Side-by-side comparison of Wichita, KS and Lawrence, KS — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Wichita has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 4.36% compared to Lawrence's 3.44%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $185,000 in Wichita vs $255,000 in Lawrence, while rents come in at $1,080/mo and $1,250/mo respectively.
Growth & appreciation: Lawrence is growing faster at 0.8% annually vs Wichita's 0.5%. Lawrence leads on home value appreciation at 2.6% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 1.41% in Wichita vs 1.36% in Lawrence. Vacancy rates of 6.2% and 4.8% are mixed — Lawrence has the tighter rental market.
Bottom line: Lawrence edges out Wichita on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 3.44%, Lawrence's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Wichita or Lawrence.