Lawrence is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States on the Merrimack River. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 72,043. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and North Andover to the southeast. It and Salem are the county seats of Essex County. Lawrence is also part of the Merrimack Valley.
Manufacturing products of the city include electronic equipment, textiles, footwear, paper products, computers, and foodstuffs. Lawrence was, for a while, the residence of Robert Frost, where he published his first poem.
Geography
Lawrence is located at 42°42'13?N 71°9'47?W / 42.70361°N 71.16306°W (42.703741, -71.162979). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.4 square miles (19.2 kmē), of which, 7.0 square miles (18.0 kmē) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.2 kmē) of it (6.07%) is water.
Aside from the Merrimack River, other water features include the Spicket River, which flows into the Merrimack from Methuen, and the Shawsheen River, which forms the southeastern border of the city. Additionally, Lawrence has two power canals that were formerly used to provide hydropower to the mills - one on the north bank of the river, the other on the south. Channeling water into these canals is the Great Stone Dam, which lies across the entire Merrimack and was, at the time of its construction in the 1840s, the largest dam in the world.
The highest point in Lawrence is the top of Tower Hill in the northwest corner of the city, rising approximately 240 feet above sea level. Other prominent hills include Prospect Hill, in the northeast corner of the city, and Mount Vernon, along the southern edge of the city. Most industrial activity was concentrated in the flatlands along the rivers.
Den Rock Park, a wooded conservation district on the southern edge of Lawrence that spans the Lawrence-Andover town line, provides recreation for nature lovers and rock-climbers alike.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 72,043 people, 24,463 households, and 16,903 families residing in the city. The population density was 10,351.4 people per square mile (3,996.5/kmē). There were 25,601 housing units at an average density of 3,678.4/sq mi (1,420.2/kmē). The racial makeup of the city was 48.64% White, 4.88%
African American, 0.81% Native American, 2.65% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 36.67% from other races, and 6.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 59.71% of the population.
There were 24,463 households out of which 41.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.6% were married couples living together, 25.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.9% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.46.
In the city the population was spread out with 32.0% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,983, and the median income for a family was $29,809. Males had a median income of $27,772 versus $23,137 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,360. About 21.2% of families and 34.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.7% of those under age
18 and 20.1% of those age 65 or over. By 2006, the population of Lawrence was estimated to be more than 68% Hispanic. |
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| High Service Water Tower (1895), also called Tower Hill Water Tower, a notable eyecatcher or folly, named an American Water Landmark in 1979 by the American Water Works Association. |
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| Merrimack River at Lawrence |
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