Signals
Lawrence
Indianapolis
Opportunity
72 · Top 20%
vs66 · Top 30%
Climate
68 · Bottom 39%
vs67 · Bottom 39%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 41%
vs67 · Top 41%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 16%
vs89 · Top 34%
Schools
12 · Bottom 3%
vs19 · Bottom 10%
Access
92 · Top 49%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
73 · Top 23%
vs53 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Lawrence | Indianapolis | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 49,517 | 885,860 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,022 | $66,219 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,079 | $37,680 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,457/sq mi | 2,454/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $230,100 | $224,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,178 | $1,156 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.1% | 56.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.6% | 34.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.7% | 15.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.7" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 26.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.3 | 34.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 223 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.16 | 15.17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 22.6% | 22.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 25.6% | 25.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 53.5% | 61.7% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Lawrence
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Indianapolis
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
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Lawrence
65
Your Score
63
Area Score
Indianapolis
65
Your Score
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Lawrence, IN · Indianapolis, IN · How this is calculated: methodology