Census numbers reflect city’s qualities compared to peer communities

With New Year’s around the corner, it is the time of year that individuals often step in front of the mirror and do a little self-evaluation.

Maybe it is a good time for communities to do so, too.

New information from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey makes it easier than ever to compare Lawrence to other communities.

As a year-end exercise, we’ve taken a look at Lawrence and compared it with nine other university communities. There’s nothing magical about our method, other than we recognize that university communities often are their own unique creatures. Five of the communities we examined — Norman, Okla.; Champaign, Ill.; Iowa City, Iowa; Bloomington, Ind.; and Columbia, Mo. — are on a list of communities that Lawrence City Hall considers peer communities. We chose three more because we thought readers would be interested due to their proximity and Big 12 affiliation — Manhattan; Ames, Iowa; and Stillwater, Okla. And then we chose Boulder, Colo., because for whatever reason, Boulder seems to have become our rich cousin that promotes either admiration or disdain, depending on whom you talk to.

One last word about the information: It comes from surveys taken by the Census Bureau from 2005 to 2009. The results are the average of those five years, which is not so great for showing you the latest numbers, but is good for providing you a reliable number.

So, here we go. Mirror, mirror on the wall …

We could use more jobs. Local leaders often point to Lawrence’s lower-than-average unemployment rate. Indeed, Lawrence does traditionally have an unemployment rate below the nation’s. But when it comes to college towns, we’re a little on the high side. Over the five-year period we had the second-highest unemployment rate of the group.

Lawrence: 6.9 percent

Highest: Bloomington, 7.3 percent

Lowest: Manhattan, 4.6 percent

Group Average: 6.0 percent

National average: 7.2 percent

We drive a lot. Our average travel time to work is second-highest in the group.

Lawrence: 18.5 minutes

Highest: Norman, 19.9 minutes

Lowest: Champaign and Manhattan, 14.5 minutes

Group Average: 16.1 minutes

National Average: 25.2 minutes

We like our cars. Lawrence households are the second most likely of the group to have three or more vehicles.

Lawrence: 19.2 percent of households with three or more vehicles.

Highest: Manhattan, 20.4 percent

Lowest: Bloomington, 11.9 percent

Group Average: 15.9 percent

National Average: 20 percent

We spend a lot on our homes. Lawrence is second in a convoluted yet important category. The Census Bureau measures how many homeowners — not renters — spend 35 percent or more of their monthly income on housing costs. We have the second-highest number of people who fall into that category.

Lawrence: 22.8 percent spend more than 35 percent of monthly income on housing.

Highest: Boulder, 26.6 percent

Lowest: Ames, 13.9 percent

Group Average: 19 percent

National Average: 27.9 percent

Our men are dragging us down. Male, full-time, year-round workers in Lawrence have the fourth-lowest median salaries of the group. (In case you’re wondering, Lawrence females only were slightly better. They had the fifth-lowest salaries.)

Lawrence: $40,472

Highest: Boulder, $57,378

Lowest: Stillwater, $32,604

Group Average: $42,782 ($41,160 without Boulder)

National Average: $45,363

We have wages in the bottom third of the group but average home prices in the top third. Lawrence has the third-highest median home price in the group.

Lawrence: $168,100

Highest: Boulder, $464,200

Lowest: Stillwater, $133,000

Group Average: $185,780 ($154,844 without Boulder)

National Average: $185,400

Landlords love us. Lawrence was tied for the second-highest average monthly rent in the group.

Lawrence: $754

Highest: Boulder, $998

Lowest: Stillwater, $581

Group Average: $735 ($706 without Boulder)

National Average: $817

We’re blue collar. Well, if you consider manufacturing jobs blue collar, we are. Lawrence is tied for first in the group with the highest percentage of manufacturing jobs.

Lawrence: 7 percent of work force in manufacturing.

Highest: Tie between Lawrence, Champaign and Ames.

Lowest: Norman, 5.1 percent

Group Average: 6.1 percent

National Average: 11.2 percent

We know how to run a cash register. Lawrence was second in the group for the largest percentage of retail jobs.

Lawrence: 12.9 percent

Highest: Stillwater, 15.6 percent

Lowest: Ames, 10.2 percent

Group Average: 12.2 percent

National Average: 11.5 percent

We’re not as young as we think we are. Lawrence has the third oldest median age of any city in the group.

Lawrence: 25.0 years

Highest: Boulder and Norman, 27.9 years

Lowest: Bloomington and Manhattan, 22.8 years

Group Average: 24.6

National Average: 36.5 years