Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Boulder, CO
VS
Norman, OK
🏆 Norman leads 15 of 23 categories
Boulder
Colorado
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$80,243 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
85
Population
106,598
Norman
Oklahoma
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,849
Violent Crime Index
68 ✓ Safer
Population
127,701 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Boulder, CO
Pros
Households earn $17,394 more per year on average
More college-educated — 76.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $919,700
Higher rents — median is $1,853/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Norman
Property crime (2733.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Norman, OK
Pros
Homes cost $695k less ($224,900 vs $919,700)
Rent averages $849/mo less ($1,004 vs $1,853)
19% less violent crime than Boulder
Violent crime is well below the national average (260.2 vs 380/100k)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Boulder
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Cons
Median income trails Boulder by $17,394/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Boulder
Median Income
$17,394
$80,243 vs $62,849/yr
Norman
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 107.2 (100 = US avg)
Norman
Violent Crime
19% lower
260.2 vs 322.3 per 100k
Norman
Median Home Value
$695k less
$224,900 vs $919,700
Norman
Summer Heat
4.5°F warmer
July avg high 92.5°F vs 88.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Boulder, CO | Norman, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.2⚠ High | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $919,700⚠ High | $224,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,853⚠ High | $1,004 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $80,243 ✓ Higher | $62,849 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter | 22.6 min |
| Work From Home % | 28.0% ✓ Higher | 9.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 103⚠ High | 84 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 85 | 68 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 130⚠ High | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.6:1 | 16.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.6% ✓ Higher | 45.6% |
| High School or Higher | 96.9% ✓ Higher | 94.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Boulder Valley School District No. Re2 | NORMAN |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.0°F | 49.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.0°F | 92.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.7" ✓ Drier | 37.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 85.2" | 4.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 106,598 | 127,701 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.5 | 31.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.2% | 52.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 11.7% | 18.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.2% | 13.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Boulder's cost of living index is 107.2 vs Norman's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Norman is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Norman leads 15 of 23 categories. Boulder wins 8 and Norman 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 Boulder to Norman or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($919,700 vs $224,900 median home), income ($80,243 vs $62,849), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Boulder, CO and Norman, OK are about 544 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.