26,988
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $184

  • Conventional, 5% down $3,326a month

    Down payment
    $20,760
    Cash to close
    $33,216
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $197

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,707a month

    Down payment
    $83,040
    Cash to close
    $95,496
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $3,091a month

    Down payment
    $62,280
    Cash to close
    $74,736
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Lawrence and for Essex County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Lawrence

0.82%of the home’s value each year

$3,422 a year for the typical owner in Lawrence.

  • Lawrence 0.82%
  • Essex 1.04%
  • Massachusetts 1.07%

What Massachusetts publishes Local senior exemption (clause 41C) (Massachusetts General Court (General Laws))

Exemptions and deadlines in Massachusetts

Flood risk in Essex County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Essex County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
3.8%
7,538
Of those, with NFIP insurance
58%
County Massachusetts U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 3.8% 3% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 58% 50% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Lawrence

Typical rent in Lawrence is $1,662 a month: 5% below the county. In Lawrence, 61% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for each area of Essex County; Lawrence is in Lawrence, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($2,367 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $45.52 an hour working full time.

Fair market rent by size in Lawrence, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,677 $32.25 $67,080
1 bedroom $1,809 $34.79 $72,360
2 bedrooms $2,367 $45.52 $94,680
3 bedrooms $2,820 $54.23 $112,800
4 bedrooms $3,111 $59.83 $124,440

HUD splits this county into 2 areas with different fair market rents: for 2 bedrooms they run from $2,367 to $3,008. The table by area, below, shows which one each town is in.

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

Fair market rent by HUD area in Essex County

HUD splits this county into 2 areas, each with its own fair market rent. Find your town in its area's list; the housing agency tells you which one it uses for your voucher.

HUD area Studio1 bd2 bd3 bd4 bdHourly wage, 2 bd
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area The area where most people live
24 towns in this area

Amesbury city, Beverly city, Danvers town, Essex town, Gloucester city, Hamilton town, Ipswich town, Lynn city, Lynnfield town, Manchester-by-the-Sea town, Marblehead town, Middleton town, Nahant town, Newbury town, Newburyport city, Peabody city, Rockport town, Rowley town, Salem city, Salisbury town, Saugus town, Swampscott town, Topsfield town, Wenham town

 $2,440$2,518$3,008$3,584$3,953$57.85
Lawrence, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area Lawrence is in this area
10 towns in this area

Andover town, Boxford town, Georgetown town, Groveland town, Haverhill city, Lawrence city, Merrimac town, Methuen city, North Andover town, West Newbury town

 $1,677$1,809$2,367$2,820$3,111$45.52

HUD fair market rent by area and size, per month, Fiscal year 2027. The wage is what full-time work must pay to rent 2 bedrooms without spending more than 30% of income. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027 Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD)

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Lawrence

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Lawrence has 3 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $2,120 in 01840 to $2,490 in 01843.

  • 01840 $2,120$2,530
  • 01841 $2,170$2,590
  • 01843 $2,490$2,970

A ZIP code counts for Lawrence when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Lawrence

HUD lists 42 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Lawrence. These are the largest.

  • Lawrence 47 Auburn St, Lawrence 01841 333 low-income homes · Run by Lawrence Housing Authority · Average payment: $413 a month · Average wait: 80 months · Homes at several sites (978) 685-3811
  • Mi Residential Community I 189 Maple St, Lawrence 01841 299 low-income homes · For older adults
  • Merrimack Courts 651 Essex St, Lawrence 01841 292 homes, 290 low-income · Run by Lawrence Housing Authority · Average payment: $606 a month · Average wait: 13 months (978) 685-3811
  • Beacon Court 100 Market St, Lawrence 01843 254 homes, 253 low-income · Run by Lawrence Housing Authority · Average payment: $745 a month · Average wait: 9 months (978) 685-3811
  • Essex Towers 45 Broadway Sreet, Lawrence 01840 198 low-income homes · For older adults

See all 201 buildings in Essex County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Lawrence

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 4 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Essex County; 2 say they serve in Spanish.

A pregnant woman reads paperwork on the sofa while the grandmother plays with the girl on the floor.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Lawrence

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Lawrence or Essex County. The ones below are statewide in Massachusetts: they work in Lawrence the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Massachusetts

  • MassHousing Down Payment Assistance

    Statewide in Massachusetts

    Massachusetts state agency second mortgage for the down payment: up to $30,000 at 0% and deferred, or up to $25,000 at 2% or 3% over 15 years, for first-time buyers with eligible income. Offered by MassHousing.

    DeferredRepayable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Lawrence

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Lawrence, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • NSC (naca Counseling Subsidiary) - Lawrence, MA

    261 Common St, Lawrence · 1 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    978-687-3993-1385

  • Act Lawrence, Inc Formerly Arlington Community Trabajando, Inc

    15 Union St Ste 417, Lawrence · 1 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 8 more
    (978) 685-6274

  • Centro de Apoyo Familiar (CAF)-Ma

    15 Union St Ste 205, Lawrence · 1 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 5 more
    (978) 332-7108

Every agency in Essex County All counseling agencies in Massachusetts

Help in Spanish near Lawrence

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Lawrence

HUD’s record names them for Lawrence or Essex County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Lawrence Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (978) 685-3811

19 other authorities have an office in Essex County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Essex County

These cities are also in Essex County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Essex County Housing in Massachusetts
See 4 more cities in Essex County, with prices and rents

Every city has its own page with prices, rents and help.

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Lawrence, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Essex County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Lawrence.

All guides
A father, a mother and their daughter smile among the avocado trees by their home in Somis, California.

Questions

Housing questions about Lawrence

Short answers with the numbers for Lawrence and all of Essex County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Lawrence?

The typical home value in Lawrence is $415,200, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Essex County it is $619,100.

How much does it cost to rent in Lawrence?

Typical rent in Lawrence is $1,662 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Essex County is $2,367–$3,008.

What is the FHA loan limit in Lawrence?

Lawrence uses the FHA limit for all of Essex County (2026): $962,550 for a one-unit home and $1,851,100 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Lawrence?

The typical homeowner in Lawrence pays $3,422 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.82% of the home’s value; in Essex County, the rate is 1.04%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Lawrence?

There are 4 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Essex County. 2 say they serve in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).