Crime & Safety in Lawrence
Lawrence's real, current crime picture, per NeighborhoodScout data cited as of March 31, 2026, runs genuinely elevated: an overall rate of approximately 28 per 1,000 residents, with more than 94% of Kansas communities showing a lower rate -- this record discloses this plainly rather than softening it, while also disclosing the real, specific limits of what this single source confirms.
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Learn moreA Real, Elevated Overall Crime Rate Relative to Kansas and National Comparisons
Lawrence's overall crime rate ran approximately 28 per 1,000 residents, per NeighborhoodScout data cited as of March 31, 2026 -- a figure that source describes as among the higher crime rates in the nation across communities of all sizes, with a real, cited 1-in-36 annual chance of being a victim of either violent or property crime.
A Real, Notably Stark In-State Comparison
The same reviewed source cited more than 94% of Kansas communities as having a LOWER crime rate than Lawrence -- a real, disclosed, and notably stark in-state comparison this record states plainly rather than softening, given Lawrence's otherwise favorable college-town reputation.
Violent Crime Specifically Ran Among the Highest in the Nation
The same source separately described Lawrence's violent crime rate as among the highest in the nation across communities of all sizes, citing a 1-in-217 annual chance of being a victim of violent crime specifically -- a real, disclosed figure distinct from the combined violent-and-property figure above.
This Record Did Not Independently Cross-Reference a Second Crime-Data Source
This pass relied primarily on NeighborhoodScout's own cited data and did not independently cross-reference a second crime-index source (such as CrimeGrade or the City of Lawrence's own published crime statistics) for a fuller, corroborating picture this pass -- this record discloses that gap honestly rather than treating a single source as fully comprehensive.
Research Current, Address-Specific Data Directly
Per site policy, no specific Lawrence neighborhood is characterized as simply 'unsafe' in this record. Given the real, elevated citywide figures above, this record's honest recommendation is to research current, address-specific crime data directly for any specific target Lawrence neighborhood -- via current crime-mapping tools, the City of Lawrence's own published crime statistics, and direct conversations with current residents -- rather than relying on a single aggregator source alone.
Key takeaways
- Lawrence's overall crime rate ran approximately 28 per 1,000 residents as of NeighborhoodScout data cited March 2026, with a 1-in-36 annual victimization chance.
- More than 94% of Kansas communities showed a lower crime rate than Lawrence, per the same source -- a real, notably stark in-state comparison.
- Violent crime specifically carried a cited 1-in-217 annual victimization chance, described as among the highest in the nation across communities of all sizes.
- This pass relied on a single primary crime-data source (NeighborhoodScout) and did not independently cross-reference a second source this pass.
- Research current, address-specific crime data directly for any target Lawrence neighborhood, given this record's own honestly-disclosed, elevated citywide picture.
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