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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Lawrence, MA

Population: 88,067 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

D
36/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$4.6B
Per Capita
$52,564
Total Revenue
$2.5B
Total Debt
$54.3M

Spending Breakdown

Education
69.5%$3.2B
Other
19.7%$910.0M
Utilities
4.3%$200.9M
Housing & Community Development
3.5%$163.4M
Public Welfare
1.0%$48.3M
Hospitals
0.6%$29.4M
Fire Protection
0.6%$26.4M
Sewerage
0.4%$16.3M
Health
0.3%$14.3M
Parks & Recreation
0.1%$2.6M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
0.0%$302K
Intergovernmental
12.7%$312.4M
Charges & Fees
7.9%$194.4M
Other
0.9%$22.7M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$300/person
Parks & Recreation$30/person
Education$36,535/person
Health$163/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)3/100
Debt Burden (20%)26/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)0/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$54.3M
Long-Term Debt$15.1M
Debt Per Capita$616
Cash & Securities$7.3M

Compare Cities

See how Lawrence stacks up against another city.

vs Boston, MAvs Worcester, MAvs Springfield, MA
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Massachusetts

Boston, MA

Pop. 666K

C
Total Spending
$48.1B
Per Capita
$72,299

Worcester, MA

Pop. 204K

C
Total Spending
$8.6B
Per Capita
$42,049

Springfield, MA

Pop. 155K

D
Total Spending
$10.2B
Per Capita
$65,626

Cambridge, MA

Pop. 118K

C
Total Spending
$15.4B
Per Capita
$130,737

Compare Lawrence With

Boston, MA

Spending: $72,299/person · Grade: C

Worcester, MA

Spending: $42,049/person · Grade: C

Springfield, MA

Spending: $65,626/person · Grade: D

Cambridge, MA

Spending: $130,737/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Lawrence, MA spends $52,564 per resident, based on total expenditures of $4.6B for a population of 88,067. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (36/100).

Lawrence, MA has total expenditures of $4.6B and total revenue of $2.5B. The city carries $54.3M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Lawrence, MA employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Lawrence, MA has a Fiscal Health Score of D (36/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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