Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbus, GA
VS
Lawton, OK
🏆 Columbus leads 15 of 23 categories
Columbus
Georgia
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.8
Median Household Income
$54,561 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
159⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
204,572 ✓ 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.
Columbus, GA
Pros
26% less violent crime than Lawton
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.8)
More college-educated — 28.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 51°F
Households earn $3,000 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (603.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Lawton, OK
Pros
Homes cost $43k less ($125,500 vs $168,400)
Rent averages $140/mo less ($898 vs $1,038)
Commutes run 4 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
Property crime (2652.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Columbus by $3,000/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbus
Median Income
$3,000
$54,561 vs $51,561/yr
Columbus
Violent Crime
26% lower
603.8 vs 820.3 per 100k
Lawton
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 87.6 vs 88.8 (100 = US avg)
Lawton
Median Home Value
$43k less
$125,500 vs $168,400
Lawton
Summer Heat
4.1°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 91.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbus, GA | Lawton, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.8 | 87.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $168,400 | $125,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,038 | $898 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,561 ✓ Higher | $51,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.2 min | 16.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.0% | 12.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 138⚠ High ✓ Safer | 180⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High ✓ Safer | 216⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 106⚠ High ✓ Safer | 126⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | C (78) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.4% ✓ Higher | 22.5% |
| High School or Higher | 88.5% | 89.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Muscogee County | LAWTON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.5°F ✓ Warmer | 51.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.8" | 34.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.5" ✓ Less | 2.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 204,572 ✓ Larger | 91,023 |
| Median Age | 34.9 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.5% ✓ Higher | 44.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 23.1% |
| Over 65 | 14.1% ✓ More | 12.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbus's cost of living index is 88.8 vs Lawton's 87.6 (US average = 100).
Lawton is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Columbus leads 15 of 23 categories. Columbus 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 Columbus to Lawton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($168,400 vs $125,500 median home), income ($54,561 vs $51,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbus, GA and Lawton, OK are about 793 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.