Lawrence Apartments and Rentals

The college town of Lawrence, Kan., is a bohemian enclave in a largely conservative, agricultural state. Located approximately 45 minutes west of Kansas City and about a half-hour from the state capital of Topeka, Lawrence is home to the University of Kansas and is a Mecca for college basketball fans. James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, coached at KU, and the university's Allen Fieldhouse is named after another legendary coach, Phog Allen.

Lawrence is ranked 15th in travel writer John Villani's list of the 100 Best Small Art Towns in America, and it's not hard to see why. Its downtown shopping, dining and entertainment district has a vibrancy that goes virtually unrivaled in the Midwest, and is particularly known for its live music scene. Lawrence's main thoroughfare, Massachusetts Street, has been called one of the most beautiful main streets in the country. Those looking for small-town hospitality and a list of attractions and events that rival those of much bigger cities should consider Lawrence apartments for rent.

It may seem strange that a main street in Kansas is named "Massachusetts," but the reasons behind this become clear once you know something about Lawrence's history. The city was founded in 1854 by the New England Emigrant Aid Society, with the aim of keeping the territory free from slavery. It was named after its main financier, Amos Lawrence, and holds the distinction of being one of just a handful of cities in the country founded for political reasons.

Although its origins may have been political, the city quickly diversified when the University of Kansas was founded in 1866 and Haskell Indian Nations University - the country's only inter-tribal university for Native Americans - opened in 1884. Today, the city is home to more than 88,000 people.

Approximately 28,000 students attend the University of Kansas, which offers more than 190 undergraduate majors. The university is also the city's largest employer and has a workforce of approximately 10,000 people.

Although it isn't nearly as large, Haskell Indian Nations University, with a population of more than 1,000 students, is important in its own right. It represents more than 150 federally recognized tribes from across the United States, and integrates American Indian culture across its curricula.

The Lawrence Unified School District is made up of 21 school campuses, including a pre-kindergarten program, 14 elementary schools, four middle schools, a K-8 virtual school, two comprehensive high schools and a virtual high school. It serves approximately 11,000 students and is the city's second-largest employer, with nearly 1,700 people on its payroll.

The cost of living in Lawrence is below the national average. It registered an 89 on City-Data.com's March 2012 cost of living index, which is based on the U.S. average of 100. The median gross rent for apartments in Lawrence is $810. As with most college towns, the portion of the student body that does not live on campus may have an effect on apartment availability, particularly at certain times of the school year.

Lawrence has far too many attractions to list, but some highlights include the KU Natural History Museum, the Lawrence Outdoor Aquatic Center, the Spencer Museum of Art and the Black Jack Battlefield, where John Brown and Henry Clay Pate fought the first battle of the American Civil War in 1856. Nature buffs can take advantage of the more than 50 city parks, including the Prairie Park Nature Center, which offers walking trails and educational programs.

Lawrence is a known live music hub with a plethora of downtown concert venues to choose from. If golfing is more your speed, the city is home to two popular public 18-hole golf courses - one, Eagle Bend, hosted the 2000 American Junior Golf Association Championship.

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