Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Carmel, IN
VS
Lawton, OK
🏆 Carmel leads 15 of 23 categories
Carmel
Indiana
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6
Median Household Income
$132,859 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
17 ✓ Safer
Population
99,453 ✓ Larger
Lawton
Oklahoma
8
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.
Carmel, IN
Pros
Households earn $81,298 more per year on average
92% less violent crime than Lawton
More college-educated — 73.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.1 pts lower (2.6%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (66.0 vs 380/100k)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.6)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $425,900
Higher rents — median is $1,499/mo
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Lawton
Lawton, OK
Pros
Homes cost $300k less ($125,500 vs $425,900)
Rent averages $601/mo less ($898 vs $1,499)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 51°F vs 35°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.6)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Carmel
Cons
Median income trails Carmel by $81,298/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 2.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Carmel
Median Income
$81,298
$132,859 vs $51,561/yr
Carmel
Violent Crime
92% lower
66.0 vs 820.3 per 100k
Carmel
Unemployment
5.1 pp lower
2.6% vs 7.7% unemployment
Lawton
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 87.6 vs 94.6 (100 = US avg)
Lawton
Median Home Value
$300k less
$125,500 vs $425,900
Lawton
Summer Heat
11.5°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 84.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Carmel, IN | Lawton, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.6 | 87.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $425,900⚠ High | $125,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,499⚠ High | $898 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $132,859 ✓ Higher | $51,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min | 16.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 12.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 26 ✓ Safer | 180⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 17 ✓ Safer | 216⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 126⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (120) ✓ Better | C (78) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 73.7% ✓ Higher | 22.5% |
| High School or Higher | 98.1% ✓ Higher | 89.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Carmel Clay Schools | LAWTON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 34.5°F | 51.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.2" | 34.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 20.3" | 2.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,453 ✓ Larger | 91,023 |
| Median Age | 40.6 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.6% ✓ Higher | 44.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 23.1% |
| Over 65 | 14.7% ✓ More | 12.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Carmel's cost of living index is 94.6 vs Lawton's 87.6 (US average = 100).
Lawton is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Carmel leads 15 of 23 categories. Carmel wins 15 and Lawton wins 8. 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 Carmel to Lawton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($425,900 vs $125,500 median home), income ($132,859 vs $51,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Carmel, IN and Lawton, OK are about 768 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.