Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Berkeley, CA
VS
Lawton, OK
🏆 Berkeley leads 13 of 23 categories
Berkeley
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$104,716 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
168⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
121,385 ✓ Larger
Lawton
Oklahoma
10
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.
Berkeley, CA
Pros
Households earn $53,155 more per year on average
More college-educated — 73.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
22% less violent crime than Lawton
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (5.5%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 74°F vs 96°F
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 51°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,280,300
Higher rents — median is $2,067/mo
Cost of living runs 31% higher than Lawton
Violent crime (638.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Lawton, OK
Pros
Homes cost $1155k less ($125,500 vs $1,280,300)
Rent averages $1169/mo less ($898 vs $2,067)
31% cheaper overall cost of living than Berkeley
Commutes run 14 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.6)
Smaller class sizes — 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Berkeley by $53,155/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 5.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Berkeley
Median Income
$53,155
$104,716 vs $51,561/yr
Berkeley
Violent Crime
22% lower
638.8 vs 820.3 per 100k
Berkeley
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
5.5% vs 7.7% unemployment
Lawton
Cost of Living
31% cheaper
COL index 87.6 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Lawton
Median Home Value
$1155k less
$125,500 vs $1,280,300
Lawton
Summer Heat
21.7°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 74.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Berkeley, CA | Lawton, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 87.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,280,300⚠ High | $125,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,067⚠ High | $898 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $104,716 ✓ Higher | $51,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.4 min⚠ High | 16.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.1% ✓ Higher | 12.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 200⚠ High | 180⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 168⚠ High ✓ Safer | 216⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 249⚠ High | 126⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | C (78) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.1:1 | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 73.8% ✓ Higher | 22.5% |
| High School or Higher | 96.1% ✓ Higher | 89.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Berkeley Unified | LAWTON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.9°F ✓ Warmer | 51.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 74.2°F | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 26.1" ✓ Drier | 34.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 2.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 121,385 ✓ Larger | 91,023 |
| Median Age | 32.5 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.3% | 44.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 23.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.9% ✓ More | 12.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Berkeley's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Lawton's 87.6 (US average = 100).
Lawton is 31% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Berkeley leads 13 of 23 categories. Berkeley wins 13 and Lawton 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 Berkeley to Lawton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,280,300 vs $125,500 median home), income ($104,716 vs $51,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Berkeley, CA and Lawton, OK are about 1,346 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.