Living in & buying/selling in Lawrence, MA
A compact mill city on both banks of the Merrimack — and the home of my office.
Lawrence, briefly
Lawrence is where I work from every day — our office is at 130 Parker St, Suite 14. The city was laid out in the 1840s as a planned industrial city, built around the Great Stone Dam and the canals that powered its mills on both banks of the Merrimack River.
What that history left behind is what buyers come for today: a commuter rail station with direct service to Boston, I-495 along the city’s edge, and a large stock of two-, three- and four-family homes that make owning — and renting out part of what you own — possible.
Lawrence, this week
Live from public sources and refreshed every week. When a town has no separate series, the panel shows county figures and says so.
What the housing stock looks like
Lawrence is a city of triple-deckers and two-families, many built in the late 1800s and early 1900s, along with brick mill-era buildings, single-families in the outer sections of the city and residential lofts in converted mill buildings near the river and canals.
For buyers who want to live in one unit and rent the others, Lawrence is often where we look first. Older buildings need a careful plan: heating systems, electrical, porches and egress, and lead paint — in Massachusetts, the owner must delead a unit when a child under six lives there. At sale, every home needs a smoke and carbon-monoxide certificate from the fire department.
Getting to and from Lawrence
Check the MBTA and MassDOT or NHDOT for current schedules and roadwork.
- By train
Lawrence station is on the MBTA Haverhill Line with service to Boston’s North Station; Andover is the next stop south and Bradford the next stop north.
- By car
I-495 runs along the city with several exits, Routes 28 and 114 cross the city, and I-93 is a short drive west through Methuen or Andover.
- By bus
The Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority (MVRTA) runs local bus routes through Lawrence and the surrounding towns.
Schools in Lawrence
Lawrence’s public schools are run by Lawrence Public Schools. For school assignments, enrollment, bilingual programs and registration, go straight to the district — it is the only source I point clients to.
I don't rank or rate schools; the district and the state are the sources to trust. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education publishes school and district profiles for every public district in the state.
A few things about Lawrence
- The Great Stone Dam
Built across the Merrimack in the 1840s to power the mills; when it was finished it was described as the largest dam in the world.
- Bread and Roses, 1912
The textile strike that began in Lawrence’s mills in 1912 is one of the most widely studied labor struggles in American history.
- Lawrence Heritage State Park
A state park that tells the story of the mill city, near the canals downtown.
- Named for Abbott Lawrence
The community was set off as a town in 1847 and became a city in 1853.
Answered plainly
Is there a train from Lawrence to Boston?
Yes. Lawrence station is on the MBTA Haverhill Line with service to North Station. Check the MBTA schedule for current times and parking.
Can I buy a two- or three-family in Lawrence as my first home?
Yes. If you live in one unit, owner-occupied financing such as FHA can be used on two- to four-unit homes, and part of the rent can help you qualify. My first multi-family guide covers the numbers lenders look at.
What should I check before buying an older multi-family in Lawrence?
Heating, electrical, roof, porches and exits, and the lead paint status of each unit. Massachusetts requires an owner to delead a unit when a child under six lives there, and every sale needs a smoke and carbon-monoxide certificate. I build those into the offer and inspection plan from day one.
How is the Lawrence housing market right now?
The Market Pulse on this page refreshes every week from public sources: typical value, sale prices, days on market and mortgage rates. Those are area trends; for a specific street, I pull the recent comparable sales.
What is my home in Lawrence worth?
Request a home value and I'll review the comparable sales and active competition near your address, then send you a written range. It's free and there's no obligation.
Do you work in Spanish?
Yes. I'm a bilingual REALTOR®, and the whole process — every document explained, the negotiation and the signings — can be in Spanish.
Thinking about a move in Lawrence?
Tell me what you're planning — buying, selling or investing. I'll come back with real numbers for this town, in English or Spanish.
Call or text: (978) 390-9619 · Book a call
The Fermin Group at Century 21 North East · 130 Parker St, Suite 14, Lawrence, MA 01843