Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Lawton, OK
🏆 Cary leads 15 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880 ✓ 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.
Cary, NC
Pros
Households earn $73,756 more per year on average
91% less violent crime than Lawton
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.3 pts lower (3.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 89°F vs 96°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $477,400
Higher rents — median is $1,538/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Lawton
Lawton, OK
Pros
Homes cost $352k less ($125,500 vs $477,400)
Rent averages $640/mo less ($898 vs $1,538)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Cary
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.6)
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $73,756/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 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Median Income
$73,756
$125,317 vs $51,561/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
91% lower
71.0 vs 820.3 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
4.3 pp lower
3.4% vs 7.7% unemployment
Lawton
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 87.6 vs 98.0 (100 = US avg)
Lawton
Median Home Value
$352k less
$125,500 vs $477,400
Lawton
Summer Heat
6.9°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 89.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Lawton, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 87.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $125,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High | $898 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $51,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min | 16.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 12.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 180⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 216⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 126⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | C (78) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 22.5% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 89.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | LAWTON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F | 51.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 34.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 2.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 ✓ Larger | 91,023 |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 44.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 23.1% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% ✓ More | 12.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Lawton's 87.6 (US average = 100).
Lawton is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 15 of 23 categories. Cary 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 Cary to Lawton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $125,500 median home), income ($125,317 vs $51,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Lawton, OK are about 1,108 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.