Metro FMR · CBSA 29940 · HUD FY2026

Lawrence, KS MSA Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for the Lawrence, KS MSA metro area - 5% above the US average.

$1,006
1-bedroom FMR
$1,182
2-bedroom FMR
+5.3%
YoY change
+5%
vs US avg

The verdict

A 2-bedroom in the Lawrence, KS MSA area rents at $1,182 under HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent - 1% above the US average, lower than 67% of the 387 metro areas HUD tracks.

#129
most affordable of 387 US metros (2BR)
+1%
vs the US 2-bedroom average
$47,280
income to afford it (30% rule)
+5.3%
1BR change, FY2025→2026

Affordability & income context

Lawrence: #129 most affordable nationally · income context

At the metro's ACS median household income of $68,756, this 1-bedroom FMR takes 17.6% of annual income. It is well below the 30% affordability guide for a median-income household.

The 2-bedroom figure places Lawrence in the middle half of HUD metro areas, using the same FY2026 HUD schedule as the national comparison.

With 119,094 residents, this is a smaller-metro benchmark rather than a single-neighborhood rent quote.

Its 2-bedroom FMR sits in the middle half of HUD metro areas, so the local-income comparison is more informative than the national rank alone.

The studio-through-two-bedroom FMR bands stay below 30% of recorded median income here; the larger-bedroom rows show where that headroom narrows.

Observed renter burden: 48.8% of the 25,214 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from the FY2026 HUD FMR benchmark.

ACS median household income lags the FY2026 HUD FMR schedule. The income share is a same-metro cross-source read (Census ACS B19013 vs HUD FMR), not a same-vintage ratio.

Studio

$895/mo

15.6% of median income

1 Bedroom

$1,006/mo

17.6% of median income

2 Bedroom

$1,182/mo

20.6% of median income

3 Bedroom

$1,644/mo

28.7% of median income

4 Bedroom

$1,983/mo

34.6% of median income

FMR filing desk

CBSA CBSA·29940

Lawrence: $1,006/mo 1BR · #129 of 387 metros (2BR) · FY2026 CBSA 29940

  • CBSA 29940
  • 1BR-FMR $1,006
  • 2BR-FMR $1,182
  • RANK-MID #129
  • YOY-SURGE +5.3%
  • VSUS-NEAR +5%
  • IN-ST-HIGH #5 KS
  • INC-ROOM 18%
  • POP-MID 119K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Cherokee County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $905–$1,107
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Cherokee County ($338 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent trends

Where Lawrence sits among every US metro

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 387 HUD metro areas

$1,182 higher than 33% of 387 metro areas

$800–$1,000: 28 metro areas (7%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 114 metro areas (29%). This entry sits in this band. $1,200–$1,400: 95 metro areas (25%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 52 metro areas (13%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 41 metro areas (11%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 26 metro areas (7%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 9 metro areas (2%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 5 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 5 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 5 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 4 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 2 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. This metro $800 $4,400 every US metro, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more metro areas. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026

Lawrence studio–4BR schedule (FY2026) · 2BR #129 most affordable

1BR $1,006 (+5% vs US, +5.3% YoY). Each bedroom band below is FY2026 HUD FMR for CBSA 29940.

Studio
$895
US avg $893
↑5.8% YoY +0% vs US
1 Bedroom
$1,006
US avg $959
↑5.3% YoY +5% vs US
2 Bedroom
$1,182
US avg $1,175
↑3.9% YoY +1% vs US
3 Bedroom
$1,644
US avg $1,525
↑3.1% YoY +8% vs US
4 Bedroom
$1,983
US avg $1,756
↑3.8% YoY +13% vs US

How Lawrence compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other KS metro areas

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Lawrence highlighted among 4 peers · FY2026 1BR HUD FMR.

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Lawrence: out-of-state FMR & burden peers

PlainRent pairs Lawrence with the 4 nearest HUD 2BR schedules and 4 nearest burden matches outside KS (burden peers exclude the FMR set; pop ≥50k).

2BR FMR · outside KS

Nearest schedules by 2BR delta (FY2026).

Elkhart-Goshen
IN · 2 BR $1,183/mo
Auburn-Opelika
AL · 2 BR $1,181/mo
Eau Claire
WI · 2 BR $1,181/mo
Niles
MI · 2 BR $1,184/mo

Burden % · outside KS

Nearest 2BR FMR ÷ ACS median income (FY2026).

Florence-Muscle Shoals
AL · 20.7% of income · 2 BR $1,000/mo
Anniston-Oxford
AL · 20.7% of income · 2 BR $962/mo
Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux
LA · 20.6% of income · 2 BR $1,102/mo
Lewiston
ID · 20.7% of income · 2 BR $1,220/mo

Lawrence: quick answers

What is the average rent in the Lawrence, KS MSA metro area? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Lawrence, KS MSA is $1,006 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,182 and a studio is $895.
How does Lawrence, KS MSA rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in the Lawrence, KS MSA metro area is 5% above the national average. A 1-bedroom costs $1,006 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Lawrence rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
HUD's FY 2026 2-bedroom FMR of $1,182 ranks #129 most affordable among 387 US metro areas (the middle half of HUD metro areas).
What income do I need to afford rent in Lawrence, KS MSA? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $40,240 ($3,353/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in the Lawrence, KS MSA area.

Compare Lawrence vs Cherokee County →

Data as of FY 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Fair Market Rents. Population and demographic data from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

FY 2026 HUD FMR $1,006/mo · 1BR KS

Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.