| Measure | LawrenceKansas, United States Remove Lawrence | IndependenceMissouri, United States Remove Independence |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 6.1 | 5.2 |
| Connector Score | 8.0 | 8.2 |
| Safety | 6.2 | 1.0 |
| Affordability | 7.8 | 7.6 |
| Transportation | 5.0 | 7.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 4.0 | 4.5 |
| Walkability | 4.6 | 4.2 |
| Things to do | 6.6 | 5.2 |
| Food & dining | 6.3 | 4.5 |
| Places to stay | 5.1 | 6.0 |
| Nature & outdoors | 5.5 | 3.5 |
| Scenic value | 5.0 | 4.5 |
| Family friendliness | 5.2 | 3.7 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.7 | 3.3 |
| Nightlife | 7.4 | 4.2 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 7.0 | 6.1 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $60 | $90 |
| Mid-range | $158 | $134 |
| Luxury | $263 | $230 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 87 | 89 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,080 | $975 |
| Population | 96K | 122K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train | Drive Train Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Lawrence | — | 50 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | — | History |
| Known for | National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Nightlife, Live music, Pro sports, Shopping | Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Live music, Shopping |
| When to go | Peak: KU home football and basketball weekend… | Peak: Spring to fall and Santa-Cali-Gon Days |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.