Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Lawton, OK
🏆 Cape Coral leads 11 of 20 categories
Cape Coral
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,474 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912 ✓ 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.
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Households earn $20,913 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.3 pts lower (4.4%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 51°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Cost of living runs 17% higher than Lawton
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Lawton, OK
Pros
Homes cost $177k less ($125,500 vs $302,400)
Rent averages $732/mo less ($898 vs $1,630)
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.6)
Smaller class sizes — 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Cape Coral by $20,913/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
Cape Coral
Median Income
$20,913
$72,474 vs $51,561/yr
Cape Coral
Unemployment
3.3 pp lower
4.4% vs 7.7% unemployment
Lawton
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 87.6 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
Lawton
Median Home Value
$177k less
$125,500 vs $302,400
Lawton
Summer Heat
4.3°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 91.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Lawton, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High | 87.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 | $125,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High | $898 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 ✓ Higher | $51,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 16.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% | 12.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 180⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 216⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 126⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) ✓ Better | C (78) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% ✓ Higher | 22.5% |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 89.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | LAWTON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 51.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 34.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 2.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 ✓ Larger | 91,023 |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 44.7% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 23.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 12.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Lawton's 87.6 (US average = 100).
Lawton is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Cape Coral leads 11 of 20 categories. Cape Coral wins 11 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 Cape Coral to Lawton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $125,500 median home), income ($72,474 vs $51,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Lawton, OK are about 1,119 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.