Uprootmap
Joplin vs Lawrence
Joplin and Lawrence
Photo: Ian Ballinger / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Lawrence are under the US rate in this release, 3.1 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Joplin to Lawrence
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Joplin to Lawrence above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $906 in Joplin and $986 in Lawrence. Joplin has a state tax on wages. Lawrence has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Lawrence is 80% of the national level for the same work, against 82% in Joplin.
Lawrence averages 224 sunny days, with July highs around 89°F and January nights around 23°F. Joplin is 223 sunny days, 90°F in July, 27°F in January. Commutes average 21 minutes in Lawrence and 20 in Joplin.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough Joplin → Lawrence pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Joplin and Lawrence changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 158 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,700–$3,200
- Container or pod
- $1,150–$2,150
- Rent a truck
- $450–$800
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Dig into Lawrence
Questions
Is Lawrence cheaper than Joplin after tax and rent?
No. Lawrence leaves about $104 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $906 in Joplin and $986 in Lawrence.
Does Lawrence have state income tax?
Lawrence is in Kansas, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Joplin to Lawrence?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.