Lawrence, KS Housing Market
AI-powered market intelligence for the Lawrence, KS metro area.
PropertyIQ Scores
Lawrence, KS Market Analysis
Market Overview
Lawrence, Kansas is a moderate market, with a PropertyIQ Score of 62/100. That score sits in a middle range, neither signaling a strong boom nor a weak decline. The median home value is $337,797, compared with the Kansas average of $249,603. The rent index is $1,468, well above the state benchmark of $1,060. The unemployment rate is 2.9%, better than the state average of 3.8%. Median household income, however, is $69,746, below the state average of $74,275.
The top score drivers help explain the moderate reading. Home value momentum over 12 months is 6.07%, showing appreciation over the past year, but 3-month momentum is -1.05%, indicating recent cooling. The median days on market is 47 days, and 18.0% of listings have a price cut. The data lists home value year over year as $22, which appears incomplete as a standalone dollar figure; the 12-month momentum of 6.07% provides a clearer appreciation signal. With 251 homes for sale, inventory is present but not extreme.
Overall, Lawrence appears to be a moderately balanced market with stronger employment than the state average but higher housing costs and lower incomes. Near-term price softness suggests cooling rather than sharp decline.
Key Trends
The first trend is cooling price momentum. Home value momentum over 12 months remains positive at 6.07%, but 3-month momentum has turned negative at -1.05%. The share of listings with a price cut at 18.0% supports that softening signal, as nearly one in five active listings has reduced its asking price.
A second trend is a shifting market pace. The median days on market is 47 days, which is not extremely fast or slow. Combined with 251 homes for sale and an 18.0% price-cut share, it suggests buyers are gaining some negotiating power and sellers are adjusting prices rather than seeing rapid multiple-offer conditions.
A third trend is an affordability gap. The median home value of $337,797 is about $88,000 above the state average of $249,603. At the same time, the median household income of $69,746 is below the state average of $74,275. The rent index of $1,468 is also well above the state benchmark of $1,060, meaning both buying and renting are more expensive than the Kansas norm relative to local incomes.
A fourth trend is economic support with a data gap. The unemployment rate of 2.9% is lower than the state average of 3.8%, which typically supports housing demand. However, population growth is listed as N/A, so the analysis cannot confirm whether demographic tailwinds are adding demand pressure.
Who Is This Market For
This market is likely better suited for investors and move-up buyers than for most first-time buyers. For investors, the rent index of $1,468 is significantly above the state average of $1,060, suggesting a stronger rental base than the broader Kansas market. The low unemployment rate of 2.9% also supports the idea of local employment stability. That said, the median home value of $337,797 is above the state average, so investors must weigh higher acquisition costs against rental income.
Move-up buyers may find opportunities in Lawrence. The 12-month home value momentum of 6.07% suggests existing homeowners have likely gained some equity over the past year. With median days on market at 47 days and 18.0% of listings showing price cuts, move-up buyers may have more room to negotiate than they would in a faster-moving market.
First-time buyers may face more challenges. The median home value of $337,797 is high compared with the median household income of $69,746, which is below the state average. While price cuts and a 47-day median time on market offer some relief, affordability remains a hurdle. This is currently a market where financially established buyers and investors are better positioned than entry-level buyers.
Outlook
The near-term outlook for Lawrence is best described as balanced with some softening. The 3-month home value momentum of -1.05% and the 18.0% share of listings with price cuts suggest that sellers are adjusting to weaker near-term price pressure. At the same time, the 12-month momentum of 6.07%, the low unemployment rate of 2.9%, and a median days on market of 47 days indicate the market is not collapsing. Affordability constraints may continue to limit price growth, especially since the median household income of $69,746 is below the state average of $74,275. With inventory at 251 homes for sale and population growth data missing, the market is likely to continue a moderate path where pricing discipline and affordability remain central.
AI-generated analysis based on current market data. Last updated October 4, 2026.
Get Lawrence, KS market updates
Choose your role for tailored insights.
Lawrence, KS market data
Lawrence, KS Housing Market Overview
Lawrence, KS's median home value is $338K, up 6.1% over the past year. Homes here sell in a median 47 days. Its PropertyIQ Score of 62 sits well above the state average of 50, marking a market positioned to outperform its state over the next three years.
Whether you're considering buying a home, investing in rental property, or weighing entry timing in the Lawrence, KS area, the PropertyIQ Score gives you a single, data-first read on relative market strength. It is validated against actual market outcomes from 2001 to 2023, with a positive score-to-return relationship in every validated year across KS and every other US state.
Midwestern housing markets are characterized by affordability and economic diversification. From manufacturing hubs undergoing tech-sector transitions to university towns with stable demand, the region offers value-oriented opportunities with lower entry costs than coastal markets. Within the Midwest, Lawrence, KS's PropertyIQ Score of 62 ranks among the Midwest's stronger demand signals.
For the Lawrence, KS market, PropertyIQ calculates a single score each month from four inputs: twelve-month Zillow home-value momentum, three-month Zillow home-value momentum, median days on market from Realtor.com, and the Realtor.com price-reduced share. The score is computed nationally across all metros and calibrated so 50 equals the state average. Across the validation history, metro markets in the top score band have outperformed their state by roughly 1.7 percentage points more per year than bottom-band markets. Momentum here has been positive, with home values up 6.1% over the past year.
Explore the interactive map to see how Lawrence, KS compares to neighboring metros, or view the full market dashboard for detailed analytics including time-series trends, score breakdowns, and AI-generated market reports.
Counties in the Lawrence, KS metro area
Top markets in KS
Market data through August 2026. Sourced from Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin, U.S. Census Bureau, FRED, BLS, and BEA. Per-statistic source and date shown above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lawrence, KS a good place to buy real estate in 2026?
PropertyIQ doesn't label markets simply good or bad. Instead, the PropertyIQ Score measures a market's demand momentum against its own state, where 50 marks the state average. Lawrence, KS currently scores 62, a firming-momentum reading that leaves it positioned to outperform its state over the next three years. For buyers, strengthening demand usually means rising competition and firmer prices, so waiting can cost you negotiating room. Backing that up, the median home value here is $338K, up 6.1% over the past year. So whether Lawrence, KS is right for you comes down to your goals: a rising-momentum market can favor long-term appreciation but offers less room to negotiate, while a cooling one hands buyers more leverage. Treat the score as a timing signal to weigh alongside your budget, holding period, and plans for the property, not a verdict on the market's quality.
What is the PropertyIQ Score for Lawrence, KS?
Lawrence, KS's PropertyIQ Score is 62, indicating firming momentum on a 1-to-99 scale. The score distills four transparent inputs into a single number: Zillow home-value momentum over the past 12 months, Zillow home-value momentum over the past 3 months, the median days homes spend on the market from Realtor.com, and the share of listings with a price cut, also from Realtor.com. Rising values and faster sales push the score up, while slow sales and frequent price cuts pull it down. The scale is calibrated so 50 equals the state average, meaning a score above 50 predicts the market will outperform its state over the next three years and a score below 50 predicts underperformance. PropertyIQ computes the score across every US market nationally, then recenters it against each state, so 62 places Lawrence, KS above its state benchmark.
Are home prices in Lawrence, KS rising or falling?
Home prices in Lawrence, KS are rising. Over the past year, the median home value increased 6.1%, reaching $338K. Over the latest three months, values slipped 1.0%, a sign near-term demand is softening. PropertyIQ derives these figures from Zillow's home-value index, which tracks the typical value across the market rather than only the homes that happened to sell, giving a steadier read than a raw median sale price. Both the 12-month and 3-month momentum readings feed directly into the PropertyIQ Score, so this price trend is one of the core signals behind Lawrence, KS's current score. Keep in mind that appreciation can vary widely by neighborhood and price tier across the metro area, so treat these figures as the market-wide baseline rather than a guarantee for any single property.
How quickly do homes sell in Lawrence, KS?
In Lawrence, KS, homes sell in a median of 47 days from listing to pending sale, based on Realtor.com market data. Median days on market is one of the clearest real-time reads on local demand: when homes move quickly, buyers are competing and sellers hold the advantage, while lengthening timelines signal cooling interest and more room to negotiate. Alongside sale speed, about 18% of active listings here have taken at least one price cut — a complementary demand gauge, since a rising share of reductions often precedes slower sales and softer prices. Both median days on market and the price-cut share feed directly into the PropertyIQ Score, where faster sales and fewer cuts push the score higher. As a general guide, medians under about 30 days indicate a brisk, competitive market, while medians well beyond 60 days point to buyers regaining leverage. Actual time on market still varies by price band, property type, and season, so treat the median as a market-wide baseline.
How current is this metro area data?
This Lawrence, KS market data is refreshed on a monthly cycle, with the latest figures current through August 2026. PropertyIQ ingests fresh data every month from a range of authoritative sources: home values and rents from Zillow, days on market and price-cut activity from Realtor.com, additional housing signals from Redfin, demographic and housing-stock data from the U.S. Census Bureau, mortgage and macroeconomic series from FRED, and employment figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The PropertyIQ Score itself is recomputed every month once the new source data lands, so the score and its four underlying inputs always reflect the most recent complete reporting period rather than a static snapshot. Because official housing data is typically released with a short lag, the current-through date usually trails the present by a few weeks, which is normal across the industry and not a sign the data is out of date.