Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Baton Rouge, LA
VS
Oklahoma City, OK
🏆 Oklahoma City leads 14 of 23 categories
Baton Rouge
Louisiana
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$50,155
Violent Crime Index
270⚠ High
Population
225,500
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0
Median Household Income
$64,251 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
681,088 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Baton Rouge, LA
Pros
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Milder winters — January highs near 61°F vs 49°F
More college-educated — 36.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 13.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1027.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Oklahoma City by $14,096/yr
Property crime (5852.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.6% vs 4.5%)
Oklahoma City, OK
Pros
34% less violent crime than Baton Rouge
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.1 pts lower (4.5%)
Households earn $14,096 more per year on average
Homes cost $21k less ($196,700 vs $217,700)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Cons
Violent crime (676.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2893.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 90.8 on the COL index
Oklahoma City
Median Income
$14,096
$64,251 vs $50,155/yr
Oklahoma City
Violent Crime
34% lower
676.0 vs 1027.7 per 100k
Oklahoma City
Median Home Value
$21k less
$196,700 vs $217,700
Oklahoma City
Unemployment
4.1 pp lower
4.5% vs 8.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Baton Rouge, LA | Oklahoma City, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper | 91.0 |
| Median Home Value | $217,700 | $196,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,010 ✓ Lower | $1,012 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $50,155 | $64,251 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.6%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.5 min ✓ Shorter | 22.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.2% | 8.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 274⚠ High | 162⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 270⚠ High | 178⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 279⚠ High | 138⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.4% ✓ Higher | 33.2% |
| High School or Higher | 87.5% | 87.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | East Baton Rouge Parish | OKLAHOMA CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.7°F ✓ Warmer | 49.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F | 93.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 67.5" | 37.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" ✓ Less | 6.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 225,500 | 681,088 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 31.9 | 34.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.9% | 59.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 13.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Baton Rouge's cost of living index is 90.8 vs Oklahoma City's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Baton Rouge is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Oklahoma City leads 14 of 23 categories. Baton Rouge wins 9 and Oklahoma City wins 14. 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 Baton Rouge to Oklahoma City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($217,700 vs $196,700 median home), income ($50,155 vs $64,251), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Baton Rouge, LA and Oklahoma City, OK are about 507 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.