Lawrence, KS vs Shawnee, KS
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Lawrence, KS outspends Shawnee, KS by a wide margin per resident — $50,571 versus $19,297, a 162% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Shawnee, KS holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 66/100 (grade B) against 40/100 (grade D) for Lawrence, KS — a 26-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Shawnee, KS reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Lawrence, KS carries $1,487 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Lawrence, KS at $1,334 per resident and in Shawnee, KS at $3,095.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Lawrence, KS at 13% of total revenue, whereas Shawnee, KS relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 27%.
Summary
Lawrence spends 162.1% more per capita than Shawnee ($31,274/person difference). Shawnee, KS has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 66/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $452 | $366 |
| Income Tax | $1,646 | $2,215 |
| Intergovernmental | $610 | $2,994 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,976 | $0 |
| Other | $5,396 | $966 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $2,908 |
| Fire Protection | $701 | $1,248 |
| Highways & Roads | $152 | $10 |
| Education | $50 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,409 | $1,126 |
| Health | $528 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $201 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,334 | $3,095 |
| Housing | $2,611 | $3,109 |
| Utilities | $3,966 | $2,387 |
| Interest on Debt | $301 | $0 |
| General Admin | $32,300 | $0 |
| Other | $7,016 | $5,414 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.