Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Concord, NC
VS
Lawton, OK
🏆 Concord leads 15 of 23 categories
Concord
North Carolina
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0
Median Household Income
$83,480 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
42 ✓ Safer
Population
105,335 ✓ 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.
Concord, NC
Pros
81% less violent crime than Lawton
Households earn $31,919 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.0 pts lower (4.7%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (159.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 40.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Lawton
Lawton, OK
Pros
Homes cost $163k less ($125,500 vs $288,100)
Rent averages $361/mo less ($898 vs $1,259)
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Concord
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.6)
Cons
Median income trails Concord by $31,919/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 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Concord
Median Income
$31,919
$83,480 vs $51,561/yr
Concord
Violent Crime
81% lower
159.0 vs 820.3 per 100k
Concord
Unemployment
3.0 pp lower
4.7% vs 7.7% unemployment
Lawton
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 87.6 vs 97.0 (100 = US avg)
Lawton
Median Home Value
$163k less
$125,500 vs $288,100
Lawton
Summer Heat
4.1°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 91.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Concord, NC | Lawton, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.0 | 87.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $288,100 | $125,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,259 | $898 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,480 ✓ Higher | $51,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.3 min | 16.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.2% ✓ Higher | 12.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 46 ✓ Safer | 180⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 216⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 126⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | C (78) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.4:1 | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.8% ✓ Higher | 22.5% |
| High School or Higher | 91.2% ✓ Higher | 89.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cabarrus County Schools | LAWTON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 52.8°F ✓ Warmer | 51.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.0" | 34.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.3" | 2.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,335 ✓ Larger | 91,023 |
| Median Age | 37.3 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.4% ✓ Higher | 44.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% ✓ More | 23.1% |
| Over 65 | 12.3% ✓ More | 12.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Concord's cost of living index is 97.0 vs Lawton's 87.6 (US average = 100).
Lawton is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Concord leads 15 of 23 categories. Concord 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 Concord to Lawton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($288,100 vs $125,500 median home), income ($83,480 vs $51,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Concord, NC and Lawton, OK are about 1,007 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.