Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Austin, TX
VS
Lawton, OK
🏆 Austin leads 14 of 23 categories
Austin
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.6
Median Household Income
$86,556 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
123⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
958,202 ✓ Larger
Lawton
Oklahoma
9
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.
Austin, TX
Pros
Households earn $34,995 more per year on average
43% less violent crime than Lawton
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.3 pts lower (4.4%)
More college-educated — 56.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 51°F
Smaller class sizes — 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $461,500
Higher rents — median is $1,549/mo
Violent crime (466.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3241.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Lawton, OK
Pros
Homes cost $336k less ($125,500 vs $461,500)
Rent averages $651/mo less ($898 vs $1,549)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Austin
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.6)
Cons
Median income trails Austin by $34,995/yr
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
Higher unemployment (7.7% vs 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Austin
Median Income
$34,995
$86,556 vs $51,561/yr
Austin
Violent Crime
43% lower
466.9 vs 820.3 per 100k
Austin
Unemployment
3.3 pp lower
4.4% vs 7.7% unemployment
Lawton
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 87.6 vs 97.6 (100 = US avg)
Lawton
Median Home Value
$336k less
$125,500 vs $461,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Austin, TX | Lawton, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.6 | 87.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $461,500⚠ High | $125,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,549⚠ High | $898 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,556 ✓ Higher | $51,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.1 min | 16.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.9% ✓ Higher | 12.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 135⚠ High ✓ Safer | 180⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 123⚠ High ✓ Safer | 216⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 154⚠ High | 126⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (133) ✓ Better | C (78) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 56.5% ✓ Higher | 22.5% |
| High School or Higher | 91.1% ✓ Higher | 89.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | AUSTIN ISD | LAWTON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.5°F ✓ Warmer | 51.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 96.6°F ✓ Warmer | 95.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.2" | 34.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" ✓ Less | 2.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 958,202 ✓ Larger | 91,023 |
| Median Age | 34.2 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.4% | 44.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.7% | 23.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 9.8% | 12.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Austin'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, Austin leads 14 of 23 categories. Austin wins 14 and Lawton wins 9. 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 Austin to Lawton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($461,500 vs $125,500 median home), income ($86,556 vs $51,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Austin, TX and Lawton, OK are about 301 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.