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Buying a home in Lawrence, Massachusetts

The typical owner-occupied home in Lawrence is worth about $415,200, 26% below the Massachusetts median of $562,100 and 25% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,422 a year in property taxes, about 0.82% of their home's value, lower than the Massachusetts rate of 1.07%. The median household earns $60,433 a year, so the median home costs 6.9 times the median income (5.4 times for Massachusetts). 28% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 72% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Lawrence at a glance

Lawrence Massachusetts U.S.
Median home value $415,200 $562,100 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $3,422 $5,992 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.82% 1.07% 0.94%
Median household income $60,433 $103,960 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 28% 63% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 72% 66% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $2,207 $2,726 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 27.6% 21.9% 21.0%
Median rent $1,662 $1,762 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 34.9% 30.9% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1950 1964 1980
Vacant homes 2.2% 8.1% 10.1%
Population 88,736 7,044,056 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Lawrence

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Lawrence home of $415,200 with 20% down costs about $2,691 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,383, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $115,336 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 53% of the median Lawrence household income of $60,433; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $218,000.

The median rent here is $1,662 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,029 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$83,040
Loan amount$332,160
Principal and interest$2,234
Property taxes (0.82% a year)$284
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$173
PMI$0
Total per month$2,691

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$14,532
Loan amount$407,680
Principal and interest$2,742
Property taxes (0.82% a year)$284
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$173
FHA mortgage insurance$184
Total per month$3,383

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Questions about home buying in Lawrence

What is the median home value in Lawrence?

About $415,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Lawrence?

Homeowners pay a median $3,422 a year, which is about 0.82% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Lawrence?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,691 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $115,336 a year.

More about Lawrence

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data