Rents are 9% below what Lawrence's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,372 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Lawrence usually run 0.9% below trend in December and 0.8% above it in August, about $40 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.
Rent in Lawrence is 0.1% below its high of $2,375 in August 2026, at $2,372 as of September 2026.
Rent in Lawrence changed +2.3% over the year to September 2026. Across the 89 Massachusetts cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.8%.
Rent rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($60,433) is $1,511 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,450); a 2-bedroom is $1,890.
Hampton, NH, 23 miles away, rents for 15% less ($2,015/mo), about $4,300 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Lawrence. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Lawrence, MA is majority renter-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income below the national average, 16.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Lawrence, MA has changed in 5 years
The median rent in Lawrence, MA stood at $1,745 in 2021 and currently runs about $2,372, reflecting a 35.9% increase over the period. Median household income rose from $47,542 to $60,433 between 2021 and 2024, a 27.1% shift. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 1.1% since 2021, moving from about 87,798 residents to roughly 88,736. College-educated residents now make up 16.8% of adults here, versus 13.5% in 2021. Taken together, the five-year picture in Lawrence, MA reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
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At $2,372/mo, how Lawrence rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Lawrence rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Lawrence. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Lawrence
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Lawrence is $2,372/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,290/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,890/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,450/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,285/mo.
At 47% of local median household income ($60,433/yr), Lawrence ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Lawrence rent compare to other cities in Massachusetts?
At $2,372/mo, rent takes ~47% of Lawrence's median household income ($60,433/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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