Uprootmap
Lawrence vs Columbia
Lawrence and Columbia
Photo: csch15 / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
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So you know: homicide deaths in Columbia are close to the US rate in this release, 6.7 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Lawrence to Columbia
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Lawrence to Columbia above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $986 in Lawrence and $1,020 in Columbia. Lawrence has a state tax on wages. Columbia has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Columbia is 88% of the national level for the same work, against 80% in Lawrence.
Columbia averages 217 sunny days, with July highs around 87°F and January nights around 25°F. Lawrence is 224 sunny days, 89°F in July, 23°F in January. Commutes average 20 minutes in Columbia and 21 in Lawrence.
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 Lawrence → Columbia 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 Lawrence and Columbia changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 175 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–$850
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Dig into Columbia
Questions
Is Columbia cheaper than Lawrence after tax and rent?
Yes. Columbia leaves about $32 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $986 in Lawrence and $1,020 in Columbia.
Does Columbia have state income tax?
Columbia is in Missouri, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Lawrence to Columbia?
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.