What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lawrence has the most expensive homes ($1623k median).

Long Beach has the most people working from home (18.8%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Lawrence	Long Beach
People
Population	6,778Lowest	34,756Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+5.3%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	34.9±10.5Lowest 12% below NY	43.5±1.9Highest 9% above NY
	Long Beach and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	28%±6.2Highest NY: 20.5%	13.8%±1.6Lowest NY: 20.5%
Age 65+	20.7%±5Lowest NY: 17.9%	21.8%±2Highest NY: 17.9%
	Long Beach and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	77.2%Highest NY: 40.2%	55.8%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	15%±6.8Highest NY: 7%	4.8%±0.9Lowest NY: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$170,000±$53kHighest 98% above NY	$140,739±$7kLowest 64% above NY
	Lawrence and Long Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,623,200±$292kHighest 283% above NY	$696,400±$28kLowest 64% above NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,943±$290Lowest 20% above NY	$2,515±$168Highest 55% above NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+ at least 52% above NY	$10,000+ at least 52% above NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.2%±19.8Lowest NY: 52.1%	54.4%±7.9Highest NY: 52.1%
	Long Beach and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.5%Lowest NY: 14%	7.6%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.3%Highest NY: 54.3%	66%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Highest 5 yrs newer than NY	1961Lowest 2 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	39 minLowest 19% above NY	41 minHighest 27% above NY
Work from home	8.7%±5.7Lowest NY: 14.9%	18.8%±3.4Highest NY: 14.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#56 of 484 in NY
School district	—	LONG BEACH CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

NY average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.