Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clearwater, FL
VS
Lawton, OK
🏆 Clearwater leads 16 of 23 categories
Clearwater
Florida
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,358 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
116,984 ✓ 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.
Clearwater, FL
Pros
52% less violent crime than Lawton
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.0 pts lower (4.7%)
Households earn $7,797 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 51°F
More college-educated — 31.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 90°F vs 96°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,389/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Lawton
Lawton, OK
Pros
Homes cost $162k less ($125,500 vs $287,900)
Rent averages $491/mo less ($898 vs $1,389)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Clearwater
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.6)
Cons
Violent crime (820.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Clearwater by $7,797/yr
Property crime (2652.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.7% vs 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Clearwater
Median Income
$7,797
$59,358 vs $51,561/yr
Clearwater
Violent Crime
52% lower
395.5 vs 820.3 per 100k
Clearwater
Unemployment
3.0 pp lower
4.7% vs 7.7% unemployment
Lawton
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 87.6 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Lawton
Median Home Value
$162k less
$125,500 vs $287,900
Lawton
Summer Heat
5.6°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 90.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clearwater, FL | Lawton, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 87.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $287,900 | $125,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,389⚠ High | $898 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,358 ✓ Higher | $51,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min | 16.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.4% ✓ Higher | 12.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 99 ✓ Safer | 180⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 104⚠ High ✓ Safer | 216⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 90 ✓ Safer | 126⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | C (78) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.9% ✓ Higher | 22.5% |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 89.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PINELLAS | LAWTON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 70.6°F ✓ Warmer | 51.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 56.1" | 34.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 2.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,984 ✓ Larger | 91,023 |
| Median Age | 46.0 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.8% ✓ Higher | 44.7% |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | 23.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 23.5% ✓ More | 12.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clearwater's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Lawton's 87.6 (US average = 100).
Lawton is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Clearwater leads 16 of 23 categories. Clearwater 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 Clearwater to Lawton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($287,900 vs $125,500 median home), income ($59,358 vs $51,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clearwater, FL and Lawton, OK are about 1,030 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.