Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Carlsbad, CA
VS
Lawton, OK
🏆 Carlsbad leads 16 of 23 categories
Carlsbad
California
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$134,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
52 ✓ Safer
Population
114,745 ✓ Larger
Lawton
Oklahoma
7
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.
Carlsbad, CA
Pros
Households earn $82,578 more per year on average
76% less violent crime than Lawton
More college-educated — 59.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (199.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (6.0%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 74°F vs 96°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,070,500
Higher rents — median is $2,477/mo
Cost of living runs 24% higher than Lawton
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Lawton, OK
Pros
Homes cost $945k less ($125,500 vs $1,070,500)
Rent averages $1579/mo less ($898 vs $2,477)
24% cheaper overall cost of living than Carlsbad
Commutes run 12 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 Carlsbad by $82,578/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 6.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Carlsbad
Median Income
$82,578
$134,139 vs $51,561/yr
Carlsbad
Violent Crime
76% lower
199.1 vs 820.3 per 100k
Carlsbad
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
6.0% vs 7.7% unemployment
Lawton
Cost of Living
24% cheaper
COL index 87.6 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Lawton
Median Home Value
$945k less
$125,500 vs $1,070,500
Lawton
Summer Heat
21.7°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 74.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Carlsbad, CA | Lawton, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.5⚠ High | 87.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,070,500⚠ High | $125,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,477⚠ High | $898 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $134,139 ✓ Higher | $51,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.5 min⚠ High | 16.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 24.8% ✓ Higher | 12.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 180⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 52 ✓ Safer | 216⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 ✓ Safer | 126⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | C (78) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.7:1 | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 22.5% |
| High School or Higher | 95.1% ✓ Higher | 89.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Carlsbad Unified | LAWTON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.0°F ✓ Warmer | 51.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 74.2°F | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.4" ✓ Drier | 34.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 2.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,745 ✓ Larger | 91,023 |
| Median Age | 42.4 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.2% ✓ Higher | 44.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | 23.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.8% ✓ More | 12.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Carlsbad's cost of living index is 111.5 vs Lawton's 87.6 (US average = 100).
Lawton is 24% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Carlsbad leads 16 of 23 categories. Carlsbad wins 16 and Lawton wins 7. 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 Carlsbad to Lawton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,070,500 vs $125,500 median home), income ($134,139 vs $51,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Carlsbad, CA and Lawton, OK are about 1,085 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.