Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cambridge, MA
VS
Norman, OK
🏆 Norman leads 16 of 23 categories
Cambridge
Massachusetts
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$121,539 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
117,962
Norman
Oklahoma
16
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.
Cambridge, MA
Pros
Households earn $58,690 more per year on average
More college-educated — 79.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.5 pts lower (3.3%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 93°F
Smaller class sizes — 9.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $997,600
Higher rents — median is $2,628/mo
Cost of living runs 21% higher than Norman
Property crime (2644.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Norman, OK
Pros
Homes cost $773k less ($224,900 vs $997,600)
Rent averages $1624/mo less ($1,004 vs $2,628)
40% less violent crime than Cambridge
21% cheaper overall cost of living than Cambridge
Violent crime is well below the national average (260.2 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Cambridge by $58,690/yr
Higher unemployment (5.8% vs 3.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cambridge
Median Income
$58,690
$121,539 vs $62,849/yr
Cambridge
Unemployment
2.5 pp lower
3.3% vs 5.8% unemployment
Norman
Cost of Living
21% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Norman
Violent Crime
40% lower
260.2 vs 436.7 per 100k
Norman
Median Home Value
$773k less
$224,900 vs $997,600
Norman
Summer Heat
7.8°F warmer
July avg high 92.5°F vs 84.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cambridge, MA | Norman, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $997,600⚠ High | $224,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,628⚠ High | $1,004 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,539 ✓ Higher | $62,849 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.2 min | 22.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 25.1% ✓ Higher | 9.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 119⚠ High | 84 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | 68 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 9.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 45.6% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 94.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cambridge | NORMAN |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 37.0°F | 49.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.7°F | 92.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.3" | 37.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 4.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,962 | 127,701 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 30.6 | 31.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 33.6% | 52.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 18.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.9% | 13.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cambridge's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Norman's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Norman is 21% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Norman leads 16 of 23 categories. Cambridge wins 7 and Norman wins 16. 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 Cambridge to Norman or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($997,600 vs $224,900 median home), income ($121,539 vs $62,849), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cambridge, MA and Norman, OK are about 1,488 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.