NAICS 51

Information in Lawrence, KS

Metro Market Score 50.1 (Challenging), ranked #191 of 294 metros. 154 establishments, 512 jobs.

Metro Market Score 50.1

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national information average.

Lawrence's information market sits near the national metro median, ranking #191 of 294 with a market score of 50.1. No single metric stands out as an outlier, which means entry conditions depend more on your specific business model than on broad market forces.

Industry Concentration

62.6

LQ: 0.54

Rank #184 of 294 metros

Wage Competitiveness

59.2

$83,662 avg wage

Growth Trend

49.7

Employment growth index

Rank #149 of 294 metros

Wage Pressure

22.7

YoY wage change index

154 Information Firms in Lawrence

154

Establishments

+6.9% YoY

512

Total Employment

-2.5% YoY

$83,662

Average Annual Wage

+5.9% YoY

0.54

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Kansas

#4 of 4

information metros in state

Kansas state rank

#12 of 51

for information entry risk

vs State Median

+10.8

worse than median (39.3)

Lawrence vs Kansas Statewide

How this metro's information market compares to Kansas overall. The state ranks #12/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Lawrence	KS Statewide
Overall Score	50.1 Challenging	37.6 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#191 of 294 metros	#12 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 Accommodation and Food Services 67.6 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 75.6 Other Services 86.2

Information in Other Kansas Metros

Manhattan 20.5 #24/294 Topeka 36.2 #90/294 Wichita 39.3 #109/294

Information Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Lawrence's 50.1 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Port St. Lucie, FL 50.0 #190/294 Birmingham, AL 50.3 #192/294 Chico, CA 49.8 #189/294 Coeur d'Alene, ID 50.4 #193/294 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV 50.6 #194/294 Fort Wayne, IN 49.6 #188/294 Bozeman, MT 49.5 #187/294 Lincoln, NE 49.3 #186/294 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 51.0 #195/294 Sioux City, IA 51.0 #196/294

Information in States Bordering Kansas

State-level entry risk for information in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Missouri 36.8 #10/51 Nebraska 37.8 #13/51 Oklahoma 40.2 #18/51 Colorado 46.7 #31/51

Browse Information in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for information 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 information sector, the industry concentration component (62.6) 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