NAICS 72

Accommodation and Food Services in Lawrence, KS

Metro Market Score 67.6 (Difficult), ranked #246 of 298 metros. 344 establishments, 7,198 jobs.

Metro Market Score 67.6

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Difficult

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national accommodation and food services average.

🏭Industry Hub

With a 1.55 location quotient, Lawrence has an outsized accommodation and food services presence relative to its population. That concentration (index: 94.3) creates a mature local market where supplier networks are established but differentiation matters more.

Industry Concentration

94.3

LQ: 1.55

Rank #281 of 298 metros

Wage Competitiveness

14.8

$20,846 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 12.1

Employment growth index

Rank #263 of 298 metros

Wage Pressure

70.0

YoY wage change index

344 Accommodation and Food Services Firms in Lawrence

344

Establishments

+0.6% YoY

7,198

Total Employment

-2.9% YoY

$20,846

Average Annual Wage

+3.1% YoY

1.55

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Kansas

#2 of 2

accommodation and food services metros in state

Kansas state rank

#18 of 51

for accommodation and food services entry risk

vs State Median

0.0

matches median (67.6)

Lawrence vs Kansas Statewide

How this metro's accommodation and food services market compares to Kansas overall. The state ranks #18/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Lawrence	KS Statewide
Overall Score	67.6 Difficult	34.2 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#246 of 298 metros	#18 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Lawrence

Healthcare and Social Assistance 16.1 Finance and Insurance 29.0 Construction 29.3 Administrative and Support Services 33.7 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 38.3 Retail Trade 42.2 Information 50.1 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 75.6 Other Services 86.2

Accommodation and Food Services in Other Kansas Metros

Manhattan 36.5 #38/298

Accommodation and Food Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Lawrence's 67.6 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

New Haven, CT 67.6 #245/298 Bloomington, IL 67.3 #244/298 Medford, OR 67.2 #243/298 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV 68.0 #247/298 Grants Pass, OR 67.1 #242/298 Flagstaff, AZ 67.0 #241/298 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY 67.0 #240/298 Charlottesville, VA 66.9 #239/298 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA 68.4 #248/298 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL 68.5 #249/298

Accommodation and Food Services in States Bordering Kansas

State-level entry risk for accommodation and food services in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Oklahoma 35.0 #20/51 Nebraska 41.5 #31/51 Colorado 46.9 #41/51 Missouri 47.2 #42/51

Browse Accommodation and Food Services in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for accommodation and food services across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Lawrence's accommodation and food services sector, the employment growth component (87.9) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Lawrence, KS MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment