Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Albany, NY
VS
Lawton, OK
🏆 Lawton leads 15 of 23 categories
Albany
New York
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.6
Median Household Income
$54,736 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
215⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
99,692 ✓ Larger
Lawton
Oklahoma
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,561
Violent Crime Index
216⚠ High
Population
91,023
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Albany, NY
Pros
More college-educated — 43.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 96°F
Households earn $3,175 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (816.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2848.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Lawton
Snowy winters — about 56" of snow per year
Lawton, OK
Pros
Homes cost $88k less ($125,500 vs $213,400)
Rent averages $232/mo less ($898 vs $1,130)
Milder winters — January highs near 51°F vs 33°F
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Albany
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.6)
Cons
Violent crime (820.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2652.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Albany by $3,175/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Albany
Median Income
$3,175
$54,736 vs $51,561/yr
Lawton
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 87.6 vs 97.6 (100 = US avg)
Lawton
Median Home Value
$88k less
$125,500 vs $213,400
Lawton
Summer Heat
12.0°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 83.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Albany, NY | Lawton, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.6 | 87.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $213,400 | $125,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,130 | $898 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,736 ✓ Higher | $51,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.0%⚠ High | 7.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.3 min | 16.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% | 12.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 183⚠ High | 180⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 215⚠ High ✓ Safer | 216⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 136⚠ High | 126⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | C (78) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 43.0% ✓ Higher | 22.5% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% | 89.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ALBANY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | LAWTON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F | 51.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 83.9°F | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.1" | 34.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 56.2" | 2.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,692 ✓ Larger | 91,023 |
| Median Age | 32.0 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.7% | 44.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 15.1% | 23.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.7% ✓ More | 12.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Albany's cost of living index is 97.6 vs Lawton's 87.6 (US average = 100).
Lawton is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lawton leads 15 of 23 categories. Albany wins 8 and Lawton wins 15. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Albany to Lawton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($213,400 vs $125,500 median home), income ($54,736 vs $51,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Albany, NY and Lawton, OK are about 1,434 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.