Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Durham, NC
VS
Lawton, OK
🏆 Durham leads 13 of 23 categories
Durham
North Carolina
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.6
Median Household Income
$74,710 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
284,094 ✓ Larger
Lawton
Oklahoma
10
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.
Durham, NC
Pros
Households earn $23,149 more per year on average
25% less violent crime than Lawton
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.4 pts lower (4.3%)
More college-educated — 53.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 87°F vs 96°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $316,600
Violent crime (619.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3799.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Lawton
Lawton, OK
Pros
Homes cost $191k less ($125,500 vs $316,600)
Rent averages $398/mo less ($898 vs $1,296)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Durham
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.6)
Cons
Median income trails Durham by $23,149/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 4.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Durham
Median Income
$23,149
$74,710 vs $51,561/yr
Durham
Violent Crime
25% lower
619.2 vs 820.3 per 100k
Durham
Unemployment
3.4 pp lower
4.3% vs 7.7% unemployment
Lawton
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 87.6 vs 96.6 (100 = US avg)
Lawton
Median Home Value
$191k less
$125,500 vs $316,600
Lawton
Summer Heat
8.9°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 87.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Durham, NC | Lawton, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.6 | 87.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $316,600⚠ High | $125,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,296 | $898 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,710 ✓ Higher | $51,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.3 min | 16.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 17.9% ✓ Higher | 12.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 170⚠ High ✓ Safer | 180⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 163⚠ High ✓ Safer | 216⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 181⚠ High | 126⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | C (78) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 53.8% ✓ Higher | 22.5% |
| High School or Higher | 91.3% ✓ Higher | 89.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Durham Public Schools | LAWTON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.9°F | 51.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.0°F | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.0" | 34.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 5.2" | 2.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 284,094 ✓ Larger | 91,023 |
| Median Age | 34.7 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.0% ✓ Higher | 44.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.1% | 23.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.7% ✓ More | 12.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Durham's cost of living index is 96.6 vs Lawton's 87.6 (US average = 100).
Lawton is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Durham leads 13 of 23 categories. Durham wins 13 and Lawton wins 10. 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 Durham to Lawton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($316,600 vs $125,500 median home), income ($74,710 vs $51,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Durham, NC and Lawton, OK are about 1,103 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.