Watkins Mill, County Highway MM · Library of Congress
Lawson’s story
Lawson in pictures
2 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
LawsonMO
A town of 2,905. Public schools that outperform most of Missouri.
Population
2,905
+2.7% since 2010
Typical home
$313K
+5.5% in a year
Household income
$66K
median
Median age
32.8
years
Jobs based here
427
A commuter town
What makes Lawson stand out
The 3 things Lawson does most differently from other towns.
ASchool Grade
Schools
#40 for schools in MO
of 226 towns
School Grade A.
100 U.S. towns● Lawson
Health
70% of U.S. towns are healthier
on CDC estimates
Better than MO on 0 measures, worse on 0.
100 U.S. towns● Lawson
Safety
Safer than 70%
of U.S. towns we grade
Safety Grade B+. FBI data, crimes reported to police.
A commuter town
94% of working residents leave Lawson for work
Where Lawson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
427jobs based in Lawson
6%of working residents work in town
27 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Lawson’s report card
SchoolsABeats 88% of MO districtsCommute27 miHalf of commuters travel lessHealthCHealthier than 30% of U.S. townsSafetyB+Less crime than 70% of U.S. townsClimate87°/19°Summer high · winter low · 19″ snowHousing$313K17% above the MO typical homeHazards49/100Moderate risk of storm & flood damageOutdoors1 miof trails · 0% conserved
Now in Lawson
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Lawson is #7 of 254 in MO for “Snowiest”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Lawson’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Lawson. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
Lawson’s public schools outperform 88% of Missouri districts
The public schools Lawson’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 88% of Missouri’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
ASchool Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Elem. | PK–4 | 439 | A |
| Lawson Middle | 5–8 | 342 | B+ |
| Lawson High | 9–12 | 362 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MO on state tests and graduationAll 3 schools →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Lawson
Most working residents leave Lawson for work: only 6% work in town. The top destinations are Kansas City (22%), Excelsior Springs (9%) and Liberty (9%). Half commute less than 27 miles.
6%work in town
Where working residents work
In Lawson6%
Kansas City22%
Excelsior Springs9%
Liberty9%
Claycomo4%
27 mi
median commute distance
427
jobs based in Lawson
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Health
Healthier than 30% of U.S. towns
Lawson tracks Missouri closely on all 32 CDC measures.
CHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Missouri
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
Excelsior Springs Hospital
5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
59th
percentile among MO towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 70% of U.S. towns
Lawson reports less crime per resident than 70% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
B+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Lawson0.8
Missouri4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Lawson5.6
Missouri16.9
U.S.15.5
70th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
87th
percentile among MO towns
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
14
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Lawson has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 19 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
19″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter22–40°
Spring43–64°
Summer65–85°
Fall45–66°
Oct 17
typical first frost
Apr 19
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Housing
A typical Lawson home is worth about $313K
The typical Lawson home is worth about $313,000, up 5.5% in a year, 17% above the Missouri typical home.
$313KZillow home value
Typical home value
Lawson$313K
Missouri$268K
Market temperature
126
days on market
+5.5%
value change, 1 year
7
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 49% of U.S. communities.
49risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
2
paid flood claims since 1998
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Outdoors
0% of Lawson is conserved land
1.1 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 1,941 acres
1.1 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lawson City Lake | 0.9 mi | 113 |
| 2. Lawson City Park | 0.2 mi | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
About Lawson
City in Ray and Clay counties in Missouri, United States
Lawson is a city in Clay and Ray counties in Missouri, United States, that is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. The population was 2,541 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 2,541
- Area
- 2.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,066 ft
- ZIP code
- 64062
- Area code
- 816