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)

How Lawson ranks

All →

#6Highest graduation rate in MO #20Safest in MO #40Best schools in MO All MO rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code64062

Area code816

Living in Lawson

Housing in Lawson

$313K▲ 5.5% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Lawson home is worth about $313,000, up 5.5% in a year, 17% above the Missouri typical home.

A strong seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market126

Sold in May7

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Lawson

B⁺

Safety Grade B+

Lawson reports less crime per resident than 70% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.

Violent crime per 1,000

Lawson 0.8

Missouri 4.3

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Lawson 5.6

Missouri 16.9

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Lawson

Full picture →

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.

Kansas City

22%

Excelsior Springs

Liberty

Claycomo

6%Work in townlive and work in Lawson 27 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 427Jobs based herea commuter town

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Lawson →

Health in Lawson

Health Grade C

Healthier than 30% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Missouri

≈Just like Missouri

No difference on any of 32 measures is outside the margin of error.

Conditions all close Habits all close Care all close Mind all close Everyday needs all close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

Nothing stands out: Lawson tracks Missouri closely.

Care nearby

Excelsior Springs HospitalExcelsior Springs · 5 mi · ER · rural critical access

Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center Clay County Family Medicine & DentalLiberty · 17.3 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Lawson · CMS · HRSAHealth in Lawson →

Natural hazards in Lawson

Moderate

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 49% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🥶 Cold waves🌪️ Tornadoes

2Does Lawson flood?paid flood claims since 1998 1Disasters that paid out herefederal disaster sent FEMA money to Lawson

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Lawson →

Climate in Lawson

Full climate →

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.

40° / 22°Winter

64° / 43°Spring

85° / 65°Summer

66° / 45°Fall

How much snow does Lawson get?About 19 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 17, with the last in spring around Apr 19.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.1° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Lawson →

Schools in Lawson

All Lawson schools →

School Grade A

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.

#40Best public schoolsof 226 in MO

DistrictLAWSON R-XIVSchools3

Southwest Elem. AElementary · Grades PK–4 · 439 students Lawson Middle B+Middle · Grades 5–8 · 342 students Lawson High A-High · Grades 9–12 · 362 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within MO. Ratings are from neighbors.