Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Norman, OK
🏆 Arlington leads 12 of 22 categories
Arlington
Virginia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Norman
Oklahoma
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,849
Violent Crime Index
68
Population
127,701
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $74,538 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.0 pts lower (2.8%)
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Norman
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Norman, OK
Pros
Homes cost $608k less ($224,900 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $1223/mo less ($1,004 vs $2,227)
Violent crime is well below the national average (260.2 vs 380/100k)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $74,538/yr
Higher unemployment (5.8% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$74,538
$137,387 vs $62,849/yr
Arlington
Unemployment
3.0 pp lower
2.8% vs 5.8% unemployment
Norman
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Norman
Median Home Value
$608k less
$224,900 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Norman, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $224,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,004 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $62,849 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 22.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 9.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 84 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 68 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 45.6% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 94.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | NORMAN |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 49.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 92.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 37.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 4.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 127,701 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 31.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 52.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 18.1% |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 13.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Norman's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Norman is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Arlington leads 12 of 22 categories. Arlington wins 12 and Norman wins 10. 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 Arlington to Norman or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $224,900 median home), income ($137,387 vs $62,849), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Norman, OK are about 1,142 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.